We often hear about willpower—it’s the strength of self-control or the ability to manage our impulses. It’s a key part of motivation and achieving results, so it deserves a closer look. We had the opportunity to chat with Benjamin Hardy, the author of “Willpower Doesn’t Work,” about motivation and the best ways to achieve our goals. Is it about harnessing willpower, or is there another approach?
Benjamin Hardy has led an extraordinary life, overcoming significant challenges, much like many of us. He’s a well-known writer on self-improvement, motivation, and entrepreneurship. This conversation provided a fantastic opportunity to uncover the truth about reaching our goals.
First things first, willpower is real and has been studied extensively in psychology. The general belief is that the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. However, relying solely on willpower for long-term change is not sustainable because it requires a lot of energy.
People often talk about willpower because it gives us a sense of control over our choices. We like to believe our successes or failures are entirely up to us. But the reality is, we are more influenced by our environment than by our choices. Hardy’s book, “Willpower Doesn’t Work,” teaches us to create environments that naturally lead us to success.
For example, instead of forcing yourself to get out of bed for the gym alone, find a workout buddy who will text you in the morning. This way, you don’t have to rely solely on willpower because you’ve set up conditions that make success unavoidable.
At DIY Active, we strongly support using accountability systems, like workout partners. Hardy argues that promoting willpower alone can be misleading because it hides the real solution: designing your environment.
When your environment supports your goals, the process becomes enjoyable instead of a tedious struggle. Financial investments can also be a motivator. Hardy shares how he and his wife decided to invest a couple of hundred dollars in a blogging domain even while working hourly jobs. Small investments, like buying new running shoes, can motivate you to get started.
Sharing your progress on social media and having friends hold you accountable can also help. Signing up for a marathon can motivate you to prepare and show up. Moreover, eliminating environmental factors that hinder your progress is crucial.
According to Hardy, if you find yourself justifying why you’re not meeting your goals, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, change your environment to remove those obstacles. For instance, if a certain gas station tempts you to buy soda, change your route.
No matter your internal determination, changing your life requires changing your environment. The willpower approach often fails because it doesn’t address the environment. Eventually, you yield to your surroundings despite your best efforts. As humans, we adapt to our environments, so the best use of our decisions is to design settings that support our goals.
In summary, while willpower is important, it’s not the most efficient way to achieve our goals on its own. According to Benjamin Hardy—and we agree—you need to engineer your environment to maximize your chances of success. Once you do, maintaining your willpower becomes much easier.
So, if you’re looking to get motivated, check out Hardy’s insights on willpower and how to create an environment that supports your goals. His book “Willpower Doesn’t Work” delves deeply into these ideas and offers practical advice for achieving success.