Put Your Willpower to Rest

by Kris Pitcher

Did you ever put a text book under your pillow hoping to will the information into your brain through osmosis? If you did, and you're willing to admit it, I bet it wasn't yesterday. You're smarter now...and not because the book was under your pillow!

It's because you know it doesn't work like that. But it's about this time of year when we let the concept of willpower tiptoe back into our consciousness. The season of temptation has begun and we are in for a few months of marathon celebrations. So, what's the deal with willing things to happen?

There is no such thing as willpower. It's like the tooth fairy. It doesn't exist. (Don't worry, I'm not gonna touch Santa.) Here you think you've been weak, that other people have this special power you don't possess. The truth - they don't.

You have the same ability to stay on track as anyone else. The difference? And I'm honest with you when something is my opinion, this is my opinion. The difference is the people who can enact this "power" to stay on track have their values in front of them all the time.

Oh crap! Here we go with the values again. It's true, and it works. The problem with the idea of willpower, and you feeling like you've done something wrong, or bad because you can't "do" willpower is that your actions are not in alignment with your values.

You want to do the right things to stay on track. But you're not. This creates conflict and bad feelings. How do you fix it? Simple. Get clear on your values once again. Write them on a post it note, get yourself a bracelet that will remind you, put them on the refrigerator - whatever it takes to get them in front of you.

Then you simply do the things you need to do to stay on track with your values, or goals. You want to eat healthy through the holidays? Break it down. Stock the fridge, prep your food, pack your meals, take your cooler. Eat what you're supposed to eat. See how this works? There is no willpower involved. There is connection to your goals and values.

This holiday season you can put your willpower to rest once and for all. There's no need to feel bad about anything. No one has this special "power" because it doesn't exist. It's all about being connected to what you want and then doing what you need to get there. Now, take a deep breath and put it to rest.