A bit more abstract than usual, but see what you think. I won't be offended if I'm ignored!
One way of looking at willpower
Sometimes we think we need "willpower" to make things happen, achieve our goals, succeed, get things sorted. A sort of positive force we need to find somewhere inside ourselves. So when we don't achieve (that target bg level, living without certain foods and treats etc), we give ourselves a hard time as though there is something wrong with us. "I've got no willpower, I'm a failure."
A second way of looking at willpower
But there is another view on this. The person who says they “need willpower” is really saying: “I consciously want this, but I will have to fight the part of me that doesn’t in order to succeed.” This means there is still some part of them that is conflicted about the issue. So instead of flagellating ourselves about having no willpower, it makes more sense to work out what we still haven't come to terms with (or which bit we haven't come to terms with) and zap that thing. Someone with no internal conflict or objections to carrying out an action doesn't need willpower – they simply do it!
So – my own take on it is the second version. If you need to exert willpower to achieve your goal then this is evidence of an outstanding problem. No need for guilt or self-criticism about being weak-willed – just locate the bother and sort it out.
Does this make sense? I guess it's difficult in one sense, as we didn't "choose" the goal of surviving with diabetes. But given we mostly want to survive above all else, then it's still about having chosen to deal with it, I think.
OK, I'll go get my coat...
DG
One way of looking at willpower
Sometimes we think we need "willpower" to make things happen, achieve our goals, succeed, get things sorted. A sort of positive force we need to find somewhere inside ourselves. So when we don't achieve (that target bg level, living without certain foods and treats etc), we give ourselves a hard time as though there is something wrong with us. "I've got no willpower, I'm a failure."
A second way of looking at willpower
But there is another view on this. The person who says they “need willpower” is really saying: “I consciously want this, but I will have to fight the part of me that doesn’t in order to succeed.” This means there is still some part of them that is conflicted about the issue. So instead of flagellating ourselves about having no willpower, it makes more sense to work out what we still haven't come to terms with (or which bit we haven't come to terms with) and zap that thing. Someone with no internal conflict or objections to carrying out an action doesn't need willpower – they simply do it!
So – my own take on it is the second version. If you need to exert willpower to achieve your goal then this is evidence of an outstanding problem. No need for guilt or self-criticism about being weak-willed – just locate the bother and sort it out.
Does this make sense? I guess it's difficult in one sense, as we didn't "choose" the goal of surviving with diabetes. But given we mostly want to survive above all else, then it's still about having chosen to deal with it, I think.
OK, I'll go get my coat...
DG
