Some of us possess an enormous amount of pride in our ability to “will” ourselves through situations. We then have the rest, who strive to build willpower hoping it will be the key to getting ahead. The surprise to both will be that willpower is fleeting. It is not a skill in which we have an unlimited amount. Willpower runs out. It needs replenishing daily. Willpower can get us far, but it’s best used at a certain time of day and with a finite focus. Those who boast about our willpower experience confusion when we are not completing something on our to-do list. What is going on? Why are we not attacking as we normally do? Those of us who do not possess the level of willpower to our liking still complete tasks. How is this possible?
Willpower is used best within the first hours of our day. It is not because the morning is special. It isn’t better than the rest of the day. It is because that is when we wake up. Our willpower is on full. As we progress through the day, the tasks we complete effects our ability to push through the rest. With this knowledge, it is clear it would be best to address our important tasks in the first few hours of the day. We will find that adopting this method will cause us to accomplish important tasks at a rate we’ve struggled to reach. It is not rocket science. We are simply changing our approach and attitude about willpower. We’ll respect our ability to use it knowing that rations are limited. Consider starting your day with $100. Each waking hour takes $2 from you then anything that requires brain power takes more. It looks like prioritization needs to take precedence in our skillset. Imagine spending $80 of your dollars and then attempting to buy something that will cost you 30. We live in this scenario each day, not knowing why we can’t “buy” what we want.
How do people who don’t lean on willpower accomplish tasks? They do it the same way but without the feeling of the ability to depend on willpower. We all have some level of willpower but those of us who feel we have none utilize it more efficiently. In this case, a perceived flaw becomes an asset. We think “I cannot “will” myself through this, so I better focus. I better give this task the attention it requires because it is important to me.” It is as simple as that. We don’t need to wake up before the sun comes up to be successful. We don’t need to force our way through the day attempting to check off a long list of non-critical tasks. The person who doesn’t believe they have an unlimited capacity to handle a day’s tasks succeeds because of focus. A completed to-do list of 1 is more beneficial than a list with ten partially completed. The scoreboard will show 1 to 0. That adds up.
In closing, we must be sure not to let our belief in our ability to handle multiple engagements harm us. We stretch ourselves thin. We are giving it all we have, but we are giving it to all we want. This method is a losing battle. Focus and delayed gratification will benefit us more than attempting to get it all. Chasing ten things is difficult. Chasing 1, securing it then addressing another is the only way we will ever get all 10.
Food for thought. You do the dishes!
