Strength of will. Strengthening technique.

Willpower is a tool for self-organization. If we had an iron will, then how much we could do! .. But why “if”? Willpower lends itself to training. This is our conversation.

WILLPOWER REQUIRES ENERGY

Before talking about the development methodology, it is important to understand what to develop. What is "will"?

“Will is our ability to overcome ourselves,” someone will say. Partly true. For example, if you really want to check your messages on social networks, but understand that this is the result of your Internet addiction , which is time to get rid of, then you will need a strong-willed effort to overcome this desire.

What should you do for this? That's right, turn your attention to your goal - to become smarter, stronger and cleaner. In essence, an act of will is a choice between two "want": "I want a cookie" and "I want to be strong." To make this choice, you need to switch your attention from one “want” to “another”. This switch costs your energy, so the act of will is energy-intensive.

Desire is a current of nervous energy. It can be compared to a train: it travels on rails, but there is a vigilant "switchman" at the fork, who can direct the train in an alternative direction. This "switchman" is your center of will.

WILLPOWER IS MATERIAL

The will center, that is, the source of will, is concentrated in the prefrontal cortex of the frontal lobes. It is with its help that we generate voluntary attention, that is, attention emanating from our will, from ourselves. For there is also involuntary attention - attention controlled by the unconscious.

When you are distracted from an important activity, this is an example of involuntary attention at work (the unconscious thinks that a pretty lady outside the window is much more interesting than writing a boring report). When you can concentrate on a boring report, this is an example of voluntary attention at work, that is, attention controlled by your volitional center.

But the volitional center is neurons. They can be born and die, strengthen ties with each other, increasing their influence. This is akin to a muscle: if we train, we develop.

STRENGTHENING WILLPOWER

We can talk about the development of willpower, or we can talk about optimizing what is. The second is somewhat simpler.

Your volitional center can only work at full capacity if it has enough fuel. Fuel is glucose and oxygen. But the trouble is, there are more "hungry" and more "greedy" parts of the brain that your volitional center can leave with nothing.

The brain consumes an enormous amount of energy. If your body has a deficit of this energy, then the brain begins to "dull". As a result, you cannot concentrate, it is difficult for you to restrain your irritability, you involuntarily reach for the "cookie" ...

Therefore, if you want to fully reveal your volitional potential, form a healthy lifestyle that eliminates the energy deficit. The first step of the "Hunter" method - "Shark Effect" is devoted to solving this problem.

As part of the "Shark Effect" program, I propose to tune the four main sources of energy: sleep, nutrition , movement and creativity . Their combined influence brings a person to the peak of his psycho-physical form.

DEVELOPING WILLPOWER

However, the matter is not limited to strengthening what is. Willpower can be developed, because neural networks can grow, as we have already found out. And those parts of the brain that are responsible for the production of will can increase in volume.

In order for a muscle to grow, it must be used. In order for a part of the brain to grow, it needs to be updated. There are many techniques for this. As part of the "Hunter" method, I offer several such techniques.

First, the practice of goal setting . Yes, there are many exercises that train the ability to set goals. And a person sets goals with the help of the same volitional center. We regularly practice goal-setting exercises - and now we have already learned to “awaken” the volitional center.

Secondly, these are the practices of psycho-regulation. That is, techniques for controlling your psyche. All of them are based on the exploitation of voluntary attention. For voluntary attention, as we have already found out, the volitional center is responsible. When we generate voluntary attention, the volitional center is tensed like a contracting muscle. So, he trains.

As an effective tool for psycho-regulation that contributes to the development of willpower, I offer two main tools: auto-training and muscle psycho-regulation. There are many decent materials on auto-training on the Internet, and in the near future I will prepare an online program on muscle psycho-regulation, built into the general course on the "Hunter" method.

In general, any meditative practice is suitable for the development of willpower, if they are performed competently on a regular basis.