Willpower Doesn’t Work Summary – Self Discipline is a Key

Detailed Summary

The book Willpower Doesn’t Work, written by Benjamin Hardy, uniquely motivates its readers to achieve their goals in life. In his book Willpower Doesn’t Work, Benjamin has made us understand that willpower is not the key to success.

“Success isn’t that difficult; it merely involves taking twenty steps in a singular direction. Most people take one step in twenty directions.”
― Benjamin Hardy

We are aware that we live in a World where people and the environment control us. Whatever we do, we think of how people will react to it. Even though the author is not denying that willpower helps us to achieve our goals whether we want to lose weight, gain weight or stick to one job or achieve anything in our lives. But willpower is in limited supply, and it’s difficult to maintain as people play a major role.

So according to the author, just relying on willpower to reach your goals is not enough. The people and the environment who has a great influence should be shaped first to unlock your productivity.

Willpower Doesn’t Work Summary Key Points

Is it normal to rely only on willpower without acknowledging that the environment and thoughts have more impact on our brains? You must grow up by listening to the common saying that your willpower helps you in achieving your performance and success.

However, the truth is the opposite. When you walk into society and meet different people who have distinct perspectives, your personality changes, and you grow up. Therefore, despite willpower, self-discipline and environment also have an impact on your brain.

How strongly do you believe in your willpower? Read the following key points to learn more about it.

Change your environment, and don’t let the environment change you

The most important lesson that the book gives to the readers is that we have the power to change our environment I.e, the people around us. Those who demotivate us, let us down or even try to keep us away from our dreams do not deserve to be around us. You must get rid of the obstacles that prevent you from achieving your objectives.

It’s difficult, but approaching it with the appropriate mindset becomes much simpler. We can change the environment, and we don’t do it; it tries to change us. And you probably don’t want that to happen.

“Surround yourself with people who remind you more of your future than your past. —Dan Sullivan”
― Benjamin Hardy

The author says that our environment and everything around us should be aligned with our decision. Moreover, the author tells us that we should use willpower when there’s a contradiction between what we’re attempting to do and the situation around us. It will empower you and help you stay determined on your path to success. 

When it comes to humans, the vast majority of us are similar to wild creatures observing natural progression. We are likewise helpless to change our circumstances. We adapt to them, unsure whether this will benefit us in the long run.

Others are doing the exact opposite. They construct their environments the same way we do with the animals we domesticate, so each modification is simply an update that brings them closer to their goals.

You might also like to read the book The Way of Integrity Summary.

Designating separate places for everything increases productivity

We all know that we cannot play at our workplace and vice versa because working and playing in the same place makes it difficult to be productive.

When you designate one location for work and another for play, your body’s ability to work hard and recoup is maximized. Set aside a space for your office, where you will only work, and a room for relaxation, where you will just relax. By doing this, we will be motivated. 

“Work hard, play hard” is a good motto to live by, but it requires some modernization. We need to include the concept that if we want to be the most efficient, we must do each in a different location!

This also makes us realize the importance of the environment on our productivity. As designating a separate room and its structure, furniture, and everything plays a major role in your productivity. We constantly hear about the benefits of living a “stress-free” existence these days.

Such thinking ignores all of the positive features that can result from lower stress levels. There’s a term for this kind of controlled tension. It’s called eustress, and it actually helps us reach our full potential.

Use forcing functions to achieve your goals

Although we all dislike being forced, sometimes it’s important to accomplish your goals using forcing functions. 

We all know that exercising is good for our body and eating clean is good for our health, but we still don’t do it. There are a variety of reasons for this conduct, including lethargy, frustration, and fear.

However, the ultimate effect is always the same: disappointment and sorrow for our actions. Willpower by itself is rarely sufficient, so the question here arises how do we become our best selves?

Using forcing functions is one approach to accomplish this. These self-imposed constraints require you to act according to your goals. For example, if you want to spend more time with your family after work, you could propose leaving your phone in the car. Taking calls and responding to emails isn’t really a choice this way. You “push” yourself to disengage from the world outside your family.

Who would I recommend Willpower Doesn’t Work Summary to?

The book Willpower Doesn’t Work highly recommended to those struggling to lose or gain weight. Moreover, anyone who wants to achieve so much in life but gets demotivated and changes his plans all because of the people around him.

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