So You Think You Have Willpower On Speed-Dial? Think Again
Fourth Of The Six Lies That Stand Between You And Your Success
You must have heard of the saying - Where there's a will, there's a way.
That's half the truth.
The complete truth is - "When you have your will, you get your way."
For you see, willpower is not on speed-dial. Willpower is not entirely a characteristic of the human being.
Willpower is "a limited but renewable resource."
The key to understanding and using it correctly is when you use it.
The Marshmallow Test
If you have read enough self-help books, you must have come across the Marshmallow Test.
Research conducted in the late 60s-early 70s by Walter Mischel, the Marshmallow Test tested the willpower of 500 four-year-olds.
What was the test?
The kids were first offered one of the three treats - pretzel, cookie, or marshmallow. Then the researcher told them that if they waited for 15 minutes, the kids would get another treat. One treat now or two treats later.
The result?
Only three out of ten kids could manage to stick through the 15 minutes.
The rest gave up by minute three.
So what do we learn from this research?
That as you keep exerting willpower to stop yourself from eating that marshmallow, the less willpower to have to make it through.
Willpower Is A Renewable Energy
Willpower is like the battery in your phone. With each passing minute of the day, the phone loses a few percentages of its battery.
Every morning, we wake up with a set amount of willpower. How much willpower you have will depend on how much energy you have, how well you slept, how healthy you are, etc.
As we go by the day, we lose willpower.
A simple proof of this is that it's easier to stick to your healthier diet in the morning, but we give in and have that slice of pizza by the evening.
This is why we feel like we can take over the world at the beginning of the day.
But then evening arrives, and we want to watch Netflix and eat popcorn.
"Willpower is like gas in your car... When you resist something tempting, you use some up. The more you resist, the emptier your tank gets, until you run out of gas." - Kathleen Vohs
The Solution? Schedule According To Willpower
Pay attention to your day.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find out when you have the most willpower.
How will you know that?
The time you have the most willpower, you'll have the enthusiasm to do your task. You'll have the energy and mood to tackle what's in front of you. It's when your mind is clear, and you're feeling fresh.
For most, it's the morning. But that can differ from person to person.
Once you know when you have the most willpower, do your most important task first.
For me, as an example, it's getting done with my writing between breakfast and lunch. Any writing after lunch is a bonus.
You have to respect your willpower and your most important task. And you have to give those the best version of yourself.
Tackling your most important task when your willpower is at its peak makes it easier to make progress. Because once you let the day take over your day, you know you won't be getting anything else done.
"When it comes to willpower, timing is everything. You will need your willpower at full strength to ensure that when you're doing the right thing, you don't let anything distract you or steer you away from it."
(I recommend reading The One Thing by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan which inspired this article.)
You might also want to read -
The Six Lies That Stand Between You And Your Success
So You Think Everything Matters Equally? Think Again
So You Think You Can Multitask? Think Again
So You Think You Can Have A Disciplined Life? Think Again
So You Think You Can Have Balanced Life? Think Again
So You Think Going Big Will Hurt You? Think Again