There’s a simple rule that governs nearly every aspect of life—one we intuitively understand when it comes to the body, but rarely apply to the mind, spirit, and emotions:

Whatever you use, you strengthen. Whatever you don’t, you lose.

In this short but deeply meaningful teaching, Sensei Kirk Ellis reminds us that the same laws that apply to physical muscles also govern our values, character, and mindset.

If we stop using our muscles, they atrophy.

This principle is often referred to as the Universal Law of Use, emphasizing that our engagement determines our growth.

If we stop concentrating, our attention span weakens.

If we neglect enthusiasm, we lose the ability to feel inspired.

But if we use these capacities—if we practice them with intention—they flourish. They become reliable. They become part of who we are.

Atrophy of the Mind and Spirit

We live in a culture that places heavy emphasis on material progress—yet it often neglects the internal tools that make life rich and meaningful.

As Sensei Ellis says:

“If I don’t think and concentrate, I will lose the ability to think and concentrate.”

Many people struggle to focus, not because their lives are too busy, but because they’ve forgotten how to exercise their mental faculties.

Likewise, they lose touch with ambition—not because they don’t care, but because they’ve stopped practicing the feeling of ambition.

They become dull inside.

Not broken. Not lazy. Just out of practice.

Enthusiasm Is a Skill

One of the most beautiful insights from this episode is this:

“If I use strong feelings and enthusiasm, I can reach a point where I am enthusiastic all the time, regardless of what happens.”

This might sound impossible—how can someone be enthusiastic all the time?

But when you treat enthusiasm as a skill—a habit of attention, a muscle of appreciation—it becomes clear:

You don’t need external events to trigger enthusiasm.

You generate it from within, by how you choose to engage with life.

People who live with passion often do so not because their lives are more exciting, but because their response to life is more energized.

They’ve trained themselves to see the value in small things.

To show up with spirit, even when nothing external demands it.

To stay connected to their own source of joy, regardless of the world’s chaos.

That’s not delusion. It’s discipline.

It’s practice.

A Daily Practice of Use

Let’s look at some everyday examples of the principle of use and disuse:

Physical Muscles

Use: You stretch, lift, walk, move.

Result: Strength, mobility, energy.

Don’t Use: You sit all day, avoid movement.

Result: Weakness, stiffness, decline.

Mental Faculties

Use: You read, reflect, solve problems, observe the world.

Result: Clarity, focus, insight.

Don’t Use: You numb out with noise, multitask, avoid thinking deeply.

Result: Fog, distraction, shallowness.

Emotional Values

Use: You practice kindness, gratitude, forgiveness, enthusiasm.

Result: Emotional strength, joy, resilience.

Don’t Use: You ignore these values, or only access them when convenient.

Result: Cynicism, numbness, irritability.

It’s all the same principle. The more you live from your highest values, the more they become second nature. The more you neglect them, the harder they are to access.

Building Inner Strength

Most people hope to feel good when something good happens.

But Sensei Ellis teaches a different path:

“I can be enthusiastic and happy over nothing.”

This isn’t naïveté—it’s wisdom.

When you train your mind to be positive, ethical, and energetic regardless of conditions, you reclaim your power.

You stop being a hostage to circumstances.

You stop outsourcing your peace to the news, your mood to other people, your energy to caffeine or adrenaline.

You become internally resourced.

How to Apply This Teaching Today

Here’s a practical way to apply the universal rule of use:

1. Choose One Value to Strengthen

Maybe it’s:

Enthusiasm

Gratitude

Self-discipline

Curiosity

Forgiveness

Pick one value and decide: I will practice this today.

2. Use It Consciously

Look for small opportunities to use the value:

Smile even when you’re tired.

Say thank you when you feel impatient.

Stay present in a moment you usually rush through.

Forgive a small annoyance.

This is strength training for the soul.

3. Reflect on the Experience

At the end of the day, ask:

How did practicing this value feel?

What did it change in me?

Where did I resist it?

Keep this practice going. Each day you use the value, it becomes more alive in you.

The Takeaway: You Are Training Yourself Daily

Whether you realize it or not, you are always in training.

Every thought you think… every feeling you feed… every habit you repeat—is a kind of inner exercise.

The question is not if you’re training yourself. The question is:

What are you training yourself to become?

You can train yourself to be reactive, fearful, discouraged—or you can train yourself to be centered, loving, and joyful.

You can train yourself to wait for external events to lift you—or you can train yourself to generate enthusiasm from within.

The power is in your hands. And the training starts the moment you decide to take ownership of your attention and energy.

Final Reflection

If you take away just one truth from this episode, let it be this:

Use it or lose it applies to everything that matters.

Muscles.

Mental focus.

Emotional integrity.

Positive character traits.

Enthusiasm.

Insight.

Joy.

None of these qualities “just happen.” They must be exercised—daily, deliberately, and with care.

And if you commit to using them, you will find that they not only return, they multiply.

You’ll find that you don’t need something extraordinary to feel good.

You’ll find that your spirit can remain strong even when the world is chaotic.

You’ll find that you are becoming someone new, simply by what you choose to practice.

The human equation reminds us:

Values × Beliefs = Quality of Life.

Let’s make sure we’re using the values that move us upward.

Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/@ron-lach/