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This is my very first attempt at a lesson plan, so I hope to get better in time.
The first thing I thought about while reading this chapter was how trainers used to insist that boxers remain celibate while training for a fight. Now I see that I used to incorrectly think this was done to save the fighter's strength or even to dampen the fighter's desire and so remove the desire as a distraction. But I see now that rather than dampening that desire, the goal of the trainer was to channel that desire and energy, and maybe even stoke it into a white-hot flame, so that the energy could be focused and directed at preparing for and vanquishing his opponent.
On the other hand, I thought about the eunuch of old, who robbed of his desire, was thought to be a loyal and faithful servant, who having no ambition, no drive to achieve or impress anyone, would be incapable of betraying his master or aspiring to take his master's place.
When Hill first started talking about creative imagination I had a hard time making the leap from sex transmutation or channeling that energy to creative imagination. Then I thought about how much of our lives is spent trying to attract a member of the opposite sex. Even after a lot of us are married, we still dress to impress, or drive the type of cars that attract attention. Some of us even pursue careers, wealth, and status so that we are positioned to get 'anybody we want'. I remember when I was younger and would go out partying with my friends, although we were supposed to be having a good time together as group, everybody was looking to meet a girl. And any of us would abandon the group in a minute if we met the right one.
I then thought about people like President Clinton, Tiger Woods, and other powerful men brought low who failed to exercise self-control. No wonder Hill says, "Far from becoming geniuses because of great sex desires, the majority of men lower themselves, through misunderstanding and misuse of this great force, to the status of lower animals."
But to take this great force and channel it, and direct it in a positive manner much like the boxer mentioned above definitely takes will power. I think it's a matter of choosing to run your body instead of letting your body run you. In order to do that you have to control your thoughts, and think big picture. It has been said that often in life, the things that give you temporary pleasure often leads to long-term pain (think drugs, alcohol, infidelity), and things that cause you short-term pain leads to long term pleasure (eating right, going to the gym, studying, etc.) That's probably why Hill says that most men don't find success until after their fifties. I think it just takes us that long to figure some of this out, and stop thinking with our little heads.
Peace and Prosperity,
Reggie Liggins
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