Many people look at willpower the wrong way. It is seen as a tool that you either have, or you don’t. When people fail to succeed at reaching their goals, they often use the excuse “I just don’t have enough will power for that” in regards to training hard or sticking to a diet plan. Most of the time these people are right, they simply do not have enough willpower to put in the hard work needed to reach their goals. Now, the question is, why don’t they have this legendary strong willpower and how can they get it?
The best way to look at willpower is as an exhaustible resource, instead of looking at willpower as if it were a tool. Think of it as a tank of gas that is depleted over time: if you attempt a task that demands strong willpower and your tank is empty, chances are you will be unable to find the motivation to accomplish it. So what are some things that drain your willpower tank?
- Relationship disputes
- Family problems
- Work stress
- Financial pressure
- Academic pressure
- Traffic
Think about a day that contains all of these stressful situations. Now imagine going home and thinking about going to the gym and cooking a healthy dinner. Most people are more likely to order a pizza and watch some mindless reality television shows until they fall asleep. This is reality, it’s not the celebrities in the magazines and the professional athletes you see on TV. This is what regular everyday people experience. Yes, there are people that would face all of these stressful situations during the day and still find the motivation to pursue their goals, but these people are the minority. Chances are they were just born with a bigger willpower tank than others.
All of the stresses in life take willpower to cope with; it takes willpower not to kick down the walls of your cubicle when your boss continuously places unreasonable demands on you. It takes willpower not to get out of your car and engage in fisticuffs with the driver behind you who is honking during a traffic jam. Each and every one of these things drains your willpower tank and takes away from your ability to push yourself to train hard and eat clean. Here are a few strategies you can try to help stay on track even when your life is full of willpower-draining situations.
1. GET A DIFFERENT JOB
This may sound harsh, but maybe it’s just time to get a different job. Working a job you hate for eight hours a day can have a hugely negative effect on your life. It will strain all the relationships in your life and create a massive amount of stress that can make it impossible to accomplish your health and fitness goals. You don’t have to quit today, however, if you truly hate what you are doing, it may be time to make a plan to transition to a new job or career.
2. MAKE YOUR COMMUTE MORE ENJOYABLE
If you have a long commute to work and are constantly facing heavy traffic, you must find a way to make it more enjoyable and less stressful. A great way to do this is to listen to podcasts and audiobooks about topics that interest, entertain or motivate you. This can really help to take your mind off of a frustrating traffic jam.
4. PREPARE MEALS AHEAD OF TIME
Taking the time to prepare meals ahead of time can help you make better decisions after a long day at work or school. It takes much less willpower to pull a healthy meal out of the fridge to reheat than making a meal from scratch after a stressful day.
5. GET FIT DOING WHAT YOU LOVE
You could have the most advanced, results-driven training plan in the world, but it’s completely worthless if you can’t stick to it. To help lessen the willpower demands of a training session, you should design your training program around things you like. Some people might genuinely hate going to a traditional gym – that’s OK, it’s not for everyone, join a martial arts or cross training gym instead. No matter what form of physical exercise you engage in. If you hate it, eventually you will find a reason not to do it. Get fit doing something you love instead.
6. FIND FOODS YOU LIKE
Similar to find training programs you love, you must find healthy foods and recipes that you actually enjoy eating. Otherwise, eventually your willpower will be too drained to stick to your meal plan. Take some cooking lessons or buy a cookbook, and find a way to make tasty and healthy meals. Plain boiled chicken breast and broccoli gets boring–fast! If you need more protein and don’t feel like eating anymore, try a delicious protein shake made with Whey Protein Plus for a great-tasting and fast protein source.
