Erroneously, philosophers often attribute achievements and heroism to the ability to withstand pressure, social or physical, in extreme situations. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) came up with a more realistic view. Instead of looking at extreme situations in isolation, he saw them as part of a normal process, where things evolve either in one direction or the other, ceaselessly shifting from day to day, from good to worse, and then back to good. Montaigne had drawn this essential lesson from Heraclitus (around 500 BC); he did not expect events to be linear, and had no problem accepting the ups and downs of life. He regarded a flexible mentality as far more valuable than rigidity. As a result, Montaigne described virtues in a manner similar to Aristotle (384-322 BC) in his “Nicomachean Ethics,” that is, as beneficial habits that lead to happiness if they are practised assiduously. When it comes to self-expression or personal development, the same principle applies. Success in those areas depends on habits practised day in and day out. It’s not the result of one-in-a-lifetime deployment of rhetorical techniques to save the day when all cards have fallen. Montaigne elaborated on this idea in his essay “On Practice.” The need for daily practice, mental and physical, is the fundamental idea in the essay. Personal development in general (and the ability to self-expression in particular) need to be cultivated over time like any other complex skill. In this respect, self-discipline constitutes the indispensable pillar. When it comes to exercise and practice, self-discipline is far more important than motivation, leisure time, affordability, and any other factor. Montaigne’s vast literary achievements are hundred per cent the outcome of self-discipline. If we compare him with similar persons (French landowners in the sixteenth century), it is easy to see that he did not have any special advantage. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/self-discipline-and-michel-de-montaignes-self-expression/