HOT TOPIC: What is willpower?

[Pseudonym]

There's currently a radio advert for a certain miracle supplement I won't name. In it, the customer says, "...and I haven't got a lot of willpower as far as dieting goes, but I heard of this product and thought it sounded easy..."

It made me think. If you don't have willpower, are you just lazy? I'm tempted to say yes - get off your butt, and get on with whatever you say you don't have the willpower to do! It's that simple - or is it? People without willpower want to do something, but they don't. Why?

There's no doubt you need huge amounts of willpower to be a successful bodybuilder. But what is it? How do you get it? Why do some people have it and some don't?

[jono]

i think willpower is all about desire, and your right you either have it or you dont. everything i do i do 100%, if i do somthing theres no way im gonna waste my time by giving less than 100%

[Growth]

I think willpower is like motivation or drive. Perhaps these people trying to lose weight but have no 'willpower' simply cant get motivated enough to do it. Perhaps they dont actually belive it is achievable, but then some company starts raving on a product and they suddenly think, hey, with the help of this product maybe it is possible.

[Marcus]

For me willpower is resisting temptation. Temptation to eat wrong, skip a workout, or not give 100%.

Willpower comes a lot easier when you see results, & when you have pushed yourself past mental boundaries in the gym.

Willpower is just an emotion, & emotions can be controlled.

[Growth]

Willpower comes a lot easier when you see results, & when you have pushed yourself past mental boundaries in the gym.

:stupid:

[deegee]

for me it is something you have or you dont have, like a strong desire I train regularly religiosly unless my body is worn done for some reason like sickness. I just tll myself i am being lazy if I dont go. gave up smoking 5 years ago, that took willpower!

[Marcus]

It's true though. So many people I know just can't stick at the gym. Nine times out of ten their diet sucks. They have these big motivation spurts but then fall off the wagon four weeks later when they haven't seen any change. It pisses me off! IMO diet is everything. Get it right & everything else will follow, including willpower.

[deegee]

^^ you are correct what you say about diet I believe it is the most important aspect, and the hardest to stick to. goig to the gym for 1 hour is easy but diet is an everyday all day long effort.

Many people I see at the gym year in and out dont get gains and complain, but their diet sucks. Diet training rest thats the key imo

[Pseudonym]

Perhaps I'm playing devil's advocate a bit here, but people often have the desire. It's the follow-through afterwards that's missing...

These people know what they want - to get into shape. They want it badly - they often hate their current shape. But they don't seem to be able to translate that into commitment.

I can't understand that mindset - for me, desire = commitment. For those lacking willpower, the two don't seem to be linked.

:think:

[Marcus]

I reckon if you want it bad enough you'll do it. If you don't you won't.

[Cornfed]

I'd say willpower is the ego attempting to override other mental processes in order to achieve some goal it deems worthy. While this may be a good thing to overcome addictions and other clearly dysfunctional behavior, I think that in general willpower and goal-setting are overrated. I train because I enjoy it and it has become normal to me. If I had to use willpower to force myself into the gym then I would have given up long ago. Also, the ego doesn't always know best. Many goals turn out to be unrealistic or not worth the effort. If you don't want to do something, it may be because it is not right for you. I tend to think that as much as possible one should base one's life on Alistair Crowley's idea of “Do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the lawâ€

[deegee]

^^^ that is heavy stuff. I'll take some time to try to digest that ! :?

[Growth]

I train because I enjoy it and it has become normal to me. If I had to use willpower to force myself into the gym then I would have given up long ago.

Agreed. I think the people who attempt to keep a strict regime at the gym, planning diets, training days, muscle groups ect, but fail, are people trying to do it on willpower like Cornfed said, forcing themselves to do it. If you have to force yourself to do it then you wont stick at it for long at all. Fully agree with Cornfed here, if you enjoy your gym work, like all of us here must, then no longer does going to the gym feel like a chore, rather its something you look forward too.

[carma]

Interesting topic!

In relation to people sticking to things such as dieting and training etc, i think most people do ahve the desire and really want to lose weight, gain muscle or whatever but i think that most people are set up for failer and also the people that should have the knowledge (personal trainers etc) simple dont,most of them have done a six month course, get their certificate, get a job in a gym and are chucked in the deep end. The gyms themselves are also to blame for people failing. a gym is a business and people are in business to make money, so most gyms just want bums on seats. I think those people who go to the gym day in and day out without achieving the results they want,are perfect examples of people who have been set up to fail, (gym owners love these people) they pay their fees and they keep goeing hoping that the results will come eventually. i think those people do have lots of willpower and desireand if given the right tools and knowledge they would probably suceed. I totally agree that diet has to be one of the key aspects to achieving the physique that you want whoever you are and whatever your goals are. there are millions of people out there with the willpower and desire to suceed, that is how all the supp companies and gimic companies make soo much money., they feed off all these people's desires and sell them a piece of equipment that they say will get them to where they wnat to be but really the product is crap.

Anyway i'm getting off the topic a bit. Basicaaly i think there are plenty of people out there with heaps of willpower and desire but things work against them.