Willpower

 Willpower is the proclivity of an individual to uphold self-control while concentrating on long-term objectives and refraining from short-term pleasures that could impede those objectives. While reading up on the topic I found some conflicting information about willpower. A 1996 study by psychologist Roy Baumeister measured willpower and delayed gratification using cookies. He taunted the participants in his study with chocolate chip cookies and told them to eat the radishes he gave them instead. The results of the experiment indicated participants who consumed the cookies demonstrated minimal willpower. Whereas, those who were able to refrain from eating the cookie had a more challenging time with self restraint in the subsequent willpower tasks. Baumeister concluded, individuals who use excessive willpower and attempt to accomplish too many things at once quickly run out of willpower.

But, research in recent years has demonstrated that willpower is not a restricted or finite resource. By changing our motivation and attitude, we can increase and  strengthen our willpower. College students who were taught that willpower is unlimited reported lower anxiety, better performance in school, increased confidence and better moods overall (Jarret, 2018) By adapting a healthy mindset, we can strengthen our willpower helping us to accomplish our goals. Habits such as meditation, getting adequate rest, eating well-balanced meals, and engaging in routine physical activity have been shown to strengthen willpower and the mind.

Sources: 

Jeremy Sutton, Ph. D. (2024, July 23). What is willpower? the psychology behind self-control. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/psychology-of-willpower/#psychology

Villarica, H. (2012a, April 11). The chocolate-and-radish experiment that birthed the modern conception of Willpower. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/04/the-chocolate-and-radish-experiment-that-birthed-the-modern-conception-of-willpower/255544/