5 easy ways to build willpower

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Very often people who have achieved something are distinguished not by intelligence or talent, but by willpower. The ability to focus on a task and resist distractions, perseverance in achieving goals and overcoming difficulties are all prerequisites for success. Unfortunately, not everyone is generously endowed with willpower. Fortunately, this can be fixed.

Research has shown that willpower is like muscle strength: it diminishes with intense use. Psychologist Robert Baumeister took volunteers into a room filled with the aromas of fresh baked goods and offered them two cups, one containing a radish and the other a chocolate chip cookie. One group was asked to eat only vegetables, while the other was allowed to taste cookies as well.

After that, all the volunteers solved difficult puzzles. People who ate only radishes gave up on average in 8 minutes, while those who ate sweets spent 20 minutes trying.

Baumeister suggested that we have some kind of reserve of inner strength. Volunteers from the first group spent part of it trying to give up cookies, and there was no more persistence to solve the puzzles. But in this case, is it possible to somehow increase this stock? Psychologists say you can. To develop willpower, you need to improve your concentration and self-control.

1. Do something differently

We perform the usual actions automatically, so we save time and effort. But now something completely different is needed. The need to focus on what you are doing can be a good willpower exercise. The simplest example is to try brushing your teeth with your left hand. You will have to strain your attention, control your hand movements.

There are many examples of things that can be done differently: put on first the left and then the right leg, rearrange the furniture, tie the laces to another knot, change the routes of your walks … All these actions, even the most meaningless, form new neural connections in the brain, and this stimulates lateral thinking.

2. Accept the challenge

A great way to build willpower is to commit to doing something important and necessary, but not very enjoyable, over time. You can start simple: for 30 days every morning, carefully make your bed, or wash your face with cold water, or write in your diary. The tasks are more difficult: morning exercises, regular jogging, healthy eating.

You may have already tried something out of this and nothing came of it. But now you only need to hold out for 30 days (you can choose a shorter period). You will probably have enough time for this. The main thing is no excuses and excuses, after all, you are not only doing exercises, but also willpower training!

3. Pay attention to self-talk

Controlling emotions, especially in stressful situations, is difficult. Not everyone can master this art. Start by paying attention to what you tell yourself when you face negative emotions. Say "Stop!"

4. Focus on one thing

I am sure that you have many goals and desires, but you have to choose. The famous proverb about two birds with one stone also applies to willpower: your perseverance may simply not be enough for several directions. Plus, numerous studies have shown that multitasking is detrimental to productivity. Try to concentrate on only one task and not move on to others until you have solved it. It is equally important to eliminate all distractions: the phone, idle conversations, non-urgent emails, and so on.

You are stronger than you think and capable of more than you expect of yourself.

Christopher McDougall "Born to Run"

5. Be consistent

Willpower training is about many small victories that ultimately lead to the desired result. This does not happen immediately, but the effect accumulates, like snow in the mountains.

Australian scientists Megan Oaten and Ken Cheng asked volunteers to carefully monitor certain areas of life. In one case it was finance, in another it was training, in the third it was physical activity. Those who completed the task improved their performance not only in the controlled area: they became less distracted by completing difficult tasks, eating healthier foods and consuming less alcohol. That is, the acquired self-control skills helped them change their lives in general.