Clearing Myths and Misunderstanding about Willpower

I have read articles about willpower that describe it as a sort of temporary burst or spurt of desire or motivation. I have also found articles that discredit and reject willpower as a myth or nonsense.

I disagree with these descriptions and definitions, because willpower as I know it, is something completely different.

Sometimes, due to anger, dissatisfaction or some other emotion, you might manifest a certain degree of willpower, and you can temporarily, do things that ordinarily you do not or cannot do. However, real willpower is something different.

You cannot rely for inner strength on temporary flashes of emotion or spurts of motivation. You need something more permanent and reliable, which you can count on in times of need.

Clearing Myths about Willpower

We need to clear the myths about willpower and the wrong concepts about it.

Willpower has nothing to do with clenching your fists and jaws, holding your breath, or straining your body. It is not a physical power, but an inner power. When well developed, it can turn into a habit, and you can manifest it whenever you need it.

Willpower is not a temporary burst of energy. It is something you can develop and control.

Willpower is an ability, a skill that can be developed and strengthened like any other skill.

It is like learning to speak a foreign language, and then being able to speak it whenever you need it. It is like exercising your body, which makes you healthier and stronger and able to do things that require physical strength.

Willpower can be developed through simple, special exercises, and when well developed, it manifests naturally, almost effortlessly whenever it is required.

Forget about your concepts and beliefs about willpower. It is often misunderstood and thought to be a myth or something unattainable. This is due lack of understanding of what it is, and because of the inability or failure to use it.

You Can Improve Your Willpower

In order to use willpower effectively in times of need, you need to strengthen it, in the same way that you strengthen the muscles of your body.

Often, when you have to do something that requires willpower, it will not be so easy to manifest it, especially if you are lazy or there are obstacles on your path. On the other hand, if you train and exercise it often, through special exercises, you will have it available and ready to use when you need it.

You can train your willpower through special, simple exercises, and by using it on a daily basis in the small things of daily life.

Cleaning the dishes now, instead of later, eating one slice of cake, when you desire to eat two slices, or getting off the bus one station before or after your destination, are good and simple examples of exercises you can integrate into your daily life.

Every act or exercise strengthen and accumulate this power, so that you would be able to use whenever you require it.

There is no need to tell you how important it is to develop willpower.

There is no need to tell you and how useful it is for success in every area of life, whether it is business, studying, self improvement or spiritual growth.

When you develop this skill intentionally and regularly, it becomes a habit, a second nature. You will then be able to apply in every task, chore or goal.