I’ve been doing a variety of experiments this year, from my 30 day fast in Jan to the #perfectweek challenge last week, and now fasting again-

I have discovered something new about willpower that I did not fully understand before.

What was it? https://twitter.com/libera_rex/status/1254200911246888968

Originally, I thought willpower was just something to be trained.

(It still is, of course, but there’s more to it.)

What I realized is that, at the bottom level, willpower is a binary system.

Either you are going to do something, or you are not. https://www.aion.media/masterself/the-10-day-challenge-how-to-build-your-willpower-the-easy-way

This is where we run into lots of problems.

Everyone *wants* to start going to the gym, or eat healthier, or lose weight.

However, we don’t understand the competing system of different wants.

I’m six days into a fast, and there’s a part of me that wants to eat (which would break the fast, obviously).

Part of me wants to go run (which also breaks the fast, less obviously).

However, the key to fasting is to commit to doing it 100%.

This is also the key to all things.

When you understand all of the various shouts and whispers in your head, and the various things they want, you are able to make a binary choice:

“I will not compromise, I will not break, I choose to do.”

If you’re 99%, your will breaks, and you will feel it as motivation loss.

Will must be continually renewed.

This is the function of a mantra, or an oath-

to remember what you decided and to remain committed when the shouts and whispers of your whims return.

Why shouts and whispers?

Shouts are the obvious-

You see an ad for food and want to order some.

Whispers?

Not so much.

Whispers are the quiet parts of your ego that want you to stay as you are.

They’re the voice of inertia.

This is the voice of self-sabotage. https://www.aion.media/masterself/defeating-the-three-demons-of-failure

Here’s a terrifying secret-

99% of your problems are your own fault, and 100% of them are your responsibility.

What’s more?

The number one thing stopping you from changing is that part of you does not want to change.

I am speaking about all of this from my own experience.

I tend to consider myself a pretty high-willpower person, and I can back that up with achievements.

However, my own ego and pride in that blinded me to the fact that I was not committing to using that willpower.

I read in Rollo May’s phenomenal book “Love and Will” that part of being excellent (or crazy, incidentally) is that your actions require much more will than an average person.

To that end, if one seeks excellence, then the price is marked-

commitment.

To decide.

When you’re indecisive, you fall prey to temptation.

Any crack in your armor is a place for weakness to break through.

Commitment is bulletproof.

However, all the armor in the world cannot prevent internal weaknesses from eroding your foundation.

Your task is to ignore the shouts and to confront the whispers.

Admit that there are parts of you that are holding you back, and fight against them with Will.

Be vulnerable and honest with yourself so you can figure out where your weaknesses attack you.

Then strike back.

Your fear fears your Will.

Where there is Will, fear is impotent.

Become singular.

Be one.