4 Ways to Build Your Willpower

Usually when we hear the word "willpower," we relate it to losing weight or quitting smoking. Willpower is extremely helpful when trying to break those bad habits, but it can also be beneficial in other areas of your life as well.

It's important to realize that we're not born with willpower; it's something we must nurture and build in ourselves. Once we strengthen our willpower, it'll provide us an upper hand in achieving our goals. Why? Because we'll develop an unshakeable focus and intensity in purpose!

So how do you go about building your willpower?

Here are four strategies to get you headed in the right direction:

1.???Commitment. You must be committed to reaching your goals. If you're not completely committed to what you want to accomplish, there's no way you'll be able to develop any willpower.

• To be successful in achieving your goals, you mustn't harbor any second thoughts, excuses, or doubts. Be honest with yourself and know that this is something you truly want to see through until the end.
• ?Remember, just having the desire will not guarantee accomplishment. You can desire something without firm commitment, so be sure to distinguish between the two and take the appropriate actions.

2.???Call on your inner strength. Building your willpower takes perseverance. This is a time to call on your inner strength - that extra push you need to get through the difficult times.

• You've made a commitment to take a journey to strengthen your willpower and accomplish your most challenging goals - this is great! The truth is, you'll have many days of success, but there will also be days that aren't as triumphant. It's on those not-so-good days that you can call on your inner strength to get you back on track.
• Everyone has an inner strength and most of us have used it on more than one occasion. Trust in it and it will get you through the rough spots!

3.???Ask for support. Building your willpower to achieve a goal is a large undertaking. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. This is why it's so imperative that we have support during this time.

• Entrust a friend, spouse, or parent with what you're trying to accomplish. That way, when you hit a stumbling block, you have someone you trust to get you back on the right track.
• Your support system will help you through the hard times and celebrate your successes with you.

4.???Be consistent. If you have the willpower to stop smoking for one week, that's wonderful and should be celebrated. But the only way you're going to build your willpower is to do whatever it takes to avoid cigarettes today, tomorrow, and forever. Then soon enough you'll be celebrating two weeks, two months, two years, and then forever!

• This strategy applies to any goal that you're seriously trying to accomplish. You must be willing to keep up the positive behavior all day, every day, no exceptions, and no excuses.
• Things can only improve as you continue to build your willpower. Keep pushing yourself forward!

Willpower is a tricky concept. We all want to develop it to break a bad habit or reach a particular goal, yet in order to do so, we must be willing to go the extra mile and fully commit ourselves to our success.

If you are committed, you should be commended! Be sure to use these tips to help you build your willpower and celebrate your successes each and every day.

Gregg Swanson is a peak performance and human potential coach. He has authored several books and numerous articles on peak performance. Gregg specializes in professional men who are burnout, fatigued and depleted, ignite their passion, build renewed confidence, and connect with their masculine edge to be the man they aspire to be so they can crush it at work, home and life! You can grab his guide to finding your purpose HERE.