For the last few centuries, the United States economy has been dependent upon a few different things. One of those is innovation, for without it, no growth would be possible. One of the things that has always pushed the American system forward is a spirit that promoted and demanded innovation at the same time.

People used their creative juices to create things that would benefit society and from there, we have grown to a point where new innovations are almost elementary. The abstract definition of innovation has to do with simply taking what we currently have and improving it to better benefit society. There are quite a few examples of this where gifted individuals have taken steps to empowering an entire industry.

A few weeks ago, I returned to the classroom of Dennis Dalton, the most important college professor of my life. From the back of an amphitheater seating several hundred students, I realized how much things had evolved at Columbia and Barnard. The lecture hall was now equipped with a wireless sound system, webcams, video projectors, wireless internet. Students were using computers to record the lecture and to take notes. Heads were buried in screens, the tap tap of hundreds of keyboards like rain on the roof.

On this afternoon, April 16, 2008, Dalton was describing the satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi, building the discussion around the Amritsar massacre in 1919, when British colonial soldiers opened fire on 10,000 unarmed Indian men, women and children trapped in Jallianwala Bagh Garden.

Would it be all right with you if life got easier? I’ve asked tens of thousands of people that question over the past twenty years. After a pause, most of them say something like: “That’s obvious. Yes. Of course!”

Take a moment with that question. While you may find yourself giving an immediate “yes,” you could notice another question on your mind: “What’s the catch?”

There isn’t any catch. But this question about having life get easier flies in the face of what we normally consider the successful life to be. Many of us have learned that success is won by hard work – even struggle. We’ve raised the bar on our goals and achievements, while comparing ourselves to what we think others have accomplished. We get frustrated because we think we’re not doing enough to get ahead.

Just like your muscle tissue, power weakens from lack of use and grows stronger when exercised. The more you train your power, the more powerful you become.

Everyone has some power, but not everyone develops it to the same degree. Here are some methods to train yourself to become more powerful.

Progressive Training
A good way to build power and especially self-discipline is to progressively train yourself to tackle bigger challenges. When you train your muscles, you lift weights that are within your ability. You push your muscles until they fail, and then you rest. Similarly, you can develop your power by taking on challenges that you can successfully accomplish but that push you close to your limits. This doesn’t mean trying something that’s beyond your strength and failing at it repeatedly, nor does it mean playing it safe and staying within your comfort zone. You must tackle challenges that are within your current ability to handle but which are close to your limit.