I was resisting the temptation to indulge in a slice of birthday cake since yesterday. At the start of the year, I made a pact with myself to cut sugar from my diet. But at night, just after dinner, my resolve crumbled.
I don’t even remember how I ended up in front of the fridge, took out the slice, and ate it.
I thought I had enough willpower to control my cravings but apparently, I didn’t.
It’s not just with food that my willpower fails me, it is with other things too.
I send out a newsletter every Friday. This Friday, I woke up energized. I had the topic in mind which I have even researched previously. I knew I will be able to pull it off. So I got a bit relaxed and allowed myself to get distracted by other tasks, such as responding to emails, working on a LinkedIn post, and researching for my next book.
The day wore on, and before I realized it, it was 5 pm, my usual newsletter posting time. I started to panic. Despite all my efforts, the words just wouldn’t come. I even tried to find something I had written previously that I could refine and send, but to no avail.
After two hours of frustration, I gave up and turned to mindless entertainment, watching a movie before finally going to sleep.
Once again, my willpower had failed me.
These experiences (and many similar ones before these) pissed me off and I decided to figure out how to make my willpower work for me.
I read everything I could find on the topic including, scientific research and research papers by psychologists on how to cultivate and maintain willpower.
This is what I found.
I will start with the definition.
What is willpower, anyway?
Willpower refers to the ability to resist short-term temptations and override unwanted thoughts, feelings, or impulses in order to achieve long-term goals.
It is conscious, effortful self-regulation and can help overcome procrastination and stay focused despite obstacles.
All of that make willpower a very desirable trait to have.
But, sadly, not everyone has willpower.
If you have achieved a goal or accomplished something worthwhile, you know how hard it was to keep pushing through to get over the line.
Makes you believe some people have strong willpower and others do not.
Incorrect.
Contrary to popular belief, willpower is not an innate trait that you’re either born with or without. Rather it’s a complex mind-body response that can be compromised by stress, sleep deprivation and nutrition and that can be strengthened through certain practices.
Willpower is a lot like stress.
Stress is a reaction to an external threat for example a row with your boss, whereas willpower is a reaction to an internal conflict such as resisting the temptation to smoke or eat unhealthy food.
The need for self-control sets into motion a coordinated set of changes in the brain and body that help you resist temptation and override self-destructive urges.
It’s called the pause-and-plan response and it puts your body into a calmer state and sends extra energy to the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which helps to keep track of goals and override impulses and cravings.
The result is the motivation and mindset needed to achieve what is most important.
But how can I cultivate and maintain willpower?
There are three factors that affect our ability to resist temptations and accomplish what we really want, or need to do.
- Stress
- Sleep deprivation
- Nutrition
Let’s dissect them one by one.
Stress
Chronic stress can make it more difficult to find willpower because the biology of stress and willpower are incompatible.
The fight-or-flight response triggered by stress causes the body to focus on immediate, instinctual actions and detracts from the areas of the brain needed for wise decision-making.
To better manage your stress one of the easiest technique is to take a few deep breaths when you’re feeling overwhelmed or tempted.
Meditation is also an effective way to enhance a range of willpower skills, such as attention, focus, stress management, impulse control, and self-awareness. Meditation changes both the function and structure of the brain to support self-control.
Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation, can cause chronic stress and impair how the body and brain use energy. The prefrontal cortex, which controls cravings and the stress response, is particularly affected.
Without sufficient sleep, the brain can overreact to stress and temptations. Studies show that the effects of sleep deprivation on the brain are comparable to being intoxicated.
To cultivate and sustain willpower, getting an adequate amount of high-quality sleep is crucial.
Nutrition
Nutrition affects willpower by influencing the availability of energy to the brain.
Eating a plant-based, less-processed diet can make energy more readily available to the brain, thereby improving all aspects of willpower, including overcoming procrastination and sticking to resolutions.
Is willpower a limited resource?
The research in the field of willpower suggests that people who use willpower appear to run out of it, but it is both a limited and renewable resource.
Acts of self-control tap into the same source of strength and deplete willpower for unrelated challenges.
The research also shows that willpower decreases over the course of the day, as your energy gets “spent” on stress and self-control.
This is known as “the muscle model” of willpower. Like your body muscles, the willpower “muscle” can get exhausted from the excessive effort.
To make the most of your willpower, start your day with your hardest task first.
Devote 90–120 minutes to the hardest task of the day when your energy and willpower are at their peak.
How to keep the willpower going?
The most recommended way to keep your willpower going is to change your state.
If you’re sitting down and working on a computer, go for a long walk, take a nap, do some exercise, or do a meditation session.
Your beliefs and attitudes can also keep willpower depletion in check.
People who are driven by their own internal goals and desires are less easily depleted than people who feel compelled to exert self-control to please others.
And the good news is that willpower is never completely exhausted.
We appear to hold some willpower in reserve, conserved for future demands. The right motivation allows us to tap into those reserves, allowing us to persevere even when our self-control strength has run down.
So what changes I have made after learning all this about willpower?
- I have started doing my hardest task (article writing) first.
- I have built routines for walking, power napping, and meditating to supplement my willpower all through the day.
What is your experience with your willpower?
What steps will you take to make your willpower work for you?
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