Will Power…Do You Have It or Do You Need It?

Week 1 of 2016 has come and gone, and I hope your new year has gotten off to a great start! Did you set New Year’s resolutions for 2016? Or maybe you don’t believe in resolutions and you set goals for 2016. Have you made commitments for the new year? Maybe you haven’t done any of these but you’re just trying to do better.

To give you a little perspective, StatisticsBrain.com reports that 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, yet only 8% achieve success! They also gave the top 10 resolutions of 2015, and the number one New Year’s resolution last year was “lose weight”, number four was “live life to the fullest”, and number five was “staying fit and healthy”. Interestingly, three of the top five have to do with our health, and yes, I include living life to the fullest in the health category because that effects the health of our souls, which we so often neglect.

Don’t let that statistic discourage you. I know its hard and you may be thinking to yourself right now, “I want to do it, I believe I can do it, but I just don’t have the will power to keep going.” Well let me share with you a little conversation I had a while back with a patient about willpower. Here it is: 

Patient: Do you think me being overweight and malnourished* would contribute to me getting pleurisy? This is the third time I’ve had this mess, and it is very painful. 

*The patient knew they were malnourished because they heard me speak at a meeting where I stated that a lot of overweight people are malnourished because most of the foods they eat are void of nutrients.

Dr. Phil: Yes, absolutely, the stress that excess weight puts on your body and the lack of proper nutrition has a direct effect on your immune system thereby weakening its ability to fight off infection.

Patient: Yes, I know Phil, I’m telling you that is the most difficult thing I have had to deal with is weight control…it’s horrible, I have no will-power.

Dr. Phil: No, I think you do have the will power. You don’t have the WILL. You are not willing to discipline the flesh. Will-power is the motivation to exercise WILL, and WILL is the faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action.

Patient: Wow, you said it. That is a sermon in itself!! Seriously I will be the first to say that is me… I’m so ashamed at how I have let my body go. I need motivation…then the people I hang around with want to go and eat!!!!

Dr. Phil: Okay, if the fact that you have had pleurisy three times is not enough motivation, think about the people you know our age and younger who maybe in the past year or two who have had a stroke, heart attack, or been diagnosed with diabetes or cancer. If that is still not enough motivation go visit the nursing homes and see some of the 40 and 50 year olds that are there because they had no WILL.

Patient: I know Phil, you are right. I’m drinking ice water right now because you are burning my tail up! Thank you for the fire, I really need it. 

Dr. Phil: Drinking water is a great start! Keep it up!

You may have the will power (the motivation) but have you made the decision to take action (will). Now ask yourself “do you have the will to do what you want to do?” One of my favorite authors, Andy Andrews, ask, “Are you willing to do something you really don’t want to do for a short period of time to get the results that you really want?”

What do you really want? What pain are you willing to endure to get what you want? That’s the question I want you to ask yourself. I believe you can keep your resolutions. I believe you can reach your goals. You can get what you want, but sometimes we need a little help. Sometimes having encouragement along the way and others to hold you accountable to the resolutions and goals you’ve made can make or break your commitment. That’s one of the reasons why I provide personal health coaching and why I created the Fine in 49 course. A course that, I believe, can help strengthen your will, your desire, and your determination to achieve what you really want for your health and for your life. I cover the seven essentials for living a more balanced, healthy, and vibrant life in this course, the same principles that I’ve been teaching to people for years as a pharmacist. These seven essentials have changed my life and I’ve seen them change the life of many others over the years. I invite you today to join me on this seven week journey that we call Fine in 49! Click here to find out more! 

I pray that 2016 is the year that you exercise your will and make it powerful! Let’s make 2016 our best year ever!

Healthy blessings, 

Dr. Phil