From personal experience, even you might have noticed that most resolutions to join the gym, eat a healthy diet or get proper sleep often go unfulfilled after the first month of the year. While we are often excited to start off a diet routine or make exercise a habit, it never works out for long. The enthusiasm wanes and by this time around, there’s barely enough willpower to pull through.
Understanding Willpower
It isn’t completely uncommon to eat healthy for a few days and then go back to indulging in cakes and cookies. Temptations are something that a human mind can seldom control. Temptations of any kind are a good way to test ourselves especially when trying to follow a strict diet regime. I often wonder what could come between an individual and his goal that could make it or break it.
When I decided to take up some diet or an exercise routine, I knew the benefits of it. I knew how to do it and what to do as well. Despite all this awareness, something wasn’t right. That triggered a thought in me… I came to realize that my willpower was less!
To achieve a difficult task, one needs tremendous willpower and having the willpower to overcome difficulties in health is paramount!
Most importantly, do not confuse willpower with enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is something which can lead us to start a process but when the initial excited dies out, you’re back to square one! “Will” is the desire to make sure you are up to your goal and go through the process wholeheartedly to achieve that goal!
Studies have proven that taking small steps towards a large goal, structured in a sequence, strengthens practical approach. Once you know how to approach your goal practically, it becomes more easy. This in turn strengthens willpower. Procrastinating can hamper the will. If you know you have got to do something to achieve your goal, just go ahead, work on it and complete the task.
Here are some tips to strengthen your will:
1. Note Down Your Goal
Write down your thoughts or goals. Making a list helps as a reminder to keep you on track towards your goal. Make sure you write it down where it is easily visible to you. Say for instance, a sticky note on your fridge reminding you of your goal or a note on your office soft board or your study which you frequent. Motivational quotes also help. There are many apps for motivational quotes that you can download on your tab or phone.
2. Meditate For 5 Minutes a Day
Sit up straight and focus your attention on your breath. When your mind wanders and you bring your attention back to breathing, you’ll be building willpower. When you are aware of what you are doing, you’re actually engaging the part of your brain you need for willpower. Rather than letting your impulses take over, you focus on your breathing. Meditation helps you practice self-awareness. As a bonus, deep slow breathing also helps strengthen self-control.
3. Get Enough Sleep
As you know, it is 7-8 hours of sleep daily for an adult, at least 9 for teens, and 10-12 for elementary and middle school kids. Sleep deprivation makes us susceptible to temptations and pulls us away from our goals. Self-control requires loads of brain power, and when we are tired, our bodies don’t tend to deliver enough glucose to our brain for it to get the willpower engine going.
In conclusion, remind yourself of what you really want rather than what you think you should want. Ask yourself frequently – “How do I want to feel?” Then visualize what you will lose if you give in to temptation.
We hope this article helps you build willpower and stick to your health and life goals! If you find any difficulty or need motivation to push through, our GOQii Coaches would be more than happy to help you out! You can get in touch with a GOQii Coach for guidance by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr
You can also browse through some impressive success stories of individuals who improved their health by making some simple lifestyle changes by clicking here.
What are your health or life goals? Let us know in the comments below!
#BeTheForce
