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Willpower is key to success, especially if you're starting your own business. It takes a lot of it to keep going when things get tough. But how do you build willpower when you need willpower to do that? It can feel like a cycle that's hard to break.
In this article, I'm going to share some ways to build up your willpower. These tips might be really helpful for anyone trying to grow their career or run a startup. Some ideas might work better for you than others, but it's worth trying them out. Finding the right technique could be your first step to getting stronger in willpower and could even change your professional life with more success. We'll dissect how to enhance our willpower into three components: physiological, psychological, and social factors.
Let's start with the physiological aspects and explore ways to boost our willpower and achieve success. An intriguing method suggested by some research is taking cold showers. This can be quite challenging, but it activates the parasympathetic nervous system (Mäkinen et al., 2008), which helps us relax and manage negative emotions more effectively. Studies have also found that cold showers can influence our endocrine system, improving our ability to cope with negative emotions and even suggesting it as a potential treatment for depression (Shevchuk, 2008).
Sometimes, whether a person has willpower depends on their ability to regulate their physiological state. Cold showers could be beneficial in this regard. Another related method is regular exercise, which, as many studies support, can enhance our mental health—no need to elaborate on that. Both cold showers and exercise have something in common: they not only provide a physical stimulus but also gradually shape our self-image.
When you choose to take a cold shower or make the decision to get dressed and exercise, you're enduring a degree of physical discomfort. Over time, if you can successfully establish these habits, the change won't just be in your physiological state but also in your psychological state.
1) Build Small Habits
When you start convincing yourself that you can push past challenges to form new habits, you're tapping into what's known in psychology as meta-habits. This is more than just habit formation; it's about reshaping who you are into a person who is adept at creating and maintaining new habits.
Understanding this concept is vital. There are countless tales of people who, after a personal setback like a breakup, pledge to reinvent themselves. They might throw themselves into reading or embark on a fitness journey, only to falter soon after because they aimed too ambitiously at the outset. To truly bolster willpower towards success, it's advisable to begin with small, manageable goals that can be incrementally expanded upon (Locke et al., 1981). This approach fosters a growing sense of achievement and nurtures a positive self-view, which is essential for cultivating willpower to achieve success, perhaps even more so than the actual activities involved.
2) Set Clear Intentions
Chip and Dan Heath, notable psychologists, have made an observation that resonates with willpower: "What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity."(Heath, & Heath, 2011, p.17). This suggests that our perceived opposition to a task may actually stem from an ill-defined goal. For instance, someone might set an intention to exercise without specific parameters, leading to a half-hearted commitment that does little to inspire or result in progress.
To combat this, one can adopt what's known as an implementation intention (Gollwitzer, 1999). This strategy involves setting a plan with a clear trigger and action, such as "When I get home, I will run twenty laps in the park." This is a strong implementation intention because it specifies both the situation that will successfully initiate the behaviour ("when I get home") and the precise action to be taken ("run twenty laps"). Often, the problem isn't an absence of willpower; it's a lack of detailed planning that undermines our resolve.
3) Figure Out Why
Yet, there's more to it than just methodical planning. The true essence of willpower lies in the significance of perseverance. While there are many psychological techniques available to enhance willpower towards success, the journey is inherently tough. For example, one might have a comprehensive exercise schedule that's well thought out and seemingly easy to follow. However, the real test is understanding why we persist when faced with adversity.
In seeking this understanding, we often discover the true purpose behind our actions. Reflecting on personal history, we might recall times, such as cramming for crucial exams, when we surprised ourselves with our capacity to endure. Although typically prone to procrastination, the importance of the exams provided a compelling reason to study intensely. This doesn't hold true for everyone, but examining such moments of unexpected determination can shed light on what drives us towards success.
Identifying these compelling motivations can then serve as the catalyst for our continued efforts. For instance, aiming for a promotion may be fueled by a desire to provide for one's family or a passion for one's work. Conversely, if the goal is pursued merely for personal comfort, the required effort may seem less justifiable. This aspect of psychology emphasizes the importance of uncovering the deeper significance behind our actions, thereby giving us the momentum to persevere and attain success (Quirin et al., 2021).
Let's look at how our social environment affects our willpower. Think about public exams, for instance. Many students might not feel like studying most of the time, but when exams approach, they often find the motivation to hit the books successfully. Why? Well, it's likely because of the study atmosphere. When everyone around you is studying, it's easier to do the same. Humans are inherently social creatures, and the actions of those around us often influence our behaviour.
For a broader example, consider organ donation rates in Europe. In Denmark and Germany, less than 20% of people are donors. But in Poland and Sweden, the number jumps to around 80%. Why such a difference? It's not that people from one place are nicer than another. It turns out that the high-rate countries use an opt-out system, where everyone is considered a donor unless they say otherwise. Places with low rates have an opt-in system, where you're not a donor unless you sign up for it.
It's not just about policy, though. The environment we're in can shape our actions and even our willpower. Social pressure can push us to do things we might not do alone and eventually attain success. For example, if you're trying to start exercising or reading more, being part of a group with the same goals can give you a stronger boost than if you tried to go it alone.
In the demanding world of entrepreneurship and career development, strong willpower is essential for success, and MindForest is your AI-powered companion designed for it. Discover MindForest's empowering features:
1) Tailored Goal-Setting: MindForest specializes in breaking down ambitious dreams into small, achievable goals, utilizing AI to clarify the journey to success and make progress feel attainable.
2) Personalized AI Coach for Consistent Support: Engage with an AI coach that offers more than motivation—it provides strategic, practical advice to enhance your willpower by adjusting your habits, mindset and environment towards success.
3) Insight Journals for Clarity: By evaluating conversations with your AI coach, MindForest generates reflective notes that prompt deep thinking, assisting you in figuring out your “why” in your professional journey and setting clear intentions for success.
Download MindForest now to improve your willpower for success in your career and business.
In short, willpower emerges not as a solitary quality but as a synergy of our physical well-being, mental clarity, and the social support systems around us. Physiologically, it is fueled by our health and energy levels. Psychologically, it thrives on our inner narratives and the adoption of habits, intentions and purposes. Socially, our networks and relationships provide encouragement and feedback as we pursue our goals.
MindForest app stands at the confluence of these elements, providing a comprehensive platform that reinforces willpower for professionals and entrepreneurs to achieve success. It's a testament to the power of an integrated approach to developing the robust willpower needed for long-term success in any endeavour of your professional life.
Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2011). Switch. Random House Business Books.
Locke, E. A., Shaw, K. N., Saari, L. M., & Latham, G. P. (1981). Goal setting and task performance: 1969–1980. Psychological Bulletin, 90(1), 125–152. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.90.1.125
Mäkinen, T. M., Mäntysaari, M., Pääkkönen, T., Jokelainen, J., Palinkas, L. A., Hassi, J., Leppäluoto, J., Tahvanainen, K., & Rintamäki, H. (2008). Autonomic nervous function during whole-body cold exposure before and after cold acclimation. Aviation, space, and environmental medicine, 79(9), 875–882. https://doi.org/10.3357/asem.2235.2008
Quirin, M., Jais, M., Di Domenico, S. I., Kuhl, J., & Ryan, R. M. (2021). Effortless Willpower? The Integrative Self and Self-Determined Goal Pursuit. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 653458. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.653458
Shevchuk N. A. (2008). Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression. Medical hypotheses, 70(5), 995–1001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2007.04.052
