Willpower Factsheet PDF

Harnessing Willpower
TO MEET YOUR GOALS
Many people believe they could improve IS WILLPOWER A LIMITED RESOURCE?

their lives if only they had more of that Similar to a muscle, willpower can be strengthened over time.i But
elusive quality known as willpower or self- people have a set amount of willpower and if it is overused, it can
control. With more self-control everyone be depleted. A growing body of research suggests that repeatedly
would eat right, exercise regularly, avoid resisting temptation may drain stores of willpower.
drugs and alcohol, save for retirement, stop However, researchers don’t believe that one’s willpower is ever
procrastinating and achieve all sorts of completely exhausted. Rather, people appear to hold some willpower
noble goals. in reserve for future demands. The right motivation allows people to
tap into those reserves and persevere even when self-control strength
Willpower is the ability to resist short-term has been run down.
temptations in order to meet long-term
While muscles become fatigued by overuse in the short term, they are
goals. Some might simply describe it as
strengthened by regular exercise in the long term. People can learn
delaying gratification for a specific purpose.
to use willpower more effectively so their resources go further and, as
People use willpower every day, in one form with muscles, may even be able to strengthen it.
or another, whether it is resisting the urge
to surf the Web when there is work to do or Many questions about the nature of self-control remain to be answered
choosing a salad for lunch instead of a burger. by further research. Yet it seems likely that with clear goals, good self-
monitoring and a little practice, people can train their willpower to stay
The American Psychological Association’s strong in the face of temptation.
Stress in America™ survey revealed that lack of
willpower was the most significant barrier to RESEARCH SHOWS THERE ARE THREE STEPS TO
change. Yet although many people blame ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS:
imperfect willpower for their imperfect • Establish motivation for change and set a clear goal.
choices, it is clear they haven’t given up • Monitor behavior working toward that goal.
hope. A majority of respondents believe that • Exercise willpower to prepare for success.ii
willpower is something that can be learned.
Copyright © 2014 American Psychological Association

Harnessing Willpower to Meet Your Goals
WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Certain strategies have been shown to help build up
self-control:
When you reach milestones, reward yourself for a
• Focus on one goal at a time. Psychologists have job well done, but make sure the reward does not
found that it is more effective to focus on a single, conflict with the change you are trying to make.
clear goal rather than taking on a list of goals at once.
Succeeding at the first goal will free up willpower so
it can then be devoted to the next goal. Work on one
behavior at a time, like going for a 45-minute walk a few • Reward yourself. When you reach milestones, reward
times every week or setting aside 20 minutes every day yourself for a job well done, but make sure the reward
to study for upcoming exams. does not conflict with the change you are trying to
make, like eating a bowl of ice cream because you lost
• Avoid temptations. Avoiding temptations is an five pounds. Instead, take time to engage in another
effective tactic for maintaining self-control. It can be pleasurable but healthy activity. For example, if you’re
helpful to keep temptations out of the house or, at the working on a tight deadline, get up and move around
very least, out of sight. This “out of sight, out of mind” every so often to reward yourself with a break.
approach works for all sorts of scenarios. For example,
it’s important to have a workspace conducive to • Get sufficient sleep. Sleep deprivation can affect how
studying with minimal distractions. When people need the mind and body use energy, which affects the ability to
to focus, they might want to turn off their phone, sign resist temptation. When people don’t get enough sleep,
out of email and eliminate any other distractions from their willpower is more likely to fail. However, even just
their environment. one night of quality sleep can help to boost self-control.iv
• Make a plan. Having a plan in place may help people • Seek support. Research shows that having support
resist temptations without having to draw on willpower, systems can help people reach their goals. Surround
research suggests.iii Decide ahead of time how to react yourself with people you trust and who you know will be
to situations that are likely to foil resolve. For example, supportive of your goals and willing to help you succeed.
someone who is watching their alcohol intake might
say before a party, “If anyone offers me a drink, then I’ll HOW CAN A PSYCHOLOGIST HELP?
ask for a club soda with lime.” Having a plan in place If you are trying to improve your self-control, a psychologist
ahead of time allows people to make decisions in the can help. Psychologists are trained to help people identify
moment without having to draw on willpower. problem areas and then develop an action plan for
• Monitor behavior toward the end goal. Make a changing them. To learn more, visit apa.org/helpcenter.
reasonable plan to meet the end goal and recommit
each day to making progress toward that goal. If The American Psychological Association’s Practice Directorate
reducing spending is the objective, keep track of where gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Linda Alverson-Eiland,
all money is being spent. Research shows that often, PhD; Mary K. Alvord, PhD; Lynn Bufka, PhD; Mary Gresham, PhD;
recording behavior makes people more aware and Mark Muraven, PhD; David J. Palmiter, PhD; Ron Palomares,
helps to change that behavior. PhD; and Richard G. Tedeschi, PhD.
i
Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252–1265.
ii
Baumeister, R., & Tierney, J. (2011). Willpower: Rediscovering the greatest human strength. New York: Penguin Press.
iii
Duckworth, A. L., Grand, H., Loew, B., Oettingen, G., & Gollwitzer, P. M. (2010). Self-regulation strategies improve self-discipline in adolescents: Benefits of mental contrasting
and implementation intentions. Educational Psychology, 31, 17–26.
iv
McGonical, K. (2012). The willpower instinct: How self-control works, why it matters, and what you can do to get more of it. New York: Avery/Penguin Group USA.

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Harnessing Willpower

TO MEET YOUR GOALS

Many people believe they could improve IS WILLPOWER A LIMITED RESOURCE?

Copyright © 2014 American Psychological Association

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

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