An Overlooked Component of Willpower

How often have you made a commitment to stop doing something where your commitment was successful for a period of time and then completely fell off a cliff?

In working with thousands of leaders over the years, I know I'm not the only one that has this problem.

In America, we are taught to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and we tell tales of courageous people who willed themselves to success. There's this mistaken belief that success is a one person job and it rarely, if ever, is.

As a coach, I like to joke a lot about change and reference the Bob Newhart skit from a years back called Stop It. As funny as this skit is, I think a lot of people think that's what's going to get them across the finish line to making a significant change in their life. If only it were that easy.

A book I have read more than once and am currently going back through is the book Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend. As I went through this book last week, there was a particular section that stood out to me as I was reading about why we sometimes struggle to have good boundaries with ourselves.

Here's the passage:

"Will is only strengthened by relationship; we can't make commitments alone."

At times, I overestimate my power as a human being and I underestimate the amount of grace someone will give me in my shortcomings. Because of that, I have a tendency to hide and not ask for help.

If you can relate to this at all and you have a struggle that you are currently working through alone, the first thing I want you to know is that you aren't alone. The second thing I want you to know is that there are amazing people in this world ready to help and support you.

All you need to do is ask.

PS. If you are looking to get support with your path, I am doing 3 free Breakthrough Blueprint sessions between now and the end of the year. I already have a couple of them booked from the masterclass I did last week but I still have a spot open. If you want it, you can book your first session here.