Is Willpower Enough To Succeed?

Willpower Is A Finite Resource

Before you read this one, we've got to address the elephant in the room. Following the emergence of the "willpower as a finite resource" theory in the mid-1990s, subsequent studies have challenged the original findings. If you’re someone who’s seen or heard about it. I’m happy to report it's not true.

Willpower, or ego-depletion as it’s sometimes called, is a thing that is why you need more than just willpower to succeed. Read on to find out how to reach your goals without willpower alone.

Why You Need More Than Willpower To Succeed

We’ve all heard it before:

“If you just had more willpower, you’d reach your goals.”
But how often have you started something with the best intentions, only to find that your willpower runs out?

New Year’s resolutions, anyone? The truth is, relying solely on willpower isn’t enough for lasting success, and here’s why.

Willpower Is Like A Muscle

Willpower works like a muscle that gets tired once it's worked too much. In the same way your muscles get tired from overuse, your willpower depletes the more you use it throughout the day. If you’re constantly forcing yourself to resist temptation or push through obstacles using willpower alone, you’ll eventually burn out.

Think about the last time you tried sticking to a strict diet. At the beginning of the day, it’s easy to resist junk food and soda. But after a long, stressful day, your willpower is worn down, and you’re more likely to give in. That's why people end up at the end of the day binge watching TV and eating ice cream and Doritos.

Emotions Can Play A Role

Your emotions often overpower willpower and drive behavior more than your logical decision-making.

In other words, success isn’t just a matter of discipline; emotions like fear, anxiety, and frustration can derail even the strongest willpower.

When your emotional needs aren’t addressed, they can sabotage efforts to succeed. You might have all the willpower in the world to go to the gym, but if you have unresolved fears about failure or perfectionism, those emotions can hold you back.

Someone pointing at a map to show the importance of having a plan

Lack Of A Clear Plan

Willpower without a structured plan is like trying to drive without a map. Just because you have the will to achieve a goal isn’t enough without a clear roadmap. Your success requires concrete steps, milestones, and strategies.

Willpower might help you start the journey, but you’re likely to lose direction without a clear plan.

Imagine setting a goal to lose weight without a plan. You might rely on willpower to eat healthier, but without a structured approach like meal prepping or scheduling workouts, you’ll more than likely fail.

The Importance Of Accountability

Having someone hold you accountable is crucial because it helps fill the gaps when your willpower starts to wane. Accountability keeps you on track when motivation dips, or willpower fades. Knowing someone is checking in on your progress can make all the difference between sticking with a goal and giving up. It’s the critical element of my goal achievement system featured in my book ASPIRE.

All the things we don't like doing; taxes, DMV visits, wearing seat belts etc, only get done because someone is holding you accountable.

When you’re trying to reach a goal alone, it’s easy to let yourself off the hook. But you’re far more likely to follow through when you have an accountability partner or coach who checks in. Based on the number of people who quit their New Year’s resolutions by the third week of January, we know you’re 93% more likely to succeed with a coach.

Habits Are More Reliable Than Willpower

Success can also be built on your habits, not momentary bursts of willpower.

Willpower may help you start a habit, but the habit itself will carry you to success. Building automatic behaviors require less mental effort and that helps sustain progress in the long run. Your brain is wired to make things habitual as soon as possible because it understands habits don’t require willpower or conscious thought. It does that in a bid to conserve energy.

If you rely on willpower to exercise daily, you might succeed at first. But once it becomes a habit—like brushing your teeth—it no longer feels like a struggle. It’s just something you do.

A girl brushing her teeth to illustrate the importance of habits

Support Systems Matter

The people and environment around you significantly influence your success. This is why so many personal development gurus love the quote, “You are the average of the five people you hang around with.”

Willpower is rarely enough to overcome a toxic environment or unsupportive relationships. Surrounding yourself with positive influences and a support team can provide the emotional and practical support necessary for success.

You might have the willpower to cut down on drinking, but if your friends always encourage you to go out for drinks, it’s much harder to stay on track. The opposite is true. There were a lot of times I didn't feel like training but knowing my mate was depending on me to pick him to go to the gym meant I went.

Limiting Beliefs Are Destructive

Limiting beliefs stored in the subconscious mind can undermine willpower. (For a list of the top thirty-six, go see this post)If you don’t believe you deserve success or can achieve your goals, no amount of willpower will overcome these ingrained beliefs.

Techniques like hypnosis or NLP can help address these subconscious roadblocks. You might consciously want to start your own business, but if you have a limiting belief that “I’m not good enough,” it will keep you stuck, no matter how much willpower you try to muster.

Motivation & Emotional Drivers

Intrinsic motivation and emotional drivers can be stronger than raw willpower.

Aligning your goals with your core values and emotions creates a more sustainable drive. One key factor in NLP is ensuring your desired outcome and values are in alignment.

When you’re emotionally invested in a goal, your need for willpower decreases because your actions come from a place of passion and purpose.

If your goal is to get fit, connecting it to your value, like wanting to be healthy for your children, will give you a more powerful reason to stay consistent than sheer willpower alone.

Coach in a shirt with belief written across the back

The Power Of Self-Compassion

Willpower can often fail because it’s rooted in harsh self-discipline, whereas self-compassion can lead to lasting change.

Being kind to yourself when you slip up can be more effective than relying on sheer discipline. Research shows that some people who practice self-compassion are more resilient in the face of setbacks. Personally, I work the other way. I do the work when I think of the disappointment I’ll feel if I don’t, but we’re not all wired the same way. The key is to know yourself.

When you’re trying to stick to a new habit and slip up, beating yourself up can make you want to quit. But if you treat yourself kindly, you might be more likely to pick yourself up and keep going.

Success Takes More

Than Willpower

So, in conclusion, willpower is a finite resource. While it can help you start, it may not be enough to take you all the way. To create lasting success, you need a holistic approach.

If you’re ready to go beyond willpower and achieve your goals with proven strategies, support, and tools, let’s talk.