Unbroken: Chapter 7
Willpower, the psychological strength that propels us to adhere to our resolutions and pursue our goals even in the face of difficulties, is an essential component of resilience and mental toughness. It’s the quiet, tenacious force that keeps us moving forward when everything else is pushing us back. As Vince Lombardi once put it, “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” In this chapter, we will explore the profound role of willpower in overcoming obstacles and examine actionable strategies for fortifying this vital inner resource.
The Significance of Will in Overcoming Obstacles
The Science Behind Willpower
Understanding willpower and its role in our lives can’t be complete without looking into its scientific roots. Groundbreaking work by prominent psychologists has provided us with a solid base from which to understand this elusive concept.
Foremost in this field is Roy Baumeister, who, along with his colleagues, has significantly contributed to the study of willpower. Baumeister’s most well-known concept is that of “ego depletion.” This model suggests that willpower is a finite resource that can be used up. If you spend a lot of mental energy controlling your impulses in one situation, you’ll have less willpower left for subsequent situations. It’s akin to a muscle that gets tired after strenuous exercise.
A seminal experiment supporting this theory involved freshly baked cookies and radishes. Participants were divided into two groups. One group was allowed to eat cookies, while the other group was instructed to resist the cookies and eat radishes instead. Afterward, all participants were given a difficult puzzle to solve. The group that had to resist the cookies (using up some of their willpower) gave up on the puzzle quicker than the cookie-eating group.
However, like a muscle, Baumeister also found that willpower could be strengthened over time. Just as regular exercise builds physical stamina, routinely exerting self-control can boost your willpower. Baumeister suggests strategies such as setting and keeping track of personal goals, developing positive habits, and practicing regular self-control exercises to enhance your willpower reserve.
In recent years, some researchers have challenged the ego depletion model, leading to ongoing debates and further study. Some of these studies suggest that willpower may not be a finite resource but rather influenced by our beliefs and expectations. For instance, if we believe that a task will be draining, it often is.
The science of willpower is complex and continuously evolving. However, the general consensus remains that willpower plays an essential role in achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. As such, understanding and enhancing your willpower is a valuable investment in your resilience and success.
Willpower: The Steely Resolve That Defies Defeat
The embodiment of willpower can be found in the stories of individuals who, against all odds, defied defeat through sheer determination and persistence. Such individuals radiate a steely resolve that refuses to bow down to adversity, illuminating the power of willpower in the face of overwhelming challenges.
Take, for example, the extraordinary story of Thomas Edison. A prolific inventor and businessman, Edison’s name is synonymous with the invention of the modern electric light bulb. However, what is less known is that Edison made thousands of unsuccessful attempts before he was able to create a practical and durable bulb. When asked about his repeated failures, Edison famously replied, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Edison’s relentless determination and unwavering willpower demonstrate the indomitable spirit of an individual who refuses to accept defeat.
On a similar note, the life story of the famous writer J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, is a testament to the power of will. Before the success of Harry Potter, Rowling faced numerous hardships. She was a single mother, living on welfare, and her first book was rejected by multiple publishers. However, her willpower and belief in her story remained steadfast. She continued to submit her manuscript until it was finally accepted, leading to one of the most successful book series and franchises of all time.
In both stories, we see the power of willpower in action. It is this internal drive, this refusal to surrender in the face of adversity, that distinguishes those who achieve their goals from those who abandon them. These stories are powerful reminders that willpower, more than talent or opportunity, often determines who rises above challenges and who succumbs to them.
Scientifically, this aligns with what psychologist Angela Duckworth calls “grit,” a blend of passion and persistent effort towards long-term goals. Her research shows that grit, in many instances, is a more significant predictor of success than intelligence or innate talent. Willpower is a critical component of this grit. Through these lenses, it’s clear that willpower — this steely resolve that defies defeat — is not just a concept but a powerful driver of accomplishment and resilience.
Strategies to Boost and Maintain Willpower
Exercise Your Willpower Muscle
Just as physical muscles grow stronger with exercise, so too does your willpower. Engaging in activities that require self-control can help boost your willpower over time, making it easier to resist temptations and stay focused on your goals. This exercise of willpower can manifest in various ways, ranging from adhering to a rigorous workout routine to resisting the urge to indulge in a favorite snack.
One simple exercise is the “two-minute rule”. The idea is straightforward: If you have a task or habit you’re trying to instill, and it can be done in two minutes or less, do it immediately. This principle, first popularized by productivity expert David Allen, trains your willpower by encouraging immediate action.
Consider, for instance, someone aiming to lead a healthier lifestyle. A significant part of that goal might be regular exercise, but the idea of a 45-minute workout could seem too daunting, especially at first. By employing the two-minute rule, they might start with two minutes of exercise, gradually increasing the duration over time. This strategy fosters discipline, cultivates consistency, and gradually strengthens willpower.
A research study published in the Psychological Bulletin, analyzed results from 88 studies including more than 22,000 participants and found evidence that willpower, like a muscle, becomes fatigued with use but can also be strengthened over the long term through exercise. This suggests that regularly challenging your self-control can improve your willpower strength.
In essence, exercising your willpower muscle requires intentional and consistent practice. It’s about making a conscious effort to make decisions that align with your long-term goals, even when short-term temptations arise. As you continue to exercise your willpower, you’ll likely find it easier to stay on track and maintain focus, ultimately building a stronger “willpower muscle” ready to take on more significant challenges.
Manage Your Energy
Managing your energy is another crucial strategy for boosting willpower. This concept relates to the well-documented phenomenon known as “ego depletion” – the idea that self-control or willpower is an exhaustible resource that can be used up. If you are tired, hungry, or stressed, your ability to exert willpower can diminish.
A 1998 study by psychologist Roy Baumeister provided some of the first evidence for this phenomenon. Participants who resisted the temptation of freshly baked cookies and instead ate radishes gave up more quickly on a subsequent, unrelated, frustrating task, compared to those who were allowed to indulge in the cookies. The conclusion was that resisting temptation depleted the participants’ self-control for the next task.
So how can you better manage your energy to maintain your willpower? Here are some strategies:
- Prioritize Sleep: Lack of sleep can diminish willpower and impair the ability to exercise self-control. Prioritizing quality sleep can ensure you’re adequately rested and replenished to face the day’s challenges. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep per night for adults.
- Maintain a Balanced Diet: Your brain needs fuel to function optimally. Eating a balanced diet can provide the nutrients your body needs to produce energy and keep your blood sugar levels stable, which can help avoid willpower depletion.
- Mindful Rest: Incorporating rest and relaxation activities into your daily routine can help recharge your mental batteries. This could include practices like meditation, yoga, or simply taking a few moments to breathe deeply and relax.
- Regular Exercise: Regular physical activity can increase your energy levels, improve mood, and enhance your ability to handle stress, all of which can contribute to stronger willpower.
- Stress Management: High stress levels can rapidly drain your energy and deplete your willpower. Incorporating stress management techniques, such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or engaging in a hobby, can help keep stress in check and preserve your willpower reserves.
Remember, willpower is not about gritting your teeth and pushing through. It’s about intelligently managing your energy so that you have the reserves you need when challenges arise. By nurturing your physical and emotional energy, you’ll be better equipped to exert and maintain willpower when it matters most.
Mindful Awareness
Mindful awareness is a powerful tool for strengthening willpower. It involves cultivating a state of conscious presence and attentiveness to your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the present moment. This allows us to recognize our impulses and desires without immediately acting on them, giving us the space to choose how we respond.
Dr. Kelly McGonigal, a psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University and author of “The Willpower Instinct”, discusses the importance of mindfulness in willpower. She explains that being mindful helps increase the mental distance between impulse and action, providing us with the opportunity to act in accordance with our goals and values, rather than being driven by immediate desires.
Implementing mindfulness into your daily routine can involve a variety of practices. Here are some strategies to increase mindful awareness:
- Mindfulness Meditation: This form of meditation involves focusing on your breath or another point of focus, and continuously bringing your attention back to that focus whenever your mind wanders. Over time, this practice can increase your ability to observe your thoughts and impulses without immediately reacting to them.
- Mindful Eating: This practice involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking, both inside and outside the body. Pay attention to the colors, smells, textures, flavors, temperatures, and even the sounds when you chew. This can help you savor every moment and create a healthier relationship with food.
- Body Scan Meditation: This involves focusing your attention on different parts of your body, from your toes to your head, and observing any sensations you feel. This can help you develop a greater awareness of your physical presence and the mind-body connection.
- Mindful Walking: This is a form of meditation in action. As you walk, focus on the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breath, and the feeling of the wind against your skin.
These mindfulness practices not only cultivate a greater sense of self-awareness but also promote relaxation and stress reduction, contributing to the enhancement of willpower reserves.
A 2011 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that just a few minutes of mindfulness meditation can reduce impulsive reactions. Another study in 2010 published in Consciousness and Cognition found that short meditation training improved attention and self-regulation.
So by cultivating mindful awareness, you can bolster your willpower, enhancing your ability to meet challenges head-on, make more thoughtful decisions, and move closer to your goals.
Set Clear, Realistic Goals
Setting clear, realistic goals is a critical strategy for harnessing your willpower. Your goals are the roadmap to your success, providing direction, focus, and motivation. Without clear goals, your willpower can easily be squandered on irrelevant tasks or dispersed among too many objectives, reducing its effectiveness.
The process of goal setting begins with identifying what you truly want to achieve. It’s important to choose goals that align with your values and interests to ensure that they are meaningful to you. After all, it’s much easier to mobilize your willpower toward a goal that you care deeply about.
Once you’ve identified your goals, make sure they are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
- Specific: Your goals should be well-defined and clear. Instead of “I want to be healthier,” a specific goal would be “I want to run a 5K race in six months.”
- Measurable: Goals should be quantifiable so that you can track your progress. Using the example above, you can measure your progress by the time it takes you to run a certain distance.
- Achievable: While it’s good to set challenging goals, they should still be within your reach. If your goal is too ambitious, you might struggle to stay motivated and can quickly exhaust your willpower.
- Relevant: The goal should be relevant to your life and your long-term plans. Irrelevant goals can lead to a waste of time and willpower.
- Time-bound: Finally, your goals should have a clear timeline. This creates a sense of urgency, which can motivate you to start working and harness your willpower.
Moreover, breaking down larger goals into smaller, manageable sub-goals can also be a great strategy. This can make the task seem less overwhelming, allowing you to focus your willpower on one step at a time. Each small success can boost your confidence and motivation, further fueling your willpower.
Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University in California, conducted a study on goal-setting with nearly 270 participants. The results showed that people are 42 percent more likely to achieve their goals just by writing them down. The process of writing down your goals makes them more concrete and helps to clarify what you really want, thereby focusing your willpower on the tasks that matter most.
Therefore, to bolster your willpower, invest time in setting clear, realistic goals. This strategy will not only provide direction but will also enhance your ability to utilize your willpower efficiently and effectively.
Real-Life Examples of the Power of Will
Finally, we can find abundant inspiration in real-life examples of the power of will and the power of will can be observed across many domains of human achievement. From the realms of sports and business to art and science, countless individuals have demonstrated that willpower can indeed move mountains.
Consider the story of Diana Nyad, who at the age of 64 became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. Despite numerous failed attempts, Nyad never gave up on her dream. Her story exemplifies the incredible feats we can achieve when we align our will with our goals.
The Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh is now celebrated as one of the most influential figures in Western art history, but during his lifetime, he received little recognition and struggled with poverty and mental health issues. Despite these struggles and producing over 2,000 artworks, he only sold one painting in his lifetime.
His passion for art and unyielding willpower kept him painting, even when the world seemed to reject his work. His perseverance in his artistic pursuit, driven by sheer will, left us with masterpieces that continue to inspire and impact the art world.
Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, exemplifies the power of will in the face of extreme adversity. As a young girl in Pakistan, she defied the Taliban’s restrictions on girls’ education and actively campaigned for girls’ right to education.
In retaliation for her activism, she was shot by a Taliban gunman at the age of 15. Despite this horrific experience, Malala’s willpower remained undeterred. She continued her advocacy, turning her personal battle into a global campaign for girls’ education. Her unbreakable will has made her an inspiration to millions around the world.
In a tale of incredible willpower and survival, Aron Ralston, an avid outdoorsman, found himself trapped alone in a remote Utah canyon when a boulder crushed his right hand. After five days with little water and food, realizing that help was not coming, Ralston made the agonizing decision to amputate his own arm to free himself.
Ralston’s story demonstrates the remarkable extremes of human willpower. Facing a life-or-death situation, he made a choice that most would find unimaginable. His willpower not only led him to survive but also to continue mountaineering and become a motivational speaker, inspiring others with his story of resilience.
Each of these stories portrays the enormous power of the human will. Despite facing substantial adversity, each individual displayed extraordinary willpower, reinforcing the idea that the strength of our resolve can help us overcome even the most daunting obstacles.