Willpower / Wilskrag



“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
Mahatma Gandhi

When we make resolutions, they usually take a lot of willpower to stick to them. Willpower may be a tricky little bugger at times. You have to call in the willpower troops when you are tempted to reach out for that second slice of cake; you have to practice willpower not to start smoking or swearing or gossiping or drinking again.

As Mohith Agadi says, it is only our willpower that can fight the bad influences around us. Our willpower is something you may not even think of very often, but let me tell you, in philosophy, it is seen as one of three distinct parts of the mind, the other two being reason and understanding. We must remember that the will is that part of the mind that selects the strongest desire present when it comes to matters of decision making. This is an important aspect to keep in mind because when it comes to ethical decision making, it enables one to act deliberately.

I want you to pay close attention to the following. According to Aristotle, it is up to us to embrace virtue and/or vice. This implies that even though we are not willingly unhappy, vice always involves actions which were decided upon willingly. Vice comes from bad habits, from aiming at the wrong things; the vices then, are voluntary just as the virtues are. This is why it is important to keep the troops of one’s willpower armed and ready to fight when push comes to shove. I hope your troops are always ready for the battle!


I will end with the following. According to RTC Leadership & Coaching, there are 6 steps to willpower success.

Understand willpower
We are in constant conflict with two parts of our brains: our higher brain, the prefrontal cortex, which makes rational decisions about what’s best for us and the lower brain with its pleasure principle of ‘I want it now’.
So next time you reach for that biscuit as if controlled by an automatic alien force, stop, breathe and remember what is happening.

Visualize success
Visualize not only reaching your goal but also the steps to that goal along the way.

Remember to relax
The more relaxed we are, the more we will achieve our willpower goals. So get relaxing!

Make willpower a habit
Willpower can be considered to be a mindset, which can be improved with practice, and is limitless as to what can be achieved.

Streamline your life
If you want to achieve a willpower challenge, depending on how big it is, you may have to streamline other bits of your life so that you can focus.

Believe in your willpower
Research discovered that the major differentiator was the belief in your own willpower. 

I hope that these guidelines will give you new insights with regards to your willpower.

I have the willpower,
Every second and every hour…
Don’t be weak-willed, please?
So have that same power in your arms and knees.
b * a

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“Jou krag spruit nie voort vanuit jou fisiese kapasiteit nie. Jou krag spruit voort vanuit ‘n onbedwingbare wil.”
Mahatma Gandhi

Wanneer ons resolusies maak, vat dit gewoonlik ‘n klomp wilskrag om te hou by daardie resolusies. Wilskrag kan met tye ‘n bedrieglike klein wetter wees. Soms moet jy die troepe van wilskrag inroep wanneer jy in die versoeking kom om jou hand uit te steek na daardie tweede sny koek… Dit vat die hele wilskrag troepemag om nie weer te begin rook nie, om op te hou vloek of te skinder of weer na die bottle te gryp. Net om nie aan daardie vingernael te sit en kou nie, neem ‘n klompie wilskrag!

Mohith Agadi sê dat dit alleenlik wilskrag is wat ons in staat kan stel om die slegte invloede rondom ons te beveg. Slegte invloede en slegte gewoontes, sê ek! Tog is ‘n bespreking van ons wilskrag nie iets waaraan mense gewoonlik veel aandag gee nie. Dit is egter nie die geval as dit by filosofie kom nie, want in filosofie word wilskrag gesien as een van die drie onmiskenbare dele van die verstand, die ander twee is rede en begrip. Ons moet onthou dat, wanneer dit by besluitneming kom, die wil daardie deel van die verstand is wat die sterkste teenwoordige begeerte sal uitkies. Hierdie is ‘n belangrike aspek om in gedagte te hou wanneer dit kom by etiese besluitneming, want dit stel jou in staat om met doelbewustheid op te tree.

Ek wil hê dat jy asseblief mooi na die volgende moet kyk. Volgens Aristotle kom dit neer op ons om ons deugde en ondeugde ons eie te maak. Dit impliseer dat selfs al is ons nie gewilliglik ongelukkig nie, ons ondeugde altyd ‘n optrede behels wat ons gewilliglik geneem het. Ondeugde spruit voort uit slegte gewoontes, dit spruit voort uit mik na die verkeerde dinge in die lewe. Ons ondeugde word dus net so vrywilliglik gemaak as wat ons deugde gemaak word. Dit is waarom dit so belangrik is om die troepe van jou wilskrag altyd op gereedheidsgrondslag te hê wanneer die behoefte homself voordoen. Ek hoop jou troepe staan altyd slaggereed!


Ek sal afsluit met die volgende. Volgens RTC Leadership & Coaching, is daar 6 stappe wat geneem kan word om suksesvol te wees as dit kom by wilskrag.

Verstaan wilskrag
Ons is in konstante konflik met twee dele van die brein: ons opper brein (die prefrontale korteks) wat verantwoordelik is vir die maak van rasionele besluite aangaande wat die beste vir ons is, en dan ons laer brein wat die setel van plesier is, van dit wat “ek nou wil hê”.
Wanneer jy dus volgende keer na daardie stuk koek uitreik asof jy deur ‘n outomatiese buiteruimtelike krag beheer word, stop en haal asem en herinner jou aan wat besig is om te gebeur.

Visualiseer sukses
Visualiseer nie net die bereiking van jou doelwit nie, maar ook die tree wat jy gaan neem om daar te kom.

Onthou om te ontspan
Hoe meer ontspanne ons is, hoe beter sal ons daardie wilskrag doelwitte kan bereik.

Maak wilskrag ‘n gewoonte
Wilskrag kan gesien word as ‘n ingesteldheid wat deur middel van beoefening verbeter kan word.

Vereenvoudig jou lewe
Indien jy ‘n wilskrag uitdaging die hoof wil bied, vereenvoudig eers jou lewe sodat jy genoegsaam op daardie wilskrag doelwit kan fokus.

Glo in jou wilskrag
Navorsing het bevind dat die grootste verskil maker by die volhou van jou wilskrag, neerkom op die geloof wat jy in jou eie wilskrag het.

Ek hoop en vertrou dat hierdie riglyne jou nuwe insig sal gee wat betref jou wilskrag.

Ek strewe na genoegsame wilskrag,
Elke uur van elke dag…
Soms is dit moeilik, dit moet ek erken,
Ons moet net daardie troepe voed, dan sal wilskrag ons laat wen.
b * a

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