Brainstorm and write down your personal weaknesses. Do you tend to procrastinate, get derailed, or second-guess yourself under pressure from others? Acknowledging your tendencies gives you awareness and power. Keep an ongoing log of the behaviors that work against you at work, at home, and in social settings.
Identify and write down the external forces that challenge your willpower. There may be certain people, habits, substances, or circumstances that act as your willpower’s adversaries. Keep a record of how you interact with these adversaries, and rank them in order of importance, with the factors that affect your life and work most significantly at the top.
Make a conscious choice to work toward change. Set achievable, incremental goals to turn your weaknesses into strengths. Reward yourself for small victories and revel in each achievement. A series of small changes can lead to transformation.
Keep a journal of your progress, setbacks, and challenges, and your feelings about them. Eventually, you will be able to review and analyze your “data” for patterns—moments of trial, successes, and missteps—and identify ways to flex your willpower and manage situations to your benefit. Transparency, hard work, and consistent self-evaluation are your most valuable tools for progression.
Find allies who have experienced and overcome the struggles you are facing. Support groups, mentors, or professional coaches can offer a valuable perspective and give good, proven advice.
Not every day will deliver the results you seek, but practice, progression, and patience will work together to strengthen your self-control, create positive change, and move you towards success.
Exercising patience through your process is very similar to exercising willpower: it takes practice. Don’t allow minor setbacks to discourage you into giving up or giving in.