Willpower

I agree with the last contribution. If you know a person’s compass (character and beliefs), you can explain his actions and what he will do in future situations. His actions are dictated by his nature and has nothing to do with willpower.

It is the development of good habits/character through self-discipline and not willpower that determine what we do when we face challenges, temptations, or hard decisions. There is much unhappiness and personal distress in the world because of failures to control ourselves. “Oh, if only I had stopped myself” is an all too familiar refrain. It is good sense to want to take charge of ourselves.

Instead of saying people need willpower, which is nothing more than a choice between alternatives, what people really need is self-discipline, which is disciple of oneself. It lies at the heart of the task of successful everyday behavior, whether it is controlling our tempers, or our appetites, or our inclinations to sit all day in front of the television. As Aristotle pointed out, our habits make all the difference. We learn to order our souls the same way we learn to do math problems or play baseball well–through practice. Practice, of course, is the medicine so many people find hard to swallow, but in the end, it’s practice that brings self-control.

When the choice is to do something dangerous now for the protection of myself or others or to forgo the opportunity and leave the problem to possibly become a bigger danger with more uncertainty for later, my nature is to choose to attack the danger when it first occurs and I have a better chance to eliminate it. It is like the commercial: “Pay me now or pay me more later.” Willpower has nothing to do with it, it is just a matter of choice and fear takes a backseat.

I loved watching a new TV comedy. It was hilarious. I noticed I was laughing at things that clashed with my moral beliefs so I stopped watching it. Was this willpower or was just a personal choice between a set of values?

In the long run it is our habits that determine what a person does in a particular situation. And these habits are set by the influences around us. Some people make a big deal about willpower. In my mind, will power has very little to do with decisions we make. What is much more important in directing our lives is the character we have developed over the years. A person's character distinguishes him from other people and dictates what he will do in a crisis. If he has developed a trait of being honest, then he will be honest in a situation where dishonesty seems to be an easier way out. The same hold true for other virtues. What we are, determines what we will do. Will power plays a very little part in it. Will power is indeed nothing more than just choosing between alternatives. And our decision will depend upon our set of values.

When I was preparing to hike the 24 miles from rim to rim of the Grand Canyon, reducing my weight by 10 pounds in the final six weeks before the hike was crucial. In hiking a mile down and a mile up a steep incline, weight is the enemy. With the choice of a snack before going to bed or having a better chance of getting to the opposite rim, the choice was easy, and it had nothing to do with willpower. It was about what I wanted more.

To me, there is nothing special about what is called willpower. It is nothing more than choosing between alternatives. For instance, if you are trying to lose weight, the choice could be the instant gratification of a high calorie dessert or the satisfaction of sticking to your diet. You will choose the one that means more to you at the moment. It is as simple as that.