Foreword “Where ­there is a ­ will, ­ there is a way.” —­Pauline Kael ­ There are many variations and definitions of the word and the idea it conveys—­will. ­ Perhaps the best context for this complex and remarkable book is to think of having the resolve and the determination to accomplish a goal or a task. This definition can likely be improved upon and argued over by the reader, but in the context of this instructive examination of one of our most necessary traits by the author, Brigadier General Wayne M. Hall, this is the right way to start. ­ Will is a continuing ele­ment of what­ever condition or circumstance to which it is applied. You cannot have success in your endeavors ­ unless you resolve to see them through, no ­ matter what, and you cannot continue to succeed ­unless you determine to maintain your resolve and to persist in its spirit. It seems to be that ­ simple—­and that hard to understand. One may argue that inflexibility or an inability to recognize changed conditions can be ascribed to excessive ­ will, or ­ will gone to compulsion or even obsession. That may in some cases be true, but it misses the point. To begin with, ­ will is a vital and necessary part of any approach to achieve- ment or accomplishment. No one would think that ­ will means an inability (or incapability) to change or to adapt—­but they would think that it reflects a strong motivational link to end goals, to end states, and to ­ future possi- bilities. Most would accept the idea that ­ will is a precursor to success. ­ These ideas seem relatively easy to apply if one is talking about a per- son. They become more difficult to firmly accept if one is talking about a
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