The Act of Will: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery (Study Guide)

Learn the stages of willing and how to move from intention to action. Learn “will qualities” like focus and persistence. Learn practical ways to apply will in ordinary life.

We’re preparing a free course based around Roberto Assagioli’s book, The Act of Will. Ideally, you’ll need a copy of the book to read, although if you’re happy to read it on your device, you can find copies of it online. You can:

• borrow from a library.
• purchase a copy from Amazon.com or other book retailer.

If you'd like to be notified when the course releases (likely in the next week or so), you can:
1. Join our mailing list
2. Follow us on Facebook

Who it’s for: If you want practical self-leadership, follow-through, clarity, self-discipline, motivation without hype, then this is for you.

Who it’s not for: If you’re looking for a quick hack, or who don’t want to read/reflect at all, then this is probably not for you (but have a look anyway, it’s free!).

What you’ll learn

• Understand major “will” styles (e.g., strong/skillful/good; personal/transpersonal themes)
• Learn the six functional stages of willing (purpose, deliberation, decision, affirmation, planning, directing execution)
• Build practical routines for follow-through
• Use short, low-effort exercises to train attention/focus and self-direction

Course Format

Cost: Free
Format: Self-paced lessons + optional quizzes + infographics
Structure: One lesson per chapter (including appendices)
Time: Lessons will take approximate 30 minutes on top of time taken to read the chapter.

Course curriculum at a glance

Part One — The Nature of the Will (Ch. 1–10)

Part Two — The Stages of Willing (Ch. 11–16)

Part Three (Epilogue) — Ch. 17 + Will Project + Appendices

Quick Preview

Here are a couple of infographics from the course, aimed at highlighting the key concepts of in the chapters.

The following is a chapter draft and might change slightly before the course is released.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Lesson objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Describe the main problem the book opens with: strong outer power, weak inner control.
• Explain why the author gives priority to training the will, and why he starts with practice rather than theory.

---

1) Chapter focus (read this first)

This chapter explains why a book on the will is needed: modern life gives us many “outer” abilities, but many people struggle to manage their “inner” life. It sets the direction for the whole book: build inner strength—starting with the will—through direct practice.

---

2) Key distinctions

Outer power vs inner power: Being capable in the world does not mean being capable of managing feelings, impulses, and attention.

Simplifying life vs strengthening yourself: Reducing complications helps, but it does not replace inner training.

Will in practice vs will in theory: The chapter recommends learning what the will is by using it, before debating ideas about it.

Tools vs being “ruled” by tools: The problem is not technology itself, but losing control over how we use it and how it shapes us.

---

3) Key points

• Modern people can achieve remarkable things outwardly, yet often struggle to understand and direct their inner life.
• This gap contributes to personal stress and wider social problems.
• One helpful response is simplifying the outer life: reducing unnecessary demands, distractions, and complications.
• But simplification has limits because responsibilities and modern systems still require engagement.
• A deeper response is developing inner powers, with special emphasis on the will.
• The will matters because it helps us choose what to do, follow through, and persist when it is difficult.
• The chapter advises starting with direct experience—learning by doing—rather than getting stuck in confusing debates about the will.

---

4) Micro-exercise (5–10 minutes)

Do this now: Spot the “inner gap”

Steps

1. Think of one recent moment where life felt rushed, draining, or distracting (any ordinary example).
2. Write one sentence describing the outer situation (what was happening around you).
3. Write one sentence describing the inner situation (what you noticed inside: feelings, urges, or scattered attention).
4. Write one sentence naming a small “will move” you could try next time (a simple chosen action you can do in under 1 minute).

Output (write this down)
A 3-line note:

(1) Outer situation: ___.

(2) Inner situation: ___.

(3) Next time I will: ___.

---

5) Reflection prompts (choose 1 or 2)

Answer briefly in plain language, aiming for practical honesty rather than perfect wording. If a question feels too personal, choose another and keep it low-stakes.

1. Where in my life do I handle “outer” tasks well, but feel less steady “inside”?
2. What is one small way modern life pulls my attention or energy off course?
3. When I feel overwhelmed, what usually fails first: clarity, calm, follow-through, or rest?

---

6) Six Stages link

How this chapter strengthens the chain: It gives a clear reason for will-training and invites a simple starting intention: to build inner strength rather than only improving outer conditions.

---

7) Glossary (chapter terms)

• Outer power — Skills and control over the external world (tools, technology, organisation, influence).
• Inner powers — Abilities for managing your inner life (attention, emotions, impulses, meaning, and choice).
• Will — The capacity to choose a direction and follow through, even when it is inconvenient or difficult.
• Simplification — Reducing unnecessary complexity and strain in daily life where possible.
• Unconscious — Inner activity outside awareness that still affects you (habits, reactions, hidden motives).
• Superconscious — Higher qualities and insights that people may experience (meaning, values, inspiration).
• Direct experience — Learning something by observing and practising it, not only by reading or arguing about it.

---

Select Quotes

“As several writers, Toynbee among them, have pointed out, this wide gulf between man’s external and inner powers is one of the most important and profound causes of the individual and collective evils which afflict our civilization and gravely menace its future. Man has had to pay dearly for his material achievements. His life has become richer, broader, and more stimulating, but at the same time more complicated and exhausting. Its rapidly increasing tempo, the opportunities it offers for gratifying his desires, and the intricate economic and social machinery in which it has enmeshed him make ever more insistent demands on his energy, his mental functions, his emotions, and his will.”

“The remedy for these evils—the narrowing and eventual closing of the fatal gap between man’s external and his inner powers—has been and should be sought in two directions: the simplification of his outer life and the development of his inner powers.”

“Therefore I believe that the right procedure is to postpone all intellectual discussions and theories on the subject, and begin by discovering the reality and the nature of the will through its direct existential experience.”

From the course developer

I created this course as I’ve seen how people often understand what they should do, yet still feel stuck at the level of choice, follow-through, and self-trust. I’ve experienced this myself, as I’m sure most people have. The Act of Will offers a practical way to bridge that gap in everyday life.

My background includes a Certificate in Psychosynthesis (2002–2004), Psychosynthesis Life Coaching training (2021/2022), plus Communication Leadership training (2021).

This course extracts the key concepts from The Act of Will, helping you to put them into practice. Expect calm, structured lessons with clear definitions and short exercises, aimed at helping you build steady progress in mastering your will. The course is free from hype or grand promises, focusing on the aspects that are most important.

– Graeme Wilson, Christchurch, New Zealand

Final thoughts

Keep in mind, the course and the book can only introduce you to the concepts. You will have to make an effort to understand and put into practice the various techniques.

If you'd like to be notified when we release the course (likely in the next week or so), you can:
1. Join our mailing list
2. Follow us on Facebook