Willpower = P (Priorities) + E (Extreme Self Care)

In spite of your best intentions your hand reaches out to the potato chips, or chocolate, a trashy novel or the remote control. Nothing can stop it, but...willpower. Vital to healthy living, willpower is the psycho/social/emotional equivalent of the immune system. Without willpower we'd be overwhelmed. The formula, W= P+E, explains how to use willpower more effectively.

Begin by realizing that willpower, using the conscious mind to control the urges of the subconscious mind, is a very limited resource, like short-term memory. In fact, recent research has shown that willpower's life span is so brief that, depending on the urges you try to control with it, it might not work at all.

Like first aid or a fire extinguisher, willpower is meant to function only as a quick response to a challenge that is just beginning. Once the challenge is off and rolling, and grown serious, forget about it. In fact, if used routinely to cope with a recurring challenge, the willpower mechanism itself becomes weakened and grows less and less effective.

The idea is to not put yourself in a position where you need willpower. Here's how the W= P+E formula works to help you do that.

First, take care of the P - the Priorities. That means knowing who you are and what your life is about, being clear, focused, and actualizing your most significant values everyday. Next the E for Extreme Self Care. You take good care of yourself, have lot's of fun and don't get too much stress, too often. You set aside time to just be still and time to make your fondest dreams come true. So with, P + E in place, willpower will not be needed much.

Think about it. With priorities set and being worked on, and a habit of extreme self care in place, heavy duty challenges will be fewer. And, when the inevitable challenges do occur, you'll be clear about them right away, and will be able to use your willpower appropriately. W=P+E. Let it work for you.

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Dr. Steve Liebowitz is a Business and Life Coach with nearly forty years of training, team building and coaching experience. His clients have included lawyers, entrepreneurs, musicians, business owners, photographers, stock brokers as well as Burger King and the AAA. He has earned two Masters degrees and a doctorate. You may reach him at: drSteve@WisdomAtWorkUSA.com Check out his website: [http://www.WisdomAtWorkUSA.com]