Willpower
Its not that you don’t have willpower. Everyone has it. Years and years of research have revealed that it is something we only have a certain amount of and it can be used up pretty quickly. Luckily it can also then be restored.
Think of your willpower like money. You get a certain amount of “willpower money” each day. Depending on what sort of life you’re living you’ll spend different amounts of willpower on different things.
Think about your day. Think about starting your day with a full $100 of willpower so to speak.
Imagine this : From the moment you wake up you start “spending” your willpower. You’re “spending your willpower” whenever you force yourself to tolerate the demands of life.
What Do You Tolerate?
Dragging yourself out of bed on time when you’re still tired – $10 of willpower
Traffic, red lights, bad drivers – $10
Incompetent coworkers, bosses who bully and overwork you – $20
Thinking you aren’t earning enough – $15
Being single when you don’t want to be – $15
Being in a relationship that is failing – $25
Divorce proceedings – $40
Mortgage stress – $17
Getting older – $8
Having no purpose – $10
Not being where you want to be in life – $10
Feeling inadequate – $5
Body image issues – $10
All those emails that need answering – $5
The little voice in your head putting you down all the time – $8
Standing in lines – $5
Being injured – $15
Feeling like you never get any time to yourself to just chill – $10
Cooking healthy meals instead of just buying shit – $10
Rudeness – $10
Being a parent to young children – $30
People letting you down – $15
Getting to the gym – $10
Doing your cardio – $10
Having to move 3 times while you’re writing a piece on willpower because people keep plonking their children next to you and letting them run amuck all over you and doing nothing about it – $200!
You ran out of willpower dollars a long time ago….
It also gives you a good reason why sometimes you can put up with things and sometimes you can’t. It depends what willpower you used that day already.
All of these daily things require a certain amount of willpower every day to tolerate. But remember you only have a certain amount.
This Is Why
This is why you ditch your workouts and buy a bottle of wine instead.
This is why you buy chicken pad thai on the way home instead of cooking.
This is why you hit snooze and sleep in and don’t go for that morning walk.
This is why you cancel training at the last minute.
You’re not lazy. You’re not a slob. You’re not unable to commit to your goals. You’re out of willpower mate! It’s getting harder and harder to juggle all the expectations placed upon us nowadays. And you’re using all your willpower to not let it all fall apart.
The Answer
You can’t borrow willpower.
First you need to get rid of the things you’re wasting willpower on.
The Easy
I moved closer to work and ride a scooter so I don’t sit in traffic or have to deal with parking issues. No more tickets, driving round in circles being late for appointments or ever having to pay for parking ..
Get your food home delivered by woollies so you don’t have to shop.
The Challenging
Address the bullies at work, get promoted away from shitty coworkers or quit altogether and find something new
Break up with the narcissist
The Hard
Resolve your long held family issues
Seek help from a psychologist re your body insecurity, body issues and negative thinking patterns.
Get a proper financial plan that ensures you wont be broke at 70
You’re Worth It!
When you get rid of the stressors using too much of your willpower, you have more willpower left to devote to yourself. To go to bed early. To cook healthy food and take it to work. To get to the gym. To do your workouts every day.
This is how you create the space needed to do these things you want to do and get the things you want to get.
Have a think about your day and all the things you’re simply tolerating. They are the things standing in your way of getting the body you want and the lifestyle you want to lead.
See you in the gym!
Brad Stocks
Personal Trainer
References
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/slow-gains/201403/how-stick-good-habits-when-your-willpower-is-gone
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22390518