Improving Your Willpower 101

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ByEllie Jo

There are so many different reasons you could need a boost to your willpower. For example, have you ever tried any of the following?

  • Weight loss. Losing weight is all about willpower; the willpower to stick to a diet plan, to do your fitness exercises as required.
  • A fitness regime. Sure, it’s easy enough in the beginning, but keeping it up beyond the first few weeks tends to be difficult.
  • Quitting smoking or alcohol for an extended period of time.
  • Telling yourself that you will start to go to bed earlier because you know the value of sleep for health.

These are just a few examples of times in life when you need willpower – but it’s not as easy to come by as you might hope. Some people have good natural control of their willpower, but for others, there just doesn’t seem to be anything there when we call upon it.

So how can you improve yours, and guarantee that the next time you decide to make a change, you’re actually going to be able to stick to it?

  1. Start Slowly

Slow changes give you a chance for your willpower to strengthen, rather than expecting it to be 100% strong from the first moment.

So, rather than telling yourself you’re going to start going to bed by 11 pm every night, ease yourself into it. Spend a couple of nights going to bed a half hour earlier than you used to; then an hour earlier; then right back to your chosen bedtime. This gradual change gives you the chance to get your willpower improving, so when it comes to making the complete change, it’s already fought a few battles and survived.

  1. Distract Yourself

We tend to need the willpower to stop ourselves from doing things we really want to do, even if we know that they’re bad for us. This can feel like a punishment, even if we know the change is fundamentally one for the better.

So, if you’re trying to give up smoking, then don’t just expect yourself to be able to cope with such a significant change with nothing to replace it. Stock up on supplies from vaporescence.com so you can make the switch to vaping. This will guarantee giving up the habit you enjoy doesn’t feel quite so much like a punishment. The less you test your willpower – especially in the early days of any change – the better it’s going to be for you.

  1. Have A Reward Structure

Sometimes, making a positive change just isn’t enough of a reward in and of itself. If you’ve gone through deprivation and struggling with your willpower, you’re going to need a boost when you actually manage to do something positive.

So set aside the time for a little treat when you reach a certain point on the calendar; when you’ve quit smoking for 30 days or gone to the gym regularly for a month. It can just be a gift to yourself such as those featured on inc.com, which should help encourage you onwards and reward you for your strengthened willpower.

Good luck!

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Ellie Jo
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Ellie Jo is a frequent contributor to Rachel K. Belkin.

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