Willpower. It’s something we all have, in varying quantities. It’s the essence of our self-control. It allows us to recognize the right decisions to make, and then make them. And it fails — a lot of the time.
Sure, we all agree with Mahatma Gandhi’s famous saying, “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will,” but that doesn’t mean we maintain that mental toughness the way we would like to 100 percent of the time. And with good reason: According to Roy Baumeister, a renowned psychologist, self-control researcher and co-author of Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, willpower is a finite resource.
We all hit decision overload at some point, and, in our weakened state, allow ourselves to fall back on bad habits we wish we could abandon for good. The type of decision we’re facing doesn’t matter — whether it’s choosing the healthier food, buying the right birthday gift for a loved one or solving a problem at the office. We only have so much stamina and determination each day to deal, which means we need to focus instead on making the best use of it.
Feeling like you’re lacking in the self-control department? Here are 10 ways to boost your willpower that won’t make you feel like a failure.
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And then give it a rest.
We will all eventually reach those points where our reserve of willpower runs dry, and that’s okay. Instead of trying to force it into overdrive, adjust your environment instead. Relocate to the bedroom to end the Netflix binge, stash sweets deep in the pantry and turn off the kitchen lights, and set out your workout clothes for the following morning. These visual signals send the message that there isn’t a decision to make after all. And when you can’t bring yourself to even make these moves, recruit technology. There are plenty of gadgets out there that force — ahem, help — you do what your typically mentally strong self would do.
Be nice to yourself.
No one is perfect — we are all going to have our not-so-proud moments and backslide a little on our healthy lifestyle goals, no matter how important they are to us. So rather than beating yourself up about the few times you slipped up, give yourself a little encouraging smile or wink in the mirror for all the times you’ve gotten it right. That optimism will prove far more constructive in building healthy habits and stronger willpower than scolding will.
