Several studies and scientific researches have established willpower plays a key role in making one successful in life. Willpower is a power that shapes our lives and impacts our health, relationships, finances and overall well being.

According to American Psychological Association, willpower is the ability to delay gratification and resist short-term temptations to meet long-term goals.

Why is willpower so important? It is because willpower is the energy that drives human achievements and helps one overcome the hurdles. It is self control and regulation for attaining the bigger things in life. 

Willpower is limited stockpile of energy. Frequently using it depletes it too. Research by Roy Baumeister from University of Florida confirms it. He says, “It consistently turned out that after people exerted self-control in one task and then came to a different self-control task, they would do worse on the second one.”

Willpower is like a muscle. You have to train the muscle to grow, but over exertion can be harmful too.

Here we look at some of the effective ways you can increase your willpower.

1. Self Imposed Deadlines

Putting off things for tomorrow and procrastination can derail things for you.  Researchers have found that by creating self imposed deadlines, you can improve your willpower.

Simply pick a task on your to do list and put a deadline for completing it. Focus your mental energy on completing the task and stick to things until you get done.

By having a time frame and deadline, your commitment towards the task improves. You are able to get more done. This principle works well whether it is work, diets, exercise or anything else that you want done.

2. Control Your Impulses

Willpower is about controlling your impulses and resisting temptations. People are likely to be more successful in their professional and personal lives when they exhibit greater control over themselves. Instant gratification and falling for short term things is often a sign of weakness.

The Marshmallow study at Stanford confirms this finding. Children were given sweets. They were asked to choose between a sweet right away or have double the portion after 15 minutes.

Kids who managed to wait and delay immediate gratification were believed to have stronger willpower.

The study did not stop there. After years of long-term evaluation, it was found that the kids who were able to delay gratification had better life results. The life success was measured in terms of education, work performance, health etc.

3. Meditate & Exercise

Exercise and meditation have a great effect on your brain. The brain functioning improves significantly and you receive energy for increasing your willpower too.

People who exercise have greater willpower and self control than others who don’t. Whether you go to gym, run or do yoga, all these have a very beneficial effect on your body and mind. 

When people exercise, even once or twice a week, they develop patterns to help them cope with their day to day lives better. They are more in control of themselves and improve other aspects of their lives too.

4. Forgive Yourself

Everyone makes mistakes. The key is to not be too critical of your mistakes. Forgive yourself and find ways of doing better next time. People who hang on to mistakes for too long deprive themselves of moving ahead.

The book Willpower Instinct reveals a fascinating finding about forgiving yourself. It’s forgiveness, not guilt, that increases accountability. Researchers found that instead of taking a self critical approach, it is better to take a self compassionate approach. It helps you get the right feedback from people around you and move forward in the right direction.

5. Nutrition & Nature

The food you eat influences your mind. When you eat live food that is good for your energy, it creates a healthy body and mind. You are more vibrant and energetic. It helps your mental faculties too, which is required for will power.

Natural surroundings and getting away from day to day chores can strengthen your mind. A weekend get away into the greenery and nature can strengthen your willpower. It can also replenish your energy reserves.

6. Tie Yourself to a Bigger Goal

Your life is shaped by the goals you set for yourself. Often when you are inspired by lofty goals and higher ideals, you will draw immense energy from them.

The most successful people are often inspired by their undertakings. They tie themselves to bigger goals, pursuing them and reaching them becomes an obsession for them.  It helps them focus all their energies in one direction. It makes them rise above distractions and immediate gratifications. When you set higher goals for yourself, your life is elevated too.