Willpower

Tags:: #🌱 #Thinking #Fleeting_Notes
22/07/2021 | 02:00

Fleeting Notes

We have a finite amount of willpower every day. Think of it like a muscle, the more you use it, the weaker it gets. As you'd need to time and rest to regain your strength, the same goes for your willpower.

Imagine you have 10 points of willpower, and you use 5 points on work, 3 points on chores, and 2 points on homework. After spending all your points, you'll likely have to wait until the next day to use your willpower again.

Willpower can't be used continuously throughout the day. Let's continue with the same example as above, but with more variables.

Now, Imagine, if you are working for 10 hours a day continuously and using 1 point of willpower every hour. You'll have a very hard time lasting the full 10 hours, although you have enough willpower points still left.

Why is this? Shouldn't the decline be linear? Well, No!

This is what a lapse in willpower is like. Even going through the day, we need to take breaks in order to recharge our ability to use willpower points.

The more you develop your habits and use your willpower, the better you get at controlling your willpower. So yes, you can better at using your willpower, if you train specifically for it. Training for willpower also has many parallels with Deliberate Practice.

Willpower can also be generated given the right situation. Example - Imagine you've used all your willpower points, but suddenly you face a new situation in which you just have to complete the task that was unexpectedly/suddenly given to you.

In these situations where you get unexpected external pressure, you can find immense amounts of willpower to complete the task at hand. The same can be said about life and death situations, but that is outside the scope of this note.