By Jen McMahon
Is willpower a Myth? While the concept of willpower seems clear, I find that it is actually quite easy to misunderstand or misuse. I used to believe that any bad habits I had were simply a lack of willpower on my part. When I was in college, I always wanted to choose healthier foods and yet I would continually find myself stuck in a rut of junk food. Similarly, I work with many clients that tell me that they wish they had more willpower as if it were a magical elixir that’ll keep them from eating bad foods or motivate them to go to the gym even when they’re really feeling tired. I often encourage them to look at it a different way.
The truth is that willpower has a funny tendency to work best for those who set their lives up to support their goals. In other words, don’t place yourself in front of the tastiest treats and then expect yourself to repeatedly turn down your favorite foods. People who have the most willpower don’t tend to get themselves in situations that set them up for failure in the first place, but rather they fill their cupboards and fridges with foods that support their goals.
Rather than expecting willpower to come save you from temptation in a weak moment, see if you can foresee potential obstacles in your day or the week ahead and make decisions that will guide you in the right direction from the start. James Clear uses a similar concept in the book, Atomic Habits when talking about making habits “invisible” that you’re trying to get rid of. This is exactly right! If you’re trying to eat less sugar and you’re a big ice cream fan, try removing ice cream from both your freezer and your weekly grocery list. If ice cream is easily accessible, it is likely to call out to you in stressful times or even when you’re simply feeling tired, making you feel like you have no willpower at all. We think we need willpower to overcome these constant temptations, but half of the time if it was just a little more inconvenient, we’d resist automatically.
This example works in reverse as well. If you’re looking to add yoga to your daily routine, place the yoga mat in a visible location that will help serve as a both as a reminder and a convenience as you’re walking by. It is amazing how much your willpower will increase when you have to go significantly out of your way to slip back into old habits.
Ultimately, I do think willpower exists. It is success through willpower that is the myth. Perhaps we’re all just relying on it far too heavily. Instead of leaning on our willpower to help us manage daily temptations, we have the ability to remove temptations as much as possible and use willpower only when absolutely necessary.
If you’re needing help managing temptations and habits in your own life, we’d love to help! Set up a free Health History at https://www.crossfit310.com/nutrition-1
