Training Our Own Will Power

A really interesting experiment was conducted years ago — and it involved something almost all of us can relate to: chocolate chip cookies.

Three groups of people were brought to a testing center, but were not permitted to eat in the three hours leading up to their exam. Once arriving at the location, the groups were separated. One of them was taken into a room where the aroma of chocolate chip cookies filled the air. A tray of chocolate chip cookies awaited them on a table alongside a tray of radishes. The group could eat as many radishes as they wanted, but could not eat any cookies. The second group entered a different room with the same two trays and could eat as much as they wanted from either tray. The third group went to a room with no food at all.

After 10 minutes, the groups left and entered a different room for testing. The exam was tricky. It asked everyone to trace a pre-determined shape without going over any lines and without lifting the pen from the paper.

What happened?

Well, the group that needed to use its will power to resist the chocolate chip cookies gave up in half the time of the other two groups. It also attempted half as many problems as the other two groups. But why?

The first group who had used its will power to resist the urge of the cookies had nothing left for the test. They could not concentrate or perform effectively, so the other two groups fared much better.

As leaders, we take the will power of those we lead for granted. We believe we have an endless supply, but research says otherwise. We never teach or coach will power, even though we know that when it evaporates, the level of our performance decreases. Research, like the chocolate chip cookie test, proves that no matter how strong-minded we are, unless we work to improve our will power, it will slowly fade away.

This all begs the question: “Is there a way to strengthen someone’s willpower?”

Through many tests, researchers have discovered that willpower is like a muscle — it gets tired from overuse and requires food to replenish. So, according to “Willpowered” here are 10 easy ways to help all of us strengthen our will power.

1. Ten minutes of Meditation. Meditation is the fastest and most effective way to increase will power.

2. Work on our posture. When you start to slouch, sit up straight.

3. Keep a food diary. It forces us to know what we eat and logging information helps increase will power.

4. Use our opposite hand. Our brain is wired to use our dominant hand, so when we work on our other hand, we help increase will power.

5. Use correct speech. Much like posture, working on our grammar and speech help increase will power.

6. Create self-imposed deadlines. Hold yourself accountable.

7. Keep track of our spending. Writing down and tracking helps create more will power.

8. Squeeze a handgrip. We will feel a burn in our forearm and the more we overcome that sensation, the more will power we build.

9. Carry something tempting around. Prove to yourself you can resist the urge of a craving.

10. Be mindful of our automated decisions. Don’t do anything from impulse, think first, then act.

It’s not easy having tremendous will power, but those who do become more productive, more engaged, and lead with a more definite sense of purpose.

Please forward and share this email with your friends and family.