Strategies to Boost Your Willpower

Willpower seems to be a hot topic these days. It’s all about self-control and managing our impulses. It’s key to staying motivated and achieving our goals, so it’s worth understanding better. We spoke with Benjamin Hardy, the author of *Willpower Doesn’t Work*, to learn about motivation and effective goal achievement. Is willpower the answer, or is there more to it?

Benjamin Hardy has faced many challenges in his life, just like the rest of us. As a popular writer on self-improvement and motivation, he offers valuable insight into reaching our goals.

Yes, willpower is real and studied in psychology. The belief is that the more you practice it, the more you have. However, relying on willpower alone can exhaust your energy and isn’t sustainable for long-term change. Willpower gives us a sense of control over our choices, making us think success or failure is solely on us. But Hardy emphasizes we are influenced more by our environment than our choices. His book focuses on creating environments that make success inevitable. For instance, rather than forcing yourself to go to the gym, have a gym buddy who encourages you and eliminates the need for a battle of willpower.

At DIY Active, we believe in having accountability systems, like workout partners. Continually relying on willpower can be harmful, as it distracts from the real solution of designing supportive environments. When your surroundings are geared towards your goals, the process becomes exciting, not just a struggle you must endure for eventual happiness.

Financial incentives can also motivate. Hardy and his wife took a significant risk in their career by investing in a new venture. Motivation can come from setting goals like marathons or competitions, which force you to commit to a timeline. It’s also essential to remove obstacles from your environment that hold you back.

The key is to focus on environmental design, which eliminates conflicts. Instead of blaming yourself when things don’t go as planned, change your environment to prevent issues. This change could be as small as modifying your route to skip tempting stops.

Ultimately, you won’t succeed in changing your life without changing your environment. The willpower strategy falls short because it focuses on increasing personal effort rather than adapting the environment. In the end, our surroundings have more power over us than our internal resolve. The best approach is to create environments that naturally align with your goals.

Willpower is real, but it’s not just about willpower to succeed. Hardy’s insights suggest designing your environment is crucial for goal accomplishment. Once our surroundings support our goals, willpower becomes easier to rely on.

Interesting, right? If you want to dive deeper into motivation and effective goal setting, check out Hardy’s book *Willpower Doesn’t Work* for a comprehensive guide on changing your environment and habits.

Benjamin Hardy, a leading writer on Medium.com, is a Ph.D. candidate at Clemson University and the author of *Willpower Doesn’t Work: Discover the Hidden Keys to Success*. Through his work and personal stories, Hardy encourages others to achieve success by proactively designing their environments.

As someone who overcame a challenging family background, Hardy knows firsthand that environmental change is critical. His book warns against viewing willpower as a lasting solution, advocating instead for altering your environment to support your goals. Ready to change your surroundings and habits?