Is there a difference between willpower and self-control?

Anna — Thu, 24 May 2007 10:00:00 GMT

Every once in a while we all need a bit of a self-evaluation - even good ol' Anna!

As soon as summer hits I make it a point to get outside more, eat more fresh produce and clean up any sluggish winter habits. Over the weekend a friend and I had a discussion about my so-called willpower - to workout regularly and stick by a fairly clean diet. Then this morning I uncovered a study by the Mayo Clinic in my latest edition of Oxygen magazine. According to Mayo researchers self-control is much more effective and different than willpower...who woulda known?

The folks at the Mayo Clinic lay it out like this:

Willpower is this: "I am going to a friend's BBQ this weekend and I'm making brownies for everyone else, but I'm just going to eat salad."

Self-control is this: "I am not going to make brownies because I will be too tempted by them. Instead I'll bring a fresh fruit tray and a healthy salad so I know there will be something that I can eat at the BBQ."

So I believe what they are saying is that willpower is stating you'll make a change, but not removing the temptations in your life; whereas self-control is making a change and taking action to make it happen (no brownies for fear of temptation). I think I'm going to take action and start focusing on self-control a little more so than just old fashioned willpower. You know, pre-making healthy meals so that I'm not stuck stopping at a convenience store, etc.

After all - I'm only human :p

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Is there a difference between willpower and self-control?