Title: Willpower Doesn’t Work: Discover the Hidden Keys to Success
Author(s): Benjamin Hardy
OK, I give up. Despite the call for “NO ACTION” in the previous post (Book Giveaway #63: Effortless Living (3/20/2020)), you are still very determined to achieve something? Sure about your determination?
Then why do you NEED TO “find” willpower to achieve certain goals? Because you are NOT INTERESTED IN YOUR GOALS! Over to the author:
“To be frank, willpower is for people who HAVEN’T DECIDED what they actually want in their lives. If you’re required to exert willpower to do something, there is obvious INTERNAL CONFLICT.”
Agree? Then let me compile another set of posts on “how to find / choose / discover / create your goals”. Now, what if you very CLEARLY KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, and, still not getting the results you want? Then it is LESS about willpower and MORE about MAKING A DECISION – a commitment. Quoting from the book:
When it comes to achieving goals making committed decisions involves:
- Investing upfront;
- MAKING IT PUBLIC
- Setting a timeline
- Installing SEVERAL FORMS OF FEEDBACK / ACCOUNTABILITY; and
- Removing or altering EVERYTHING in your environment that OPPOSES your commitment.
Some more gems from the book:
You ARE WHO YOUR ARE because of your environment.
….
Your goals, beliefs, and values are SHAPED BY the cultural context you live.
…
(Quoting Will Durant) History was NOT SHAPED BY GREAT MEN, but rather by DEMANDING SITUATIONS.
All this means, you NEED TO INJECT URGENCY not in yourself BUT IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT. Yet, this may not be so obvious or intuitive. Have you seen what happens to people who OVER-STRESS in the gym? They often get injury. On the other hand, if they UNDER-STRESS then no progress happens. Here is a hint from the book:
“Similar to fitness, the best CREATIVE BREAKTHROUGHS happen during mental recovery from rigorous and laborious work.”
You have been working very hard recently, isn’t it? Then, while this COVID-19 pandemic is a STRESS from the nature to RESET ITSELF, it is also, very beautifully, GIVING US REST TO RESET OURSELVES.
Relax, take it is easy. Rest to your heart’s content – till you GET SUCH A CREATIVE BREAKTHROUGH that you do NOT NEED WILLPOWER! Then … … you would just need to RESET YOUR ENVIRONMENT.
After, or, during your rest, you could pick up this book. After all, the 3rd part of the book is titled “HOW TO MAKE YOUR WILLPOWER IRRELEVANT”. This book will help you arrive at your “peak experiences” and “peak performances” more often.
Ready to reset your environment to bring out “THE SUPERHERO” in you?
The Gift of Books 