Related Article: Factors that Increase Willpower
One way to increase your overall Willpower (and thereby state of energy and Aliveness) is by deliberately changing your habits and behavioral patterns. The following examples of behavior may have nothing at all to do with your goals but any of them will nevertheless benefit your goals because as you change one thing in your life, that spills over to other areas in your life. The popular notion that if you do one good thing you are more likely to do some non-good thing because, for example doing physical workout and then being more likely to treat yourself to a chocolate cake because you "deserve it" has not proven true in my 15 years of coaching. On the contrary, one good deed makes it more likely that you do other good deeds. Like attracts like.
Falling back on old patterns only happens if you lose momentum. One woman, who is a professional national-team basketball player told me that if she fails to exercise for a few weeks, that also attracts other habits she would rather not have - such as not cleaning up her place or eating more sweets. (As mentioned previously sweets do nothing for your willpower. They give you a quick high and then flatten you soon afterwards.). If however she keeps up her regular exercise, this also facilitates other good behaviors, such as not lashing out at her children or keeping a good financial balance. I can confirm that this is the way it works. Here are some examples of changing patterns, habits and routines:
1. Walk Backwards
In my early twenties I took the same way to work every day. I used this time to make several deliberate changes in my thinking and acting. One of the things I would do is walk backwards to work. This changed my habitual morning-thinking, which in turn made my day more creative.
2. Brush your teeth with the other hand
Why not switch the hands with which you brush your teeth? This quick behavioral shift demonstrates that you are not running your life on automatic but are yourself the creator of your experience.
3. Change your Posture
Try changing your body posture several times throughout the day. It will immediately transport you into the here and now, having you feel more aware and awake. Every deliberate act you do, trains your willpower.
4. Enjoy something you normally dont enjoy
Take something you resist, and try to enjoy it instead. There is no use resisting standing in a grocery store line. Why not thoroughly enjoy it next time? Do not be a victim of circumstance.
5. Change your speech patterns
If you have always used fillers such as "like" or "actually", why not try doing without them for a week? Small changes can create big things. Such a simple tool can turn your whole world upside down because you are actually beginning to pay attention to what is going on.
These were only five examples but we could surely come up with hundreds of ways to exercise willpower and awareness...which are the primary keys to success in life.
