A person with great intelligence and weak willpower will have a hard time achieving their life goals
TERUEL, SPAIN: The two main pillars of human personality are intelligence and affection. The first aspect is more predominant in some men, making them fundamentally rational. Others, on the contrary, are more affective and sentimental. Other than these two aspects, there are many intermediate types that characterology has defined along with different psychological elements.
In addition to the two basic pillars of reason and love, free will is the bridge between them, which strengthens them throughout their development. A person with great intelligence and weak willpower will have a hard time reaching the life objectives that they have established for themselves by living an irregular life with ups and downs and without security. On the contrary, someone with an average intellect but with a strong willpower will have a constant and organised life, personal discipline and self-exigency.
In the research study entitled “The influence of study habits in academic achievement”, which deals with the influence that intelligence and motivation (ie the strength of one’s willpower) have in school report cards, it is concluded that motivation has more statistical weight than intelligence. Another conclusion is that inner motivation (ie studying because one wants to) is more important than external ones (ie studying because one is forced to). Out of all educators, it is known that the family is the decisive environmental factor that directly influences a child’s education and academic performance. Parents within their role of educators use the reward and punishment system. Behavioural psychologist Skinner would affirm that the good management of the reward and punishment duo depended on whether children had a good or bad education. Parents rely on the authority and affection in their role as educators; an authority that is both demanding and stimulating, and at the same time creator of a joyous and friendly environment.
In order to strengthen willpower it is convenient to follow a strategy of small conquests: comply with obligations even if one does not want to; comply with daily duties even if one does not feel like it; deny to one’s own self small caprices in order to have self-control, etc. It is necessary to acquire a series of habits such as respecting schedules, having everything on tables and closets organised, planning tasks that must be done as well as making the effort to fulfil them all, accepting setbacks and having tolerance in facing frustrations.
These types of habits strengthen one’s willpower and help make humans stronger, more secure and stable, and the master of one’s own self. A fortressed wall is built against the temptations of today such as drugs, alcohol, and infidelity, and at the same time it becomes easier to reach the goals that one establishes for him or herself.
Arturo Ramo
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2018.
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