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Willpower is a form of self-control. Someone with a strong sense of willpower has self-awareness and the ability to use decision-making skills. Too often we hear about people who lack willpower. There are quite a few individuals who have the extraordinary ability to control their impulses and exercise restraint. Willpower might not come naturally to you, but it’s something you can develop with practice. Here you will read articles about what willpower is, how it can help you in your daily life, and what to do if you can’t control yourself. There’s hope if you have little or no willpower. Read these articles and find out techniques that can help you manage your urges.
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Medically reviewed by Paige Henry, LMSW, J.D.
Willpower is often associated with having enough self-control to avoid behaviors that are unhealthy or unproductive in order to achieve long-term goals, such as lifelong health and financial security. Knowing yourself, your strengths, and your limitations can be an important component of developing willpower. Working with a therapist online or in person can help you cultivate willpower and use it to achieve your goals.
Getting to know yourself
A crucial first step in developing willpower can be to know yourself. Emotional awareness can be an important attribute that often contributes to your growth. Pushing yourself beyond your limits is usually not sustainable or healthy for the human body and mind. While willpower typically involves trying hard to do something you want to do, it can also involve knowing when to hold back from overextending yourself.
Sometimes, willpower can be about stopping yourself from engaging in a behavior that is unhealthy or negatively affects your mental health. To figure out what these behaviors are and why you do them, it is often helpful to develop self-awareness, or the ability to look inward and see yourself clearly. When you know yourself, you may be able to identify your strengths and use them to recognize and stop unhealthy behaviors.
Willpower is not necessarily an innate characteristic but an action. It can be seen as a part of you that requires practice and commitment. The next step in increasing willpower can be to explore what may be stopping you from achieving your goal or doing what you need to do. Then, you can move on to directly taking action on your path to achievement.
Identifying roadblocks
Self-awareness can be crucial in identifying what could be blocking your willpower. This process of knowing yourself typically involves several thought processes, such as self-reflection or introspection, self-examination, and mindfulness. When we become aware of what characteristics or thought patterns may be contributing to roadblocks, we can work to let them go and move forward. If you’re unable to determine why you’re running into difficulties, consider working with a therapist who may be able to help you uncover the underlying reason.
Self-confidence and willpower
The American Psychological Association generally defines willpower as the ability to resist short-term temptations to meet long-term goals. To build this resistance, one may need to build strength and self-confidence. Accordingly, an essential part of gaining self-confidence can be learning to find strength in yourself. Some people may be afraid to embrace their greatness. However, once you see the good in yourself, you will likely be able to achieve so much more.
Willpower is not necessarily a limited resource. With a healthy mindset and internal resolve, you may have an immeasurable amount of strength to accomplish your goals.
Benefits of online therapy
Although reaching out to a licensed mental health professional can be a helpful step toward cultivating willpower, scheduling and attending in-person therapy sessions often requires quite a bit of willpower in the first place. Online therapy can eliminate some of the potential roadblocks to following through with professional treatment by simplifying the process and allowing you to personalize it to your comfort level. You can get started by taking a short intake questionnaire.
Effectiveness of online therapy
Online therapy can help people achieve a variety of goals, including building willpower, while being just as effective as in-person therapy. For example, a 2022 study measured participants’ progress toward achieving the therapeutic goals they set for themselves. Its findings suggested that online therapists can actively collaborate with clients to set and achieve their objectives. Further, the goals set in collaboration with a practitioner were often more successful than those set independently.
Takeaway
Although willpower may not be a limited resource, it can take time and effort to build and use it effectively. The ability to resist short-term temptations and take steps toward long-term goals can be powerful, and it’s often worth putting in effort to cultivate more willpower. A licensed therapist can help you through this process via online or in-person therapy.