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Attention: Here’s the Lazy Guide to Improving Your Willpower

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willpower

Ever felt helpless before? When you know you’re doing the wrong thing but you can`t keep off it. Alcohol, drugs, food, laziness and tens of hours wasted on meaningless things. You know you should stop, but you can`t.

Broken promises, missed opportunities, and low self esteem all are by products of low self control. But, what if you could flip this indecisiveness and helplessness upside down and double your willpower with simple, applicable steps?

Well, it is possible. All you need is a strategy to multiply your willpower even by 10% and every impossible will become possible. How?

Use the following 7 tested, super-helpful tips:

1. Get a rule book

A rule book is notebook or a Word file where you collect the advice you want to follow. The notes you take about life and the quotes you wish to live by. Leonardo Da Vinci used this technique to boost both his creativity and self discipline leaving more than 7,000 pages full of quotes, affirmations and analysis of mistakes he made and wanted to fix.

To boost willpower spend ten minutes each morning revising and memorizing the rules you`ve freely chosen to live by and collected in your book. Soon you’ll start altering your behaviors to better ones without relying much on willpower

2. Focus on one thing

Narrow your focus as much as possible and work on only one big goal at a time, Bruce Lee was correct when he said, “the successful warrior is just an average man with a laser-like focus.”

In one study, researchers found that college students who tried to chase new goals, quit bad habits or learn new skills during the exam period, not just failed at their quest, but also did badly academically. When they were supposed to study hard they highlighted a notable drop in willpower and a strong desire to waste time, eat, and drink more.  Worse, they almost lost the desire to study.

The takeaway? Focus on one big goal and dedicate all your resources towards achieving it (including your dreams and money). By doing this you’ll harness all your powers in one place and it will be much easier for you to stay persistent at difficult times rather instead of spreading yourself too thin.

“The successful warrior is just an average man with a laser-like focus.” – Bruce Lee

3. Gradually toughen up

Even the smallest act of persistence done consistently will affect your willpower in the long run. In one study, two weeks of working on their posture increased the willpower of a group of participants who saw themselves become more punctual all from a simple act of self-discipline repeated frequently.

So what to do? Find something that will slightly test your willpower, and make a habit out of it. Spend 10 seconds under cold water whenever you finish a hot bath, ditch the elevator when going to work, wait half a minute before eating delicious meals, or do 10-20 pushups every morning. Small, yet consistent, habits like these will help make you tougher on the long term.

4. Eat and sleep for a stronger mind

Don’t neglect the effect of bad sleeping and eating habits on your willpower. In one study, researchers found that the decisions made by judges in parole courts were significantly influenced by how hungry/filled a judge is. Judges were 65% more likely to release a criminal on parole either early in the morning after breakfast or later after lunch breaks.

Neuroscientists also found that adults with inconsistent bedtimes lack proper persistence, lose focus frequently, make sloppy decisions and react emotionally to stressful situations. The takeaway? Eat enough calories, don’t make critical decisions on an empty stomach, and sleep between 7-9 hours at night to avoid wrecking your willpower.

5. Get reckless

When a ceramic professor chose to play the quality-VS-quantity game with his students, he found that those who were asked to deliver X pounds of pots by the end of the semester not only met their target, but their pots looked much better than those of their peers who were asked to deliver just one perfectly looking piece to get an A.

What does this mean? The first step to learn any skill is focusing on how often, rather than how well, you practice this skill.  Rather than seeing yourself as a loser who can’t learn anything (which kills self-esteem), aim to practice for X minutes/hours each day for several weeks before judging yourself. You will do well, and the little perfectionist inside you will no longer harm you.

“I’ve never been reckless – it’s always calculated. I’m mischievous, but I’m calculated.” – Drake

6. Be productive for short periods

All frustrations come when it has been 4 or 5 hours since you woke up and you realize you’ve done nothing important.

If you chronically procrastinate and need a smooth slide into productivity then keep every ounce of focus you have on maintaining two hours of focused work every work day. No matter how “weak” you think you are, you still can work 1 or 2 hours straight without distractions or checking your phone.

Get a calendar and mark each day you stick to this habit. Within 3-4 weeks your productivity will pop up, guaranteed.

7. Distract and schedule

There are two great techniques for tricking your mind to persist when needed. The first one is to use distractions to keep your mind off temptations and short-lived gratifications. In the famous marshmallow experiment done by Stanford, the kids scoring high on willpower used napping and toys to stay candy-free until the end of the experiment.

The second one is to schedule what can’t be done right away. If you can’t do something right now, schedule it and don`t think about until its time comes. Develop this skill and you will exceptionally limit that inner voice urging you to procrastinate.

Are these tips helpful in improving your willpower? Please leave your thoughts below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com.

Marwan Jamal is a fitness and health blogger at healthline.com. He’s a great fan of the gym and a healthy diet. He follows the trends in fitness, gym, and healthy life and loves to share his knowledge through useful and informative articles.

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Success Advice

15 Essential Habits to a Stronger, Healthier, and Happier You

The journey towards transformation is not about perfection but about progress

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building positive habits

What habits can truly transform your life? That’s what you’re here to uncover. In our no-nonsense guide, we’ll introduce you to 15 habits to change your life, each with the power to improve your day-to-day existence.  (more…)

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19 Common Characteristics All Visionary Leaders Have

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When you look at business leaders like Bill Gates, Sam Walton, Sir Richard Branson, and philosophers like Bertrand Russell, Martin Heidegger, Ludwig Wittgenstein, David Bohm,  C. S. Peirce and inventors like Nikola Tesla, Paolo Soleri, Harvey W. Bailey, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and Wright brothers and political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Aung San Suu Kyi, it becomes very clear that they are all connected through one leadership—visionary leadership. (more…)

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Wealth Lessons Everyone Should Hear for Every Stage of Your Life

Do you have the courage to rewrite your story?

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what i would tell my younger self

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How to Choose the Best Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers

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how to choose the best affiliate programs for your blog

Picking the right affiliate programs for your blog is really important. It can make a big difference in how much money you can make and how much your readers get out of your blog. With so many choices out there, deciding which ones to go with can be tricky. 

This guide is here to make it easier for you. It will give you clear steps and helpful tips to choose affiliate programs that fit well with what your blog is about, what your readers like, and what you stand for. 

For more articles on this theme, please head over to this blog https://blog.partners1xbet.com/.

Understanding Affiliate Marketing

Before you start picking affiliate programs, it’s important to really understand what affiliate marketing is and how it works. 

Basically, affiliate marketing is when you promote a product or service on your blog, and then you get paid a little bit every time someone buys something or does something because you recommended it. 

It’s great for both the person selling the product and the blogger, because the seller gets more sales with low risk, and the blogger can make money from their blog.

How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

1. Assess Your Niche and Audience

The key to doing well in affiliate marketing starts with really knowing what your blog is about and who reads it. Consider the following:

  • Your blog’s content: What topics do you cover? Ensure the products or services you promote are relevant.
  • Your audience’s interests and needs: What solutions are they seeking? Choose affiliate programs that offer products or services that solve their problems or enhance their lives.

2. Research Potential Affiliate Programs

Once you know what your blog is about and what your readers want, start looking for affiliate programs. Choose ones that are well-known for good products, great customer service, and helpful support for affiliates. Resources to find these programs include:

  • Affiliate networks like ShareASale, Commission Junction, and ClickBank.
  • Direct searches for “[Your Niche] affiliate programs” in search engines.
  • Recommendations from other bloggers in your niche.

3. Evaluate the Commission Structure

The commission structure is a critical factor to consider. Look for programs that offer competitive rates that make your efforts worthwhile. Consider:

  • The percentage of commission per sale.
  • Whether the program offers a flat rate per action (e.g., per sign-up).
  • The cookie duration, which affects how long after a click you can earn commissions on sales.

4. Consider the Program’s Reputation and Sureness

Join affiliate programs with a solid reputation for quality and sureness. This not only ensures that you’re promoting good products but also that you’ll be paid on time. You can:

  • Read reviews from other affiliates.
  • Check the program’s history and background.
  • Look for any complaints or issues reported online.

5. Analyze the Support and Resources Offered

A good affiliate program gives you things like ads to use, training on their products, and helpful managers. Having access to these resources can really help you do a better job at promoting their products.

6. Understand the Terms and Conditions

Before signing up, thoroughly review the program’s terms and conditions. Pay close attention to:

  • Payment thresholds and methods.
  • Any restrictions on how you can promote their products.
  • The program’s policy on affiliate marketing on social media platforms.

7. Test the Product or Service

If possible, test the product or service before promoting it. This firsthand experience allows you to offer genuine charge and build trust with your audience.

8. Look for Recurring Commission Opportunities

Some affiliate programs pay you again and again for subscriptions or services that charge fees regularly. These can provide a more stable income compared to one-time sales commissions.

Implementing Your Choice

After choosing the best affiliate programs, the next step is to smoothly include your affiliate marketing in your content plan. This includes:

  • Creating valuable content that naturally incorporates affiliate links.
  • Disclosing your affiliate affairs transparently to maintain trust with your audience.
  • Tracking your results to understand what works best for your audience and adjusting your strategy accordingly.

Picking the best affiliate programs for your blog involves careful planning, research, and making sure they match what your audience likes and needs. 

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers. 

The real key to doing well with affiliate marketing isn’t just about the products you talk about, but also how much your audience trusts and values your advice. 

With enough time, patience, and hard work, your blog can grow into a successful space that earns a good amount of affiliate money and helps your readers choose the right products.

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