The goal isn't more willpower

Build systems that make the right choice easier.

People often tell me that I have a lot of willpower and self-discipline.

I appreciate the compliment, but it’s not really true.

Like everyone else, I have days when I don't feel like exercising, and times when I’m tempted by distractions, less than healthy food, or having another drink. My willpower isn't unlimited, and neither is yours. In fact, research shows that willpower tends to decline throughout the day, especially when you're stressed, tired, or faced with one decision after another.

Instead of trying to become a person with unlimited willpower, I've spent years building systems that reduce the need for it.

I don't decide each morning whether I'll review my goals and affirmations. It's part of my Morning Routine.

I don't decide each evening whether I'll plan tomorrow. It's part of my Daily Shutdown.

I don't keep deciding whether I should check social media. I deleted the apps years ago.

When an important behavior becomes part of a routine or a system, you stop negotiating with yourself. The decision has already been made.

That doesn't eliminate the need for willpower. Life will always present temptations, distractions, and unexpected situations. But by using systems to handle the recurring parts of your life, you preserve your willpower for the moments when you truly need it.

When I catch myself succumbing to temptation, I don’t ask, "How can I become more disciplined?" Instead, I ask, "What system could I create so I don't have to keep making this decision?"

• Sometimes the answer is a routine.

• Sometimes it's planning in advance.

• Sometimes it's removing a temptation from my environment.

• Sometimes it's simply writing the commitment down.

Whatever the solution, the objective is the same: make it easier to do what you already know you should do.

Take a few minutes today to think about one area of your life where you're relying on willpower every day. Is there a routine, a rule, or another simple system that would reduce the need to keep making that same decision?

As an example, in 2024 I decided I wanted to drink less. But rather than just hoping my willpower would take care of that goal, I set a rule: No more than 50 drinks in 2025. Once I’d made that rule, it was easy to stick to it. (It was even easier to stick to my alcohol rule for 2023, which was zero drinks!). 

In a few days, I'll share one final idea before we open enrollment for Winning Every Day: Routines and Habits for Success.

- Paul