Theories Cognitive Psychology What Is Willpower? Understanding the Psychology of Self-Control By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Updated on January 05, 2024 Reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by mental health professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Rachel Goldman, PhD, FTOS Fact checked Verywell Mind content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Adah Chung Print Maskot / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Is Willpower? Ego Depletion Willpower and Success Why Willpower Is Important How to Strengthen Willpower Trending Videos Close this video player Willpower involves the ability to exert self-control over your own behavior to carry out your goals and intentions. It involves resisting temptations so that you can stay on task. If you are like many people, you might think you could finally achieve your goals with enough willpower. Sometimes it might seem like the only thing holding you back from losing those last 10 pounds, saving for retirement, sticking to an exercise routine, and avoiding various vices such as alcohol and cigarettes is your self-control. At a Glance Willpower involves your capacity to resist temptations as you pursue your goals. Research suggests it can play a role in your success in life, but it's also a limited resource that can become depleted if you are constantly working to delay gratification. Fortunately, experts believe that there are steps you can take to boost your willpower. Take time to rest, practice meditation, exercise your self-control, and avoid temptations when you can. What Is Willpower? Willpower goes by many names: drive, determination, self-discipline, self-control, resolve. At its simplest, willpower is the ability to control or restrain yourself, and the ability to resist instant gratification in order to achieve long-term goals. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), other definitions include: The capacity to override an unwanted thought, feeling, or impulseThe ability to employ a "cool" cognitive system of behavior rather than a "hot" emotional systemThe conscious, effortful regulation of the self by the self Some researchers believe that willpower is partly determined by genetics. However, other factors including upbringing, life experiences, personality, and socioeconomic factors can also play a role. Is Willpower a Limited Resource? Some experts believe that everyone has a limited supply of willpower, and it decreases with overuse—much like the gas in your car. As long as you have gas, you can drive. When it runs out, your car stops, and that's it. This is called "ego depletion." Social psychologist Roy Baumeister was one of the first to demonstrate the ego depletion effect in his now-famous "cookies and radishes" experiment. In the study, he invited students to eat fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, and asked others to resist the cookies and munch on radishes instead. They were then given an impossible puzzle to solve. And what did they find? The students who ate the cookies worked on the puzzles for 19 minutes. But the students who resisted the tempting cookies lasted an average of just eight minutes. Baumeister interpreted this to mean that those who had to use willpower to resist temptation simply didn’t have enough energy to fully engage in yet another willpower challenge. Does More Willpower Equal More Success? Some psychologists have proposed that willpower can predict success in life. In psychologist Walter Mischel's classic "marshmallow test," pre-school aged kids were placed in a room with a bowl of marshmallows on the table. The kids were told they could either eat one marshmallow right away or wait 15 minutes and get two marshmallows. Several years later, researchers tracked down the test subjects as adolescents. They found that those who held out for more marshmallows: Had higher self-esteem Got higher SAT scores Managed stress more effectively Performed better in school And these benefits seem to extend well beyond childhood and adolescence. Research shows that adults with high self-control are less likely to abuse alcohol and other substances, have better relationships, and have fewer mental health problems. Subsequent research suggests that it isn't just willpower that predicts a child's behavior in the marshmallow test. Instead, social trust also plays a pivotal role. Kids who have trust that there will be more marshmallows to eat later on are better able to delay gratification. Those who aren't sure if they can depend on things being available in the future are more likely to eat the marshmallow immediately. Such results don't debunk Mischel's findings that willpower supports success. However, they suggest that socioeconomic factors and trust play a role in determining willpower. Why Willpower Is Important Willpower impacts every area of your life. It helps you accomplish a variety of goals, from exercising to saving money. Willpower allows you to pursue your goals and enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from achieving them. It can improve your overall subjective well-being and help you to feel happier and more fulfilled in your life.The problem is that constantly resisting temptations can take a toll on your willpower. And always deferring your needs and desires can create prolonged stress and even harm your mental health. Taking steps to find balance in your life can help you pursue your goals, build your willpower, and still indulge in the things that bring you joy. How to Strengthen Willpower While many of us struggle with willpower and self-control, most people also seem to believe this skill can be learned and strengthened. Fortunately, researchers have also come to similar conclusions. Mischel himself maintained that willpower in itself doesn't guarantee success. Instead, he suggested it is one skill that can be a powerful resource for achieving goals, and that people can strengthen it at any point in life. There are several things you can do to improve your self-control. Work It Like a Muscle Think of willpower as a muscle. Just like any other muscle, willpower can be built up and strengthened with time and effort. Exercising your willpower may also make it less vulnerable to being depleted. Baumeister suggests creating simple but challenging tasks that require some effort. For example, using your left hand instead of your right hand to open doors. Or turning the light off every time you leave a room. Engaging in these relatively easy tasks for a couple of weeks will hone your self-control skills. Training your willpower can work wonders. But remember, don't overdo it. Get Enough Sleep Bad sleeping habits ( such as getting too little or too much sleep) wear you out, both physically and mentally. This, in turn, affects your ability to resist temptation. A review of different studies found that sleep-deprived people are more likely to give in to impulses, have less focus, and make riskier decisions. Everyone's sleep needs are different. But according to the National Sleep Foundation, most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night to function at their best. How to Sleep Better Meditate Meditation is one of the most powerful ways to increase willpower. Research shows that regular mindfulness meditation can improve your focus and self-control, even when you're not meditating. Meditation is something you can do anywhere, anytime. A five-minute meditation session first thing in the morning or during your lunch break is enough to get you started. The more you practice resisting your brain’s urge to wander, the easier it will be to resist other temptations in your life as well. 8 Types of Meditation to Find Your Calm Avoid Temptations In Mischel's classic marshmallow test, children who distracted themselves were able to resist temptation much longer than those who didn't take their eyes off the plate of treats. Some kids closed their eyes, while others turned away and looked elsewhere. The kids who couldn't take their eyes off the treat, however, were far more likely to give in. When facing temptation, whether it's the desire to eat, drink, or spend money, try this "out of sight, out of mind" tactic. Or better yet, physically remove the temptation from your environment. If you can't do that, then temporarily remove yourself from the temptation. You might go for a walk, call a friend, or engage in a hobby until the urge passes. This strategy can be an effective tactic if you are trying to overcome a behavioral addiction or other problematic behavior like smoking or excessive snacking. Distracting yourself until the craving has passed can help you stay on track and reach your goals. Takeaway Willpower can be a powerful tool when it comes to reaching your goals. Whether you are trying to improve your health, build a new habit, or end an unhealthy addiction, building your self-control can help you fight temptation more effectively. Willpower can become depleted if you are dealing with too much stress or resisting too many other temptations in your life. However, remember that you can strengthen your self-control through practice, self-care, and self-awareness. Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast Hosted by Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares an exercise that can help you introduce a healthy habit into your life or get rid of a bad habit that's been holding you back. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Increase Your Willpower With Temptation Bundling 14 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Ainslie G. Willpower with and without effort. Behav Brain Sci. 2020;44:e30. doi:10.1017/S0140525X20000357 American Psychological Association. What you need to know about willpower: The psychological science of self-control. Willems YE, Boesen N, Li J, Finkenauer C, Bartels M. The heritability of self-control: A meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2019;100:324-334. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.012 Baumeister RF, Bratslavsky E, Muraven M, Tice DM. Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? J Pers Soc Psychol. 1998;74(5):1252-1265. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.74.5.1252 Mischel W, Ebbesen EB, Zeiss AR. Cognitive and attentional mechanisms in delay of gratification. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1972;21(2):204-218. doi:10.1037/h0032198 Shoda Y, Mischel W, Peake PK. Predicting adolescent cognitive and self-regulatory competencies from preschool delay of gratification: Identifying diagnostic conditions. Dev Psychol. 1990;26(6):978-986. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.26.6.978 Mirandi M, Lis A, Mazzeschi C, Li JB, Salmi LP, Delvecchio E. Flourishing and self-control in adolescence: The role of perceived parenting. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(16):6568. doi:10.3390/ijerph20166568 Watts TW, Duncan GJ, Quan H. 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Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010 Tang Y-Y, Hölzel BK, Posner MI. The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2015;16(4):213-225. doi:10.1038/nrn3916 By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book." See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit