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Willpower. We all have it. Some of us command it for a moment, and others have an endless supply. Scientists define willpower as delayed gratification, resisting short-term temptations in order to meet long-term goals. So the power of the will is the aptitude of a person for making decisions and initiating action.
Gossip has it that willpower is hard to rouse, elusive and easy to lose. Don’t buy into the ruse. With a few simple tricks below and lots of practice, anyone can embrace robust willpower.
Here are a few tips:
Positive talk: Don’t wait for others to compliment you. Give to yourself the confident and optimistic praise needed to fight the good fight. Say things like: “I got this! I rock! Wow! I did it! Watch me now!”
Rethinking your plan: change how you think about things
Say Yes: As often as you can say “Yes” to new experiences, people, opportunities, do so. You can always change your mind and back out, but at least it will be from a place of new knowledge.
Estimate the cost: Even warriors count the cost of battle. This helps them prepare for war, strategize and plan for rest. True evaluations bring clarity. Is the battle worth fighting? It’s good to know this before stepping onto the battle field.
Visualize past success: If you see it and believe it, you can accomplish it. Practicing visualizing success effectively kicks in endorphins that can help you succeed at the task at hand.
Pay attention to failure: There will be times when willpower fails. Pay attention to those moments: What was the goal? What brought about the failure? This information might just prevent failure next time.
Celebrate the successes: When willpower does serve you well, take a moment to revel in it. Write it down. Rejoice and remember it.
Challenge yourself: Stepping outside your safe box often stretches your comfort muscles. Doing things different than before may widen a path of thinking. Reaching farther brings new experiences which births new perspectives. New perspectives often cultivate future willpower.
Avoid temptation: If you’re certain your willpower will be absent in specific situations, then avoid them. If you can’t avoid them, have a back-up plan.
Embrace the power: Using one or all of these techniques may build your confidence. Feeling confident builds an “I can” attitude. Forward motion has the feeling of positive power; capture it, use it, pass it on.
Is willpower a strength or a skill? Maybe both. Whether we are born with it or develop it, doesn’t matter. It might just be a discipline that grows stronger the more it’s used. Planning and practicing creates the power in willpower.
What’s your plan for building your will power?
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This post was originally published on PamalaJVincent.com and is republished here with permission from the author.
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