SELF REGULATION / 001 [IS WILLPOWER OVERRATED?]

Question
Do you need more willpower to stay disciplined?

Study
Researchers compared the main theories about self regulation from social psychology, personality psychology and brain science. This is a review of existing research, not a new experiment.

Findings
Self regulation means steering your behaviour toward your goals. Self control is a specific part of it: the moments when you have to resist a temptation. The popular idea that willpower runs out like a battery turned out to be very small or absent in large repeat studies. Fatigue and changing motivation explain those moments better. Strategies that change your situation, like avoiding temptation or preparing in advance, are likely more effective than relying on willpower. And goals you choose yourself create less temptation in the first place.

What It Means for Athletes
Disciplined athletes don't necessarily have more willpower. They need it less, because their routines and environment do the work. Keep in mind that few studies have directly compared these strategies, so this is a strong direction rather than a final answer.

Try this: tonight, prepare tomorrow's training. Bag packed, clothes ready, bottle filled, phone in another room when you go to sleep. Every decision you remove is willpower you don't need.

Source
Inzlicht, M., Werner, K. M., Briskin, J. L., & Roberts, B. W. (2021). Integrating models of self-regulation. Annual Review of Psychology, 72, pp. 319 to 345.

BEHIND THE SCIENCE
Translating sports science into information athletes can actually use.