In this article we will see how to increase the willpower with 3 practical and effective strategies.
There is a more powerful force than steam and electricity: the will.
Fernan knightA guide to learning how to strengthen willpower and discipline.
If you want to understand how to increase your willpower keep reading, because in this article I will explain 3 methods to reinforce it, to be able to activate it more often as well as an interesting experiment also dedicated to willpower.
Understand more about the importance of developing the own will it is the first step in building the habit that is able to increase it.
So let's start trying to understand what it is.
What is willpower
La willpower it is a push that comes into play when you resist the temptation to do something or on the contrary when you decide to take an action that you may not like.
For example to get out of bed when you want to sleep again or when you start studying instead of continuing to view idiotic links on Facebook.
We can therefore consider willpower as a very important internal resource for each person.
Discipline is also closely linked to willpower and together, they can become a tremendous fuel, not just for Personal Growth, but for all of your life goals, including getting up an hour earlier, establishing new habits, or stopping procrastinating.
In short, having willpower also means knowing to say no to others but above all to themselves.
Willpower and the study of Marshmallows
On the willpower many studies have been conducted, the most famous of all is undoubtedly the Marshmallow experiment.
In this test developed in the 70s at Stanford University by Walter Mischel, children between the ages of 4 and 6 were confronted with a marshmallow and told they could eat it, but if they resisted. tempted for a few minutes, he would be given a second sweet.
This simple test of willpower found that around one third of the children involved ate the marshmallow right away, while the remaining two thirds ate marshmallows. resisted the temptation distracting himself in the most disparate ways: moving his gaze, singing or covering his eyes with his hands.
Below you will find a nice new video of this famous test.
This experiment went on for a long time and after 14 years the researchers carried out a survey calling into question the same children as the original test for evaluate their current capabilities such as school and social skills.
Children who were able to resist the temptation to eat marshmallow right away during the test, live a more successful life, healthier and richer than their cronies who couldn't resist the temptation, these in particular had worse jobs and academic results.
This type of research is still repeated today and highlights the connection between willpower e achieved results.
It is therefore clear that people with greater self-control, willpower and discipline achieve their personal success more easily.
Thanks to this test it was possible to demonstrate that willpower is a very important skill and it is therefore equally important to learn how to train and develop it.
The good news is, therefore, that several studies show that it is possible to strengthen and train one's willpower to be able to activate it more often.
So here are 3 methods for increase willpower.
How to increase willpower
# 1 The promising technique
We start from promises, not from those we make to others, but from perhaps the most important ones, the promises we make to ourselves.
To develop your will, get into the habit of fulfilling your promises, start with the simple things and gradually continue with the more complex ones, a simple promise could be to finish the book started on the nightstand or get out of bed without fuss. .
The concept is to make fewer promises and keep more, by entering into an agreement steel with one's self.
Whenever you are tempted to quit, pull out the contract, or better yet, always keep it in sight.
# 2 Train the muscle of will
Obviously there is no real muscle of will, but as I said, willpower can be developed and enhanced with training, just like the muscles in our body.
If you have an untrained will muscle, strengthen it and temper it voluntarily, carry out daily actions in an unconventional way, brush your teeth or pour water into the glass with your left hand (if you are right-handed), use your habits to train your willpower.
In fact, according to some studies, making small changes in the actions we perform more frequently helps to increase willpower.
Do not start automatically when you move in your comfort zone, reflect on all the movements you make and find a way to carry them out in an unconventional way, or train getting closer to your impulses and then stopping the action.
For example, approach the fridge with the chocolate inside, when you feel an irrepressible urge to eat it, try to break the action.
# 3 The game of will
Approach the development of willpower like a game that can also be fun, rather than taking the elevator, you go up the stairs, but before leaving the house, challenge yourself to do it, making it more provocative and fun, as if it were a race with yourself.
If you want stimulate your willpower for a specific action challenge yourself to establish a new habit, you may decide to try climbing stairs for 10 days or maybe a month without ever taking the elevator, or challenge yourself to stop smoking until midnight tomorrow.
The challenges you can establish are endless, just analyze the actions you perform most frequently and turn them into a I play on the will.
Of course you can involve other people and why not, bet something, perhaps with your partner, to make it more intriguing.
Willpower: Questions and Answers
- How does one increase the will?As we have seen, there are techniques to develop your inner strength, there are no shortcuts, you have to get under and challenge yourself continuously.
- Where does willpower come from?Willpower comes from two main sources: from our strength that we already possess and that we can train and from a strong motivation that increases it.
- Where do I find the willpower to lose weight?To find the strength and the desire to lose weight you need to have a strong motivation, if you have not yet done so read the article: I want to lose weight.
- Can Willpower Overcome Talent?On many occasions I have personally seen that willpower combined with a good dose of determination far outweighs talent.
- Is increasing willpower useful for self-control?Yes, improving one's willpower is also useful for self-control.
- How can I increase my willpower from scratch?Willpower must be increased a little at a time with very small steps, especially if you start with a very low will. To increase it, he mainly uses the first technique we have seen with very simple tasks.
Willpower is a mindset
Willpower can be trained little by little without necessarily having to sweat seven shirts.
Even if you don't see the immediate benefits justifying certain actions right now, always remember the marshmellows test.
If you have difficulty carrying out actions outside your safety zone, take a look at the article dedicated to the comfort zone that you can find by clicking here.
Try changing yours time perspective and to think a little bit more in the long run, is an egg better today or a chicken tomorrow?
Much better a chicken coop the day after tomorrow.
