What is self-overcoming?

Answer 1

The only person I'm familiar with who used that specific term was Nietzsche. Here's a good quote to get really to the core of what he's referring to when he says that:

"Whatever cannot obey itself, is commanded."

So one way to think of self-overcoming is discipline. But it is a discipline of mind as well as body. Probably mind MORE than body because it also involves overcoming primitive sentimentalities and attachments long before they lead to faulty beliefs and ideas, much less faulty actions.

What's more, it is not something he saw as being accomplished once and then done. But rather, as you developed your own strength of will and purpose, you would always be fighting your own tendancies of the past. What you wanted a year ago may not be what you want today, so to get what you want today you will have to overcome all your efforts to create that you made before... and the more thorough you are, the more effort this will require. Some may even fail and be doomed to live out their old purposes long after they come to loathe them.

So it goes. Links below for fuller detail.

Answer 2

Ups. Downs. Successes. Failures. Joys. Sorrows. We understand that for life to be meaningful, we must experience extremes.
If only you could just have a little more of what you need, and a little less of what you don't need. The quantities don't have to alter dramatically; a small adjustment would make a big difference. You're not looking for a miracle, you just want to increase the amount of help you are getting and decrease the amount of hindrance. How feasible is that? You'll be pleasantly surprised, to discover that it's not so tricky at all. Or, at least, you will, as long as you don't start panicking unnecessarily.
E3E3E3

Answer 3

Self- overcoming, as described by Nietzsche is our drive to always be more than ourselves, better than we were.

It means to never be satisfied with what we create, to destroy it and create more. No resting on your laurels, no falling back on something some would always consider "good."

Even emotions like "pity" and "compassion" need to be overcome. Too often are these so-called "good instincts" masters over us causing nausea and discontent with life. And we call this discontent "virtue."

Does that help?

Answer 4

IMO, this is the process of self-examination with consequent action dictated by your values and priorities. Socrates said,"The unexamined life is not worth living." I believed this to be true the first time I read it (I think I was about 18). Somewhat later I read up on exstentialism, and I was strongly influenced by Soren Kirkegaard, who maintained that a life built upon false premises and false appearances was not worth living. That is, one had to get rid of all the lies in one's life, a huge and often painful task. In addition, one cannot lie any more after this. This is self-overcoming.At least, it's one type.

Answer 5

Overcoming a problem you have with your self and/or with your life that you created or made.

Answer 6

Moving on despite failures and screw-ups.

Answer 7

*insert pervy joke here*