# Volition, what is it?
**URL:** https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503
**Category:** Lounge
**Created:** [January 10, 2026, 5:21pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503 "2026-01-10T17:21:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Speedy](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Speedy)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:21pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/1 "2026-01-10T17:21:36Z")
Volition, what is it? I don’t have it. I used to have a strong will. Now I just feel empty and weak instead.
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### Author:  [@Raptor\_Z](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Raptor_Z)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/2 "2026-01-10T17:44:30Z")
Maybe dont think about that
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### Author:  [@Speedy](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Speedy)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/3 "2026-01-10T17:44:53Z")
Why? 15151515
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### Author:  [@everhopeful](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/everhopeful)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/4 "2026-01-10T17:45:10Z")
It comes and goes for me.
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### Author:  [@Raptor\_Z](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Raptor_Z)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/5 "2026-01-10T17:45:40Z")
Becouse when you focus on your weakness you make yourself weaker
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### Author:  [@Speedy](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Speedy)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:46pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/6 "2026-01-10T17:46:06Z")
Circumstances rule over me when it should be the opposite.
Very weird!
I hope it gets better.
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### Author:  [@Speedy](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Speedy)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:46pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/7 "2026-01-10T17:46:17Z")
Ok, I understand!
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### Author:  [@Raptor\_Z](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Raptor_Z)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:46pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/8 "2026-01-10T17:46:51Z")
Just think about your positive traits and cherish them
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### Author:  [@Raptor\_Z](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Raptor_Z)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/9 "2026-01-10T17:47:39Z")
The less yiu think about devil the weaker it is
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### Author:  [@Raptor\_Z](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Raptor_Z)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:48pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/10 "2026-01-10T17:48:44Z")
I dont care about my disabeling traits . Being compasionate towards oneself makes you healthier
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### Author:  [@Speedy](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Speedy)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:49pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/11 "2026-01-10T17:49:31Z")
> [@Raptor\_Z](#):
>
> Being compasionate towards oneself makes you healthier
Yes, you are absolutely right!
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### Author:  [@Raptor\_Z](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Raptor_Z)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 5:50pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/12 "2026-01-10T17:50:30Z")
You cant change some things in life . But can change hownyou look at them
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### Author:  [@Eternalaether](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Eternalaether)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/13 "2026-01-10T18:34:52Z")
Exercising free will; conscious choice
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### Author:  [@FreeLunch](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/FreeLunch)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 6:59pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/14 "2026-01-10T18:59:18Z")
Why do you feel weak? Is it physical. Not to quote Jordan Peterson but he said something interesting once which is the if we’re not growing we’re shrinking. Maybe you’ve been shrinking for too long and the trajectory is strong so you have to stop and grow somehow and it will be hard at first. It won’t be like it was at first because of how long the shrinking’s been taking place.
That’s just the theory though. I don’t know what you’re going through so I hope you don’t take it too deeply, but maybe it would help to try to start to do something that’s difficult whether it’s just small.
You should look up kaizen!!!
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### Author:  [@FreeLunch](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/FreeLunch)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 7:14pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/15 "2026-01-10T19:14:22Z")
At its heart, Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy that translates to “change for the better” (Kai = change, Zen = good). While it is famous for revolutionizing the automotive industry, it is ultimately a mindset that can be applied to everything from running a global corporation to organizing your morning routine.
The core message of Kaizen is simple: Small, incremental changes, made consistently, lead to massive results over time.
1. The Core Principles
Kaizen moves away from the “big bang” approach to change. Instead of waiting for a massive breakthrough or a million-dollar upgrade, it focuses on:
\* Continuous Improvement: Improvement is never “finished.” There is always a way to make a process smoother, faster, or safer.
\* Eliminating Waste (Muda): Identifying and removing anything that doesn’t add value (e.g., unnecessary meetings, physical clutter, or redundant steps in a task).
\* The “Bottom-Up” Approach: Kaizen suggests that the people doing the work—not just the executives—have the best ideas for how to improve it.
\* Focus on Process: If you improve the process, the results will naturally follow.
2. The Tools of the Trade
To put Kaizen into practice, practitioners often use these frameworks:
| Tool | Focus | How it Works |
|—|—|—|
| PDCA Cycle | Strategy | Plan the change, Do it on a small scale, Check the results, and Act to standardize it. |
| The 5 Whys | Root Cause | Ask “Why?” five times to get past the symptoms of a problem and find the actual cause. |
| 5S Framework | Workspace | Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain. A system for keeping a productive environment. |
| Gemba | Reality | “The real place.” It encourages leaders to go to where the work is actually happening rather than looking at charts in an office. |
3. Applying Kaizen to Your Life
You don’t need a factory to use Kaizen. You can apply “Personal Kaizen” to break through the “all-or-nothing” trap that often leads to burnout.
\* Health: Instead of a radical diet, can you drink one more glass of water a day?
\* Productivity: Can you spend just 1 minute at the end of the day clearing your desk so you start fresh tomorrow?
\* Learning: Instead of trying to read a book a week, can you read just one page every night?
4. Why It Works
Kaizen is psychologically powerful because it lowers the “barrier to entry” for change. When a task is tiny, your brain doesn’t trigger the fear or resistance often associated with major life overhauls. Over months and years, these “1% gains” compound, much like interest in a bank account.
Would you like to try applying Kaizen to a specific area of your life or work? If you tell me a goal you’re working on, we could brainstorm a few “1% improvements” to get you started.
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### Author:  [@shutterbug](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/shutterbug)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/16 "2026-01-10T19:22:02Z")
It is the opposite of medication. The less of one, the more of the other.
Someone had to point it out.
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### Author:  [@Speedy](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Speedy)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/17 "2026-01-10T19:22:34Z")
> [@FreeLunch](#):
>
> Jordan Peterson but he said something interesting once which is the if we’re not growing we’re shrinking. Maybe you’ve been shrinking for too long and the trajectory is strong so you have to stop and grow somehow and it will be hard at first.
Yeah, that’s probably one of my problems.
When I used to exercise I was resilient as fu-ck. Now I just let myself rot! I’m waiting for my brain to switch on the resilience but it’s not there. It’s hard when I don’t have that internal force.
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### Author:  [@Speedy](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Speedy)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 7:26pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/18 "2026-01-10T19:26:13Z")
> [@FreeLunch](#):
>
> Would you like to try applying Kaizen to a specific area of your life or work? If you tell me a goal you’re working on, we could brainstorm a few “1% improvements” to get you started.
I need to start exercising. It’s one of my biggest hurdles. I started doing push-ups, situps and squats with my bodyweight. I have a gym membership but haven’t been going. I’m going to cancel that membership because the gym is run by clowns. They don’t take their job seriously and it bothers me.
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### Author:  [@Speedy](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/Speedy)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 7:26pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/19 "2026-01-10T19:26:43Z")
So you think it’s the meds?
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### Author:  [@shutterbug](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/u/shutterbug)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2026, 7:26pm UTC](https://schizophreniasupport.discourse.group/t/volition-what-is-it/1503/20 "2026-01-10T19:26:57Z")
> [@FreeLunch](#):
>
> if we’re not growing we’re shrinking
I think learned helplessness is also an issue. I struggled with it a lot.
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