To fully commit to self-improvement, we will undoubtedly have to do things that we would prefer not to. If we are dieting, we must eliminate the bad food and replace it with healthier alternatives. If we are trying to get in shape we will need to make exercising a priority. 

Doing all these things requires willpower. So what is it?

What is willpower?

Willpower is essentially the power to control your actions and emotions in a given situation. Delaying gratification is a way that many exercise their willpower.

You use it to do the things you might not want to. Otherwise, you would never accomplish anything.

You can think of it as a type of discipline. We exert it all the time in our day-to-day lives.

  An example would be choosing to eat an apple instead of a donut.

Benefits of willpower

In 1972, Walter Mischel designed an experiment to test the willpower of children. They were presented with two options. They could either eat one marshmallow then or get a second once the researcher returned.

 After following through with the children years later he was met with exciting findings. The children who delayed instant gratification (eating the marshmallow before the researcher returned) ended up faring better in life than the children who ate early.

They had higher SAT scores, better relationships with their peers, and a lower risk of substance abuse.

Willpower, learning and the Marshmallow Experiment – May 2022 (brainzucker.com)

These findings show that having self-discipline can be hugely beneficial when it comes to success in life.  The children are a clear example of why it should be a priority to work on our discipline.

The good news is that we can gain willpower if we are low on it. Just because we may have poor discipline at the moment doesn’t mean we cannot improve it.

How to improve our discipline

• Plan things out ahead of time

 Planning your course of action ahead of time can be truly beneficial.

Let’s say you are going out with your friends to eat.

You normally would drink wine with your meal. But due to the fact that you are trying to cut back on alcohol consumption that is not an option.

In this scenario, it can be good to have an alternative drink in mind well before you even place your order.

• Distract yourself

If you feel like you may do something you shouldn’t perhaps you should distract yourself before you do. If we redirect our brain to something else, we will be less likely to make mistakes.

Do whatever (within reason) is necessary to keep yourself from giving in. Distracting our minds with something else can yield positive results.

How limited is our willpower?

Although, many people debate the legitimacy of ego depletion. Recent studies have shown that it may not be real.

 However, at the moment it is too soon to make any definitive statements.

It’s possible though, like many things, our willpower is impacted by our perception.

A recent study showed that participants who believed willpower was limited showed signs of ego depletion whereas those who thought the contrary did not.

As with many things, the mind could have played a role in the outcome. It’s possible that because they believed that their willpower was limited, they experienced a depletion of it.

Have We Been Thinking About Willpower the Wrong Way for 30 Years? (hbr.org)

Conclusion

When it comes to a person’s success, willpower is even more of an indicator of success than IQ.

What you need to know about willpower: The psychological science of self-control (apa.org)

Therefore, it is imperative that we work on it.  The benefits are just too impressive to ignore.