Skip to main content

What Is Willpower?


Many people believe they could improve their lives if only they had more of that mysterious thing called willpower. With more self-control we would all eat right, exercise regularly, avoid drugs and alcohol, save for retirement, stop procrastinating, and achieve all sorts of noble goals. If only you could control yourself. If you had more willpower, you could finally lose those last 10 pounds. If you had more self-control, you could finally stop procrastinating, save for retirement, stick to an exercise routine, and avoid various vices such as alcohol and cigarettes. Does this sound familiar? That's a lot riding on the mere force of will. Fortunately, there are things you can do to strengthen it. Failure only happens when you lose your willpower to continue trying. If we let the obstacles get the best of us then it was our choice to fail, not fate.




What Is Willpower? 

Willpower goes by many names: drive, determination, self-disciplin, self-control, resolve. At its simplest, willpower is the ability to control or restrain yourself, and the ability to resist instant gratification in order to achieve long-term goals, other definitions include:

  • The capacity to override an unwanted thought, feeling, or impulse
  • The ability to employ a “cool” cognitive system of behavior rather than a “hot” emotional system
  • The conscious, effortful regulation of the self, by the self

Some researchers believe that willpower is partly determined by genetics.

Willpower Weakeners

Just like there are ways to increase your willpower, there are also ways to decrease it. Most people do not consciously do these activities. They have simply gotten used to them as part of their state of mind. Additionally, negative life circumstances can lead people into self-sabotaging thinking methods. After a breakup or loss of a loved one, this is far more likely to occur. Below are the two most common ways individuals speed up ego depletion and decrease their willpower.

Self-Criticism

Self-criticism is the act of being too critical of oneself. It is constantly focusing on your flaws and doubting your abilities. Self-criticism is the act of thinking negatively about yourself.  Individuals with self-critical tendencies face self-created problems due to their harsh standards and internalized social values for self-evaluation. As a result, they’re unsure of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

List of 10 Signs of Self-criticism

The most common signs of self-criticism are:

  1. Blaming yourself for every negative occurrence in your life.
  2. Never acknowledging your achievements or deriving satisfaction from them.
  3. You compare yourself to others. When you do this, you find they are better than you.
  4. You struggle with body image and self-esteem issues.
  5. You are never assertive when it comes to your needs, goals, or desires.
  6. If you make a mistake, you believe it negatively reflects your character.
  7. You do not accept compliments or constructive criticism.
  8. The standards you set for yourself are not achievable.
  9. You often contemplate mistakes you made months or years ago.
  10. You have a hard time forgiving yourself and moving on.

Temptation

Temptation can be overpowering, and it often co-occurs with cravings. Many people recovering from addiction describe feelings of temptation to engage in drug or alcohol abuse, but temptation can also occur in more mundane settings. A person might feel tempted to eat chocolate while on a diet, to avoid doing work and watch television instead, or to buy an expensive piece of clothing they may or may not be able to afford.

What to avoid when nurturing your willpower

Now that you know how to strengthen your mind and willpower, you also need to learn what might weaken it. Temptations are everywhere, and some might be more threatening than others. 

Here are things to watch out for that might weaken your willpower:

  • Self-doubt and an abundance of negative self-criticism
  • Any type of stress can negatively impacting your health
  • Poor sleep hygiene and inadequate amounts of rest
  • Burnout at work and mental exhaustion

How to Strengthen Willpower 

While many of us struggle with willpower and self-control, most people also seem to believe that this is a skill that can be learned and strengthened. Fortunately, researchers have also come to similar conclusions and suggest that there are a number of things you can do to improve your self-control.

Think of willpower as a muscle. Just like any other muscle, willpower can be built up and strengthened with time and effort. Exercising your willpower may also make it less vulnerable to being depleted. Creating simple but challenging tasks that require some effort. For example, using your left hand instead of your right hand to open doors. Or turning the light off every time you leave a room. Engaging in these relatively easy tasks for a couple of weeks will hone your self-control skills.  

Self-Control

Self-control or the ability to manage one's impulses, emotions, and behaviors to achieve long-term goals is what separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. Self-control is primarily rooted in the prefrontal cortex the planning, problem-solving, and decision making center of the brain which is significantly larger in humans than in other mammals.

The richness of nerve connections in the prefrontal cortex enables people to plan, evaluate alternative actions, and ideally avoid doing things they'll later regret, rather than immediately respond to every impulse as it arises. The ability to regulate one's emotions and behavior is a key aspect of executive function, the suite of skills that allow an individual to plan, monitor, and attain goals. There is debate surrounding the degree to which self-control is an innate individual difference, versus a learned skill. Most experts believe that people who are disposed to lower levels of less self-control can still cultivate healthy habits and take counter-measures to control their behavior.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

What is the difference between 1 Bipolar Disorder and 2 Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, you can manage your mood swings and other symptoms by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy). Bipolar I Disorder and Bipolar II Disorder are two of the three major forms of Bipolar Disorder. If you or someone you know is dealing with bipolar disorder, educating yourself about the condition is important. Understanding the differences between Bipolar Disorder 1 and Bipolar Disorder 2 can help you plan for how to manage future mood episodes and get the best treatment for your mental health. Bipolar 1 Disorder  Bipolar 1 Disorder is characterized by extreme, intense mood episodes. Those with bipolar I experience intense mania, which lasts at least seven days. T...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is Manic Depression Disorder?

Manic Depression Disorder episodes are the main sign of the condition, and most people with bipolar disorder also have depressive episodes. The condition is manageable with medications, talk therapy, lifestyle changes, and other treatments. Manic Depression Disorder is a term for what is now referred to as Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorder is a chronic mood disorder that causes intense shifts in mood, energy levels, and behavior.  Manic Depression Disorder. (Bipolar 1 Disorder) Manic Depression Disorder, is a mental disorder characterized by wide mood swings from high (manic) to low (depressed). Periods of high mood swings are called manic episodes. The person becomes very active, but in a scattered and unproductive way, sometimes with painful or embarrassing consequences. Examples are spending more money than is wise or getting involved in sexual adventures that are regretted later. Most people who have manic episodes also experience periods of depression. There is some evidence ...
Post a Comment
Read more

How Bipolar Disorder affect Women ?

 Women and men are equally likely to have bipolar I disorder, but women are more likely to have bipolar II disorder and may experience more rapid cycling between highs and lows. Women with bipolar disorder are also more likely than men with bipolar disorder to have other physical and mental health conditions, including problems with alcohol use, depression caused by bipolar disorder, thyroid disease, obesity caused by medicines that treat bipolar disorder, and migraine headaches. Women with bipolar disorder tend to have more depression and anxiety symptoms than men. In women with bipolar disorder generally, depressive symptoms are more likely to be dominant. In fact, women with the condition are twice as likely to experience depression as men. Women are also more likely to experience psychosis with depression. Because depressive symptoms tend ton be dominant. Women with bipolar disorder often receive an incorrect diagnosis of depression. Researchers found that women with bipolar di...
Post a Comment
Read more