So what’s the deal with will power?
Sometimes you feel locked in; sometimes the Dairy Queen staff know your first name. Is the presence of will power a character trait, or can it in fact be developed?
Walter Mischel tested will power in 4 year olds. He gave them a cookie and then told them he had to leave. He would be back in 15 minutes. If they didn’t eat the cookie while he was away he would reward them with a second cookie.
Only 3 out of every 10 kids held out.
He monitored the children as they grew and found the level their restraint strongly indicated future success. The Children who held out had SAT scores over 200 pts higher, higher self worth and feelings of contentment later in life. “Self-discipline, the researchers found, was more important than IQ in predicting academic success.”
You can see how I’m linking this to fitness, right? To remain healthy you need to say no to the cookie aaaand get your a** off the couch to workout a few times a week. Will power will determine your health, and sadly it is fickle.
Sometimes I drive by DQ, sometimes I stop. What’s going on?
Is it all an act of will?
The experiment, all things considered, didn’t go far enough. Why did the 3 out of 10 refuse the cookie?
Self discipline? At 4? Please.
Did they eat a big breakfast?
Maybe they just didn’t like cookies.
What about the other 7? Are they mentally weaker?
Or did they not sleep well the night before?
Were they in need of a pickup after watching their parents argue?
Did they get a healthy breakfast?
Does the same environment that creates strong willed children also create smart, motivated young adults?
Increase your will
There is reverence for people who exhibit will power: athletes who push themselves; regular people who will themselves to lose weight. When our will loses out and we order a DQ blizzard, we beat ourselves up for not having that same backbone. 2 things:
- Negative self talk has never improved anything, ever. This is scientific fact.
- Outside factors have profound effects on our will.
Control your environment and you may find your willpower increasing.
Let’s try an experiment. I’ll give you a glass of water, and promise $20 bucks if you don’t drink it for 45 minutes. Which version of you takes home $20?
- One who just ran for an hour in the blazing sun and has to wash up before heading to work?
- Or the one who just woke up, had a light breakfast, relaxed and was about to read a book?
How you showed up for this test informed your answer. How you show up for everyday will inform your level of compliance with your health and fitness goals. When rested (will power improves significantly with rest), well fed, and committed to work out with friends or a trainer (appointments = accountability) it’s much easier to avoid temptation.
Discipline isn’t just about saying no to the wrong things, but about cultivating a version of yourself that can. Eat well, rest well, work out in a positive nurturing environment (ahem) and consequently you may just find yourself scoring 200 points higher on the SAT after driving past a DQ.