Name anything important to your life and self-control plays a major role.
We rely on willpower to exercise, diet, save money, quit smoking, stop drinking, overcome procrastination, and ultimately accomplish any of our goals. It impacts every area of our lives.
A few tips to help increase your self-control:
- Try not to take on too much at once. Try setting small, achievable goals and focus on accomplishing those.
- Get support from others. Join a running group. Find a walking buddy. Ask people you trust to help you achieve your goals.
- Strengthen your willpower. Mindfulness meditations may improve your self-control and help you act from intention rather than habit or craving.
- Reward yourself. If you reach a milestone, celebrate with something that won’t set you back.
- Plan ahead. Give your willpower a break by making decisions in advance: For instance, meal plan to help you avoid impulsive takeaway purchases.(although it is a Friday so that may be tricky!).
So much of success and achieving goals is built on good habits, and good habits are often built on discipline, self-control, and the elimination of bad habits. But improving self-control and building good habits is much easier said than done, and it takes a lot of physical and mental discipline to better yourself.
We can enjoy a more rewarding life, if we just focus a bit more on long-term benefits and take a more analytical look of our behaviour.
Nothing is insurmountable. You can achieve anything you set your mind to. Have faith in yourself.