The too big piece of chocolate cake, the crispy, salty potato chip, the warm sourdough roll slathered in butter invite us past the ragged edge of telling ourselves that TODAY is when I’ll shed those excess pounds.
“I have no Willpower,” we groan.
It’s time to meet our behavior friend forcing function, a concept borrowed from mathematics.
Wikipedia defines a forcing function as any task, activity or event that forces us to take action and produce a result1
With the forcing function we overcome wishful thinking about health and fitness choices and structure our environment so we minimize options to stray. We remove Willpower as the determining success factor when facing temptation.
We set up the forcing function BEFORE beginning our self-improvement journey.
According to Benjamin Hardy, author of Willpower Doesn’t Work: Discover the Hidden Keys to Success – here are some effective forcing functions:
- High Investment – “Wow! I’m buying really expensive running/walking shoes! AND… I’m paying my trainer $480 for only ten half hour fitness sessions!“
- Social pressure – “I told all my friends I was going to start exercising three days a week no matter what.“
- High Consequences for Poor Performance – “No vacation if I don’t do what I said.“
- High difficulty – “Glad I have to walk to the store if I really want to buy and eat those same chips I threw out.“
- Novelty – “I like new and exciting. Are there any other exotic-name tasty veggies recipes I can try?“
There is a favorite forcing function for each of us. We can Find it.
Email me at wildfire1@truetomybody.com if you would like phone-based counseling.
I’ll make it a high enough investment that you absolutely will do what you tell yourself is best for you. WF!
