Here’s a secret tip for creating willpower

will = powerI just wrote my list of goals for the fourth quarter of this year. I know, I’m a couple weeks behind.

That might give you an idea of where I’m at with a few of those goals. I need a shot of willpower.

I wrote my goal list after returning home from my Saturday Starbucks run (a weekly treat) and on the drive back home I gave myself a talking-to about this whole willpower/goals thing, and I decided to write a blog post about it. #sorrynotsorry

Because honestly, I’m not excited about some of the work it’s gonna take to get to where I want to be by year’s end. I really would rather watch a Netflix marathon than get started. My couch is very comfortable — and there’s a me-sized dent in it.

And the thing with some of my goals is that a part of me doesn’t even know HOW to get started. Don’t you hate that?

But then I coached myself as I would one of my clients. I’ve actually used this speech many times before when clients complain to me that they have no willpower. These words are NOT original but they are true. I know this because I’ve personally been down this road before and experienced the results firsthand.

I told myself: Willpower doesn’t strike. If I wait for it to suddenly appear, I’ll probably wait forever. And that would suck, because I’m pretty sure I (or you) would like the result of the work that is required to obtain the goals. I mean, why would I set goals I didn’t have some interest in obtaining?

Willpower is like a muscle. It gets stronger with use.

Same thing with motivation. Often it’s not there until you see the results of your work.

And from there, the two work together synergistically to keep you on track. Motivation builds willpower builds motivation. It’s cool.

But until you get the ball rolling, it kinda sucks.

I find that Starbucks iced coffee helps kick start my motivation. In fact, right now, I can feel it kicking in. Woohoo! So off I go, getting ready to tackle my end-of-year goals. And in case you’re wondering, they include:

  • Specific actions to feel better, both nutritionally and fitness-wise (I’m setting some specific nutrition goals as well as aiming for a set number of strength/cardio workouts a week).
  • Finding new ways to help inspire more people to be fit and care for themselves.
  • Having more fun creating new forms of online content.
  • Finishing up a couple certifications I’ve started.

How about you? Are you with me? What are YOU gonna crush by the end of the year? Having an accountability partner is HUGE, especially when it comes to those first several baby steps toward a new goal. That’s why I love creating social media support groups for my programs.

Let me know your goals. I’d love to hear about them!

Wendy Watkins

About Wendy Watkins

Wendy Watkins is a Bangor-based personal trainer, fitness coach, studio owner, and writer/editor. She is the author of The Complete Idiots Guide to Losing 20 Pounds in 2 Months. Visit her website at thrivebangor.com.