Augustine's Divided Will: We sabotage our own goals not because we're weak, but because we genuinely want contradictory things at the same time. The conflict isn't a flaw to fix. It's what being human feels like.
Article: Augustine of Hippo (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Why do we skip the gym when we genuinely want to be fit? Why do we procrastinate on work we actually care about?
Augustine of Hippo, a 4th-century philosopher, observed that we simultaneously want contradictory things. He famously prayed, "Lord, make me chaste—but not yet."
He genuinely wanted spiritual purity while also craving physical pleasure. Both desires were real.
This is the divided will: humans don't have one unified will. We have multiple conflicting desires pulling us in different directions simultaneously.
We want to exercise and stay comfortable. Be productive and relax. Both are genuinely us.
Most people respond to failure with self-criticism: "I'm lazy. What's wrong with me?"
Augustine offers a different response. If inner division is universal and not a personal defect, then instead of asking "Why am I so weak?" ask "Which competing desires am I experiencing?", "What do I want now, and what do I want later?" These questions create space for strategy.
We are not broken. We are just divided.
Acknowledge both desires: "I want to exercise, AND I want comfort." Then find creative solutions that address both, like reducing friction to build a good habit or adding rest so the comfort side of us isn't ignored.