You’re not born with willpower - like any skill, it’s honed and perfected over time and hard work.
People sometimes say that they don’t have what it takes to persevere, that their #willpower is weak and that’s why they can’t get to the finish line. But saying that just reinforces this idea that you can’t do anything to change your circumstances. It can lead to a feeling of helplessness and #burnout over time. And you end up creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of inefficacy. Willpower, like reading/writing, playing a sport, or mastery at a subject, is built over time, with patience, care, and practice. And each time you dedicate yourself to strengthening this precious skill, you feel a bit stronger, a bit braver, and more resistant to things that can take you off course. One of my favorite ways to hone willpower is to use the 15 minute rule. When I am tempted to do something that might derail me from a #goal (like watch Netflix when I have a project due!), I ask myself, “Can I withstand 15 minutes?” Try just 15 minutes dedicated to working on your goal, or waiting 15 minutes before you indulge an unhealthy #habit (like junk food). It’s amazing how 15 minutes can change your entire #mindset. Try it and let me know what you think!
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