“Your will, in other words, is not a manifestation of your character that you can deploy without limit; it’s instead like a muscle that tires.”
By Cal Newport in his book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Our willpower isn't this endless superpower we can tap into whenever we want.
Instead, it's more like a muscle—it gets worn out if we use it too much.
So, imagine you're trying to focus on something important, like a project or studying.
At first, it's easy to resist distractions and stay on track. But the more you push yourself without a break, the harder it gets to stay focused.
Your willpower starts to tire out, just like that tired muscle.
So the idea is that we need to treat our willpower with care.
Instead of burning it out, we should find ways to give it a break and recharge.
That means creating a work environment that helps us stay focused and cutting out unnecessary distractions.
Understanding this can help us work smarter, not harder.
It's about finding that balance between pushing ourselves and giving ourselves the rest we need to keep going strong.