The Act of Will 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.
This is a free online course based on Roberto Assagioli’s foundational book, The Act of Will. You will need a copy of the book to read alongside these lessons, although copies can also be found in libraries and online:
- Borrow The Act of Will from a library.
- Purchase a copy from Amazon.com or other book retailers.
Who it’s for
If you want practical self-leadership, follow-through, clarity, self-discipline, and motivation without hype, then this course is designed for you.
Who it’s not for
If you’re looking for a quick motivational hack or don’t want to read and reflect, this may not be for you (though feel free to explore anyway—it’s free!).
What You’ll Learn
- Understand major “will” styles: Strong, skillful, good, and transpersonal dimensions of willing.
- Master the six functional stages of willing: Purpose, deliberation, decision, affirmation, planning, and directing execution.
- Build practical routines for follow-through: Diagnose where execution breaks down and apply targeted remedies.
- Low-effort exercises: Simple, repeatable daily practices to train attention, focus, and deliberate self-direction.
Course Format
Interactive Course Curriculum
Select any lesson below to begin or continue your study.
Part One — The Nature of the Will
Builds the foundational understanding of the will: its existential reality, essential qualities, development through strong and skillful practice, and larger dimensions of good will, love, and transpersonal will.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: The Existential Experience of the Will
Chapter 3: The Qualities Of The Will
Chapter 4: The Strong Will
Chapter 5: The Skillful Will - Psychological Laws
Chapter 6: Practical Applications of the Skillful Will
Chapter 7: The Good Will
Chapter 8: Love And Will
Chapter 9: The Transpersonal Will
Chapter 10: The Universal Will
Part Two — The Stages of Willing
The operating manual of the will: examines the complete six-stage chain of volition—from initial purpose and motivation through deliberation, decision, affirmation, planning, and directing execution.
Chapter 11: From Intention To Realization
Chapter 12: Purpose, Evaluation, Motivation, Intention
Chapter 13: Deliberation, Choice, And Decision
Chapter 14: Affirmation
Chapter 15: Planning And Programing
Chapter 16: The Direction Of The Execution
Part Three — Epilogue & Appendices
The Joyous Will, the vision of The Will Project, and the five practical appendices covering self-identification, meditation, the questionnaire on the will, historical perspectives, and differential psychology.
Chapter 17: The Joyous Will
Chapter 18: Introduction to the Will Project
Appendix 1: Self-identification Exercise
Appendix 2: Thinking and Meditation
Appendix 3: Questionnaire on the Will
Appendix 4: Historical Survey
Appendix 5: Differential Psychology
Printable Act of Will Study Guide (Google Docs)
Note: These links open external Google Docs for offline study or printing. From Google Docs you can read online or export into PDF, EPUB, or Word formats.
Part One – The Nature of the Will
- Course Introduction
This course treats The Act of Will as what Assagioli intended it to be: a training manual, not merely an interesting set of ideas. - 1. Introduction
Diagnose the modern “inner–outer” power gap and justify training the will through direct experience rather than theory. - 2. The Existential Experience of the Will
Build self-awareness of willing as an immediate reality and outline the three phases of discovering the will. - 3. The Qualities of the Will
Define the core qualities of a fully developed will and identify strengths and weak links. - 4. The Strong Will
Provide practical preparation and exercises to deliberately increase the strength of the will. - 5. The Skillful Will: Psychological Laws
Clarify how to use the will effectively by directing psychological functions through knowable laws. - 6. Practical Applications of the Skillful Will
Tested techniques applying psychological laws in common inner and outer life situations. - 7. The Good Will
Disciplining the will to choose aims consistent with others’ welfare and developing the will-to-understand. - 8. Love and Will
Integrate love and will through balancing, raising their level, and synthesis. - 9. The Transpersonal Will
How transpersonal needs generate meaning-seeking and a drive toward higher realization. - 10. The Universal Will
Individual will in relation to Universal Will through intuition and analogy.
Part Two – The Stages of Willing
- 11. From Intention to Realization
The six-stage sequence of willing and diagnosing points of breakdown. - 12. Purpose, Evaluation, Motivation, Intention
Motivation-work and clarifying reasons to move from goal to effective action. - 13. Deliberation, Choice, and Decision
Deliberate thinking, willed inhibition, and responsible decision-making. - 14. Affirmation
Techniques for making affirmation effective without common pitfalls. - 15. Planning and Programming
Phases of planning so willing moves into execution without losing sight of the goal. - 16. The Direction of the Execution
The will as director: coordinating and supervising psychophysical functions.
Part Three – Epilogue & Appendices
- 17. The Joyous Will
Successful willing as intrinsically joyous across multiple levels of human needs. - 18. The Will Project
Framing the book as a beginning: research and application for peace through good will. - Appendix One: Self-Identification Exercise
Practicing disidentification and deliberate self-identification as a center of will. - Appendix Two: Thinking and Meditation
Distinguishing meditation types, discipline, preparation, methods, and safeguards. - Appendix Three: Questionnaire on the Will (Google Form)
Self-survey to ascertain the strengths and complexities of your will-function. - Appendix Four: Historical Survey
Perspective on historically conflicting will concepts and experiential study. - Appendix Five: Differential Psychology
Using psychological traits and types without distortion, honoring the unique individual.