What's Up Docs? Daily Dose: Willpower
Jan 14, 2026
Kimberley Wilson, a chartered psychologist renowned for her insights on mental health and host of the podcast Complex, delves into the complexity of willpower. She reveals that willpower is not just a trait—it's a combination of planning, motivation, and resources. Kimberley emphasizes the importance of preparing for low-energy moments and introduces the concept of distress tolerance, explaining how it can be learned through therapeutic exercises. She shares valuable insights on building confidence and the benefits of training in other challenging areas.
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Willpower Is A Misleading Label
- What we call 'willpower' often masks gaps in motivation, planning, resources and reasoning.
- Kimberley Wilson argues that willpower is a bundled label for other failures, not a helpful construct.
Plan For Your Worst Self
- Plan for your 'worst self' by imagining low-energy or stressful scenarios when making goals.
- Prepare concrete strategies for those moments so you don't simply rely on willpower.
Distress Tolerance Explains Effort
- Distress tolerance is the capacity to bear the discomfort that comes with effort and change.
- Kimberley Wilson explains that feeling effort means change is happening and you must be prepared to tolerate it.