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Willpower is “the ability to control one’s own actions, emotions, or urges.”
And self-control is “restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, emotions, or desires.”
Imagine the kind of life you could unlock if you were that person.
Well, you don’t have to imagine because here are ways to strengthen your powers of willpower and self-control.
Willpower
Strength starts on the inside.
Will power is having the will to act – to follow your heart and bring your vision and dreams to life!
Willpower is the courage to face your inner conflicts and temptations and make them subject to your vision, plans, and goals.
It’s the discipline to stop doing what’s keeping you stuck in the kind of life you don’t want and do what you must to unlock your best life, even when you’d rather be doing something else right now because what you want for yourself, in the long run, means so much more to you!
So you go to the gym or take a run, schedule your day before going to bed, or take charge of your finances and make a plan and budget to get out of debt to secure a stable financial future.
Living the life you desire takes heart and soul. But the power of decision issues comes from the command center of your brain, the prefrontal cortex (PFC). It’s the part of the brain responsible for regulating our behavior and decision-making abilities.
The quality of your decisions and ability to follow through depends on the quality and strength of your PFC.
To strengthen your willpower, strengthen your prefrontal cortex by:
- Eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet
- Exercising 3–5 times a week
- Getting quality sleep each night
- Managing stress
Replenish Your Willpower Regularly
Experts claim we start the day with only so much willpower; the more we use, the less we have; willpower runs out fast.
Think of it this way. Willpower is like a muscle we train at the gym that fatigues from repetitive use and overload, but that’s what it takes to build muscle; same with willpower.
How to Replenish and Condition Your Willpower
To condition and sustain your willpower, practice these tips to keep it replenished:
- Center and ground your soul daily with prayer and meditation.
- Learn breathing techniques to reduce stress and be calm.
- Practice daily affirmations to keep your vision front and center.
- Do the important things NOW and schedule other stuff for later.
- Avoid addictive substances that alter your mind and weaken the PFC, like alcohol, nicotine, and too much sugar.
- Disconnect from screens and the virtual world. Live YOUR life!
Self-Control
Willpower + self-control = a powerful, almost unstoppable life.
Self-control is “restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, emotions, or desires.”
Do you use willpower to direct self-control, or self-control to direct your willpower to create the outcome you want?
Some say that we use self-control to direct our willpower. Regardless, there’ll be times when we must choose not to do something, like refraining from supersizing our meal or passing on the chocolate cake when trying to lose weight.
It also means we’ll have to do certain things to manifest our vision and intentions and get things done, especially when we don’t feel like it because it’s unpleasant, not fun, or uncomfortable.
Success takes sweat and effort, which usually involves an uncomfortable process. So what? Being 100% comfortable 100% of the time isn’t the most important thing in life. Growth = expansion; being stretched doesn’t always feel good.
Ego Depletion
Each time you use self-control, which is your power to make the better choice in the moment of decision, it diminishes, just like willpower.
Experts refer to this as ‘ego depletion,’ and it happens because you spend most of your waking hours making decisions and exerting your willpower, which can leave you feeling depleted and exhausted at the end of the day (and prone to make poor decisions in the evening hours that you’ll regret the next day).
How to Replenish and Condition Self-Control
You can reduce the impact and effects of ego depletion by improving your level of self-control.
Many techniques used to boost your willpower are the same for self-control, like getting good sleep and managing stress, while others are slightly different.
Have a look at these ways to replenish and condition your power of self-control:
- Be your own best friend by practicing self-compassion.
- Take charge of your emotions and urges instead of letting them control and regulate your life.
- Become more aware of your wants and needs and acknowledge them to direct your attention and energy toward self-improvement.
- Manage your time and energy more efficiently by intentionally organizing your time to support YOUR life and dreams.
- Create short and long-term goals to stay motivated, with daily tasks to cross off important milestones every week, two weeks, month, and every quarter.
Your Life Is Within Reach…
The life you’ve wanted to live is within reach. It’s never too late to get started, no matter how many times you’ve started and stopped in the past. Who cares! Just start living today!
You’ve been blessed with the amazing powers of self-control, willpower, and free will! But no one will unlock your best life for you; that’s something only you can do. You’re stronger and more capable than you realize. Use your God-given powers to start living the life of your dreams today.
