Willpower vs. Passion: How to Harness Your Willpower When You Need it Most
In his book, Insane Productivity for Lazy People, Andrii Sedinev explains how Willpower is a limited or finite resource. This means that when you use willpower to complete a task, you deplete your willpower “tank,” “muscle,” or “battery,” and it can take a long time to recharge. Eventually, your willpower reserve can even become completely depleted. This is often referred to as “burnout,” and it can be debilitating to your productivity.
In American society, we are often taught to rely on willpower to get things done, and we push ourselves to the point of burnout. A much more sustainable source of energy/drive is Passion. Many entrepreneurs and successful people claim that passion is an unlimited or infinite source of energy. These are the same people that make claims like “If you do something you love it will never feel like work.”
To some extent, these claims about passion are true. But realistically, a lot of people struggle to figure out what their passion is, and even more, people struggle to turn that into a full-time career. I think it is unrealistic to encourage any of you to only focus on your passion. At the end of the day bills must be paid, adulting must be done.
However, I would encourage you to think about new ways to integrate your responsibilities and passion together and to create a more balanced life. Use your passion to find joy and to engage in principles of self-care. Use your passion to allow your willpower muscle a much-needed rest.
In school, I set up each semester to only have one class that I truly disliked, struggled with, or hated. I also made sure to have one class I loved, and hopefully, if everything worked out, I would somewhat like the other classes. I often start my homework with the hardest class or the hardest assignment, and when I need a break, I switch to the one I most enjoy. In other words, I shift to my passion when my willpower is running low.
Alternatively, maybe my willpower for all homework or schoolwork is low. I might start my day by working on a blog post since this blog is one of my passions. Then once I’ve regained some of my willpower energy, I will come back and do what needs to get done.
Anyway, I thought all of this was very interesting, albeit maybe not 100% scientific. I hope you guys enjoyed learning about the difference between willpower vs. passion, and some practical ideas for balancing the two.
