Get Results Despite Your Willpower

Willpower is your ability to control your own actions and resist urges and temptations. It is your ability to delay short term gratifications and achieve long terms goals. Willpower is a real thing everyone has. Unfortunately, relying on willpower alone seldom brings lasting results.

Most of us do not have strong enough willpower to act on willpower alone.  Wanting to achieve something and having the willpower to do so are two quite different things. If you want to achieve your fitness goals do not rely on willpower alone. Creating permanent lasting change is not easy. It is exceedingly difficult and needs to be a slow, deliberate process. You may be able to rely on willpower in the beginning, but lasting change comes from building lasting processes that do not rely on willpower.

Some people have trouble resisting chocolate. Chocolate is a favorite treat in the United States. Americans consume nearly 3 million pounds of chocolate a year – equivalent to around 12 pounds per person. If you are a chocolate lover, you know how hard it is to resist it. Can you beat your chocolate cravings on willpower alone? No, you cannot. You need to build a series of habits to prevent you from triggering your craving.

1) Build a constructive mental distraction to take your thoughts off chocolate
2) Do not buy chocolate and have it in your house or car
3) Do not visit friends who also eat chocolate
4) Avoid social situations where chocolate is served

A significant portion of the American population are sedentary. About 25% of Americans do not get any physical activity at all. About 60% of Americans do not get enough physical activity. Physical activity helps prevent heart disease and developing high blood pressure. It helps maintain healthy bones, joints and muscles and control weight. You cannot rely on willpower alone to get you moving and active.

1) Go for walks with family and friends. Walking is easy and inexpensive to do.
2) Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.
3) Join groups promoting physical activity.
4) Stand more during your day. Work on your computer standing up.
5) Take up a sport like basketball also help with coordination

People find it hard to get to the gym. More than 60% of the American population is obese. Only 23% of Americans are getting enough exercise. During the pandemic people have been forced to work out at home. Nearly 53% of people are working out at home but only to pass the time. Boredom is the big driver. Relying on willpower to exercise is not a good strategy.

1) Monitor your health and maintain healthy measurements
2) Add fitness to your daily schedule. Create appointments for your workouts.
3) Find enjoyable activities you like doing so you are more likely to do them.
4) When you fail, get back on the horse immediately. Do not wait.
5) Reward yourself for reaching your goals.

Using willpower alone you are not likely to reach your goals. Adding real world tactics and strategies to reach your goals will certainly give you a great opportunity to succeed.