The “invisible hand” is what keeps free market economy running successfully. It says that if the government does not interfere with public business, economic issues will naturally work themselves out. Individuals are motivated by their own self-interest which is the biggest reason this theory actually works in real life and not just on paper. This furthers public welfare because a thriving economy equates to a successful people. Successful people look for a need in society and they fill it. If what they are doing has no demand then change will be the natural progression in order to follow the money and fulfill their own self-interest. This is the invisible hand guiding their steps to fill needs in society while also filling their pockets with a greater income which is the underlining motivation.

The internet has changed the world forever working in tandem with the invisible hand and does not seem to be stopping anytime soon. One of the ways it has changed business is with online stores and their use of drop shipping products directly to the customer. This created a symbiotic relationship with a manufacturer of a product and the marketing, salesperson. The manufacturer did not know how to advertise their product effectively online and the salesperson did not know how to create a quality product. Using the drop shipping method, the manufacturer could focus on creating more of their product thus making more money. The salesperson now having a quality product could do what they do best. Sell! An online store is simply digital marketing with a URL.

Thirty years ago, this concept was still fairly new and not a lot of people did it. So, getting into the business was fairly easy and very profitable. Now the invisible hand is changing its availability. While ecommerce is still a booming business model it is very saturated so only the best tends to be successful in it. This business platform has taken an interesting evolution. No one was doing it so it was easy for unexperienced people to make a lot of money thus attracting people to the job. Now there are lots of people doing this and the invisible hand is at work making competition fierce thus driving up the quality of the drop shipping industry.

The space exploration industry has been run by government corporations like NASA ever since the beginning. Now thanks to private companies with progressive thinking the invisible hand is starting to make competition greater. Consequentially, making strides towards better rocket ships, technology, and the possibility of becoming an interplanetary species a reality. In 1969 when humanity first landed on the moon all the nations of the world were competing to land there first. Furthermore, there was a driving force that made progression happen, but after that it slowed down. Now with CEO’s like Elon Musk tiring of government programs not fulfilling their duties at the level they ought to. Private companies are putting their best foot forward with the help of their systemic partner the invisible hand.

Everyone remembers being in school and having come across a breed of student they perceived as motivated. Always come to class prepared, knowledgeable, and their grades reflect this idea. A survey was done that showed the number one reason people failed to make positive changes in their life was because of a lack of willpower, (Weir, 2012) a synonym of self-discipline. The question then is: Are some people just born with more motivation than most, or is it superior discipline stemming from the way they live their life on a day-to-day basis? One would argue that this perceived motivation is actually a well-trained discipline that keeps them on track. Once the enthusiasm runs out people have self-discipline to keep them going. In the following text, self-discipline and a few of the technics used to exercise that restraint will be discussed.

Finishing what someone starts and not abandoning the project once it gets frustrating is a great beginning. People often start projects or tasks and find an excuse to justify not finishing them. Instead of using the chance to persevere people give up and weaken their self-discipline. Life will always throw difficulties our way but part of being a strong-willed individual is overcoming these obstacles. There is a way to overcome this power struggle with one’s self. Break the project into smaller parts called “sprints”. Doing this makes it a lot easier not to get bogged down by such a big project and make it into more manageable bite size pieces (Stone, 2017). For example, if someone has to write a paper for sociology class, break it into a few smaller projects. Write out a basic outline, then your body, starting and conclusion paragraph, and finally editing it. Making this project into four parts can give someone a sense of achievement for each section. This helps motivate them and compartmentalize the assignment therefore making it more manageable. Hopefully this tool can aid people in following through.

Making things that could become distracting or unhealthy for someone difficult to acquire quickly is another technique one can use to become more disciplined. Everyone has a little voice inside that checks in and tells us whether they should or should not do something. It is a lot easier to follow that voice if our weaknesses are not easily accessible to us at that moment. If someone is going somewhere it is easy to spend a lot of money only bring a specific amount of cash. Leaving the credit card at home will help you stay disciplined. In my personal life, I make sure to eat something before I go grocery shopping, because it makes it easier to buy healthy food. I know I have a weakness of wanting to snack on unhealthy food when I am at home, so if I am able to pick healthy items it is a lot easier to stay on track. Small methods like this can help people prepare for weak moments and make sure they make the smart choice when needed.

Building our self-discipline with constant conditioning is huge, and probably one of the biggest struggles one will face on the way to a more disciplined life. Temptation often conflicts people and makes them procrastinate. Putting important matters off only weakens someone’s self-discipline but if done right away usually makes life a lot easier, producing a bigger reward for getting the job done. Self-discipline is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it will get. It is just like a skill that takes time to master. Going to the gym every day is really difficult at first but eventually it becomes easier. Self-discipline is something that almost no matter what somebody’s job is, they will need to use. When working on projects people must remember to push through adversity and get to their end goal. If someone knows that something is going to distract them from that goal, they need to try to keep those distractions away from them when they want to be productive. Working at building one’s self-discipline on a routine basis will make all of this easier, and lead to road of accomplishments. Motivation alone can help someone get through an assignment intermittently, but eventually it runs out, and then discipline appears out of the background and kicks their hypothetical rear end in first gear, hopefully.

References

Stone, J. (2017). Should You Finish What You Start? Psychology Today. Retrieved November 07, 2017 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/clear-organized-and-motivated/201706/should-you-finish-what-you-start

Weir, K. (2012). What You Need to Know about Willpower. The Psychological Science of Self-Control. Retrieved November 14, 2017 from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/willpower.pdf

I refuse to write about the sadness life has cursed us with.

I will build my own forge, with which I am the smith.

I am the pen and life is the paper.

If you’re doing it right, there’ll be no eraser.

Fuck your poem of grief.

I contemplate of things only in sync.

I think of joyous times.

To avoid life’s despondent rhymes.

Everyone has experienced some form of struggle.

Unfortunately, no one pays attention until the rebuttal.

If everyone solely talked of past sorrows,

My heart would feel like old bone marrow.

Slowly loosing density with every wave of grievance.

I pledge my attention to achievement.

I choose to dedicate toward purgation.

Only straying to hydrate with Ninkasi total domination.

Where your mind is, your heart will soon follow.

Explode with adventure, seek not to be hollow.

If all you seek is to feel, then maybe this is the wrong appeal.

I believe in a better life; one I imagine to be surreal.

Wake up expecting to accomplish what was not feasible yesterday.

Astonish the world, laugh and say this is only your Tuesday.

Some say their grief is their lover, but I listen to the beat of a different drummer.

    I stepped outside onto my deck to observe the end of this winter. The snow had melted but the ground was still frozen. It was a sunny, rock your Oakley’s with a jacket on kind of day. The kind that almost deceives you into thinking it’s warm outside, until you open the door and those perceptions are shattered. I walked out in bare feet for the simple reason of wanting to feel something, anything. It is sometimes easy to feel detached from life, insignificant in the bustle of unknown people. I have many excuses to let myself feel down but no worthy reason. The numbness creeping up from the soles of my feet feels relieving for some odd reason.

    This feeling of despair will soon pass and I will feel happiness again. Like the seasons, one must leave so that a new one can enter. Flowers must wither so new, beautiful blossoms can replace the old. Soon streams will melt and run with life, while birds whistle with excitement of the new season that has come.

    No one sees the struggle that someone went through to get somewhere. They only see the end product. No matter how low you feel, or how low you have gone. There is always hope. It is not about where you start on your journey. Only when you decide to say, that’s i'm far enough. If you decide you’re not content. There is no end to what you can achieve. When you start that journey, it will be grueling. You will sometimes feel like giving up seems such a good option. Just remember that feeling will soon pass and be replaced with a euphoria far better than something you can buy. Achievement. Knowing that you are a better person then you were yesterday. No one can take that from you.

    I stepped back into my house in confidence. Ready to face my next challenge with fortitude. Life is just about positive and negative reactions. You will have bad times, as well as good. Remember every time you fall, get back up a little fiercer than before. No matter how dark your winter, spring is around the corner, waiting to brighten your day.

    If you had something that you loved more than your life would you keep it close? If you lost it once before would you never leave its sight? Love does crazy and wonderful things to a person’s heart but when tarnished it tears you apart. It lifts your soul into the heavens but makes your heart stop. After you have someone steal it for the night can you ever heal the pain? I want to just “get over it” and keep my happy life I once had. I want to trust her like I did before and still keep that pure image of her tucked away. It feels different. Like the foundations of a building after an earthquake has hit. Your house looks like it wasn’t damaged but inside, it’s different. The happiness that home brought to you has gone and left only fear of what might be again.

    I beg of you to think before you act and keep what you might still have intact. Love is a precious thing not to be taken lightly. It comes once in a life time for many and sometimes not at all for some. Nothing else can make you feel more tranquil and then suddenly apprehensive. The power of love is a spell that is not concocted often and takes so much work to keep alive. If you do put in the work, if both of you do, it will make you feel an ecstasy of euphoria that is unsurpassable of anything in this world. Hold dear your loved one, for second chances are not always left as an option.

    Road rage, an emotion that has plagued every driver whether they admit it or not. From people throwing water bottles at my Dad’s car, to my sister attempting to throw gummy worms into open windows of cars without my mom noticing. Last week I was on the receiving end of it while on my way to work. Here is my story.  

    I was headed down a one lane road listing to music when I had to stop. A flagger dressed in bright orange, with a status seeking scowl, was up ahead controlling traffic for road construction. When I came to a stop the driver behind me started blaring his horn continuously, wanting me to know he did not like that I was in the way of his destination. The flagger’s face turned beet red, and he walked over to where the car behind me could see him. He drove the stop sign he was holding into the ground like he was Gandalf stopping the demon called Balrog from passing the bridge of Khazad-dûm. He proceeded to raise his hand in a “stop” manner and the horn instantly ceased. I wanted to see that man’s face go from anger to complete embarrassment in a single flash. While the realization that he was the one being a jerk flashed threw his conscience.

    I like to remember this story when I feel down and need a quick pick me up. I laugh to myself and remember that we are all living here on this earth together, making mistakes and learning from life’s obstacles, or construction.