The Willpower Podcast

William Mulvaney
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

The Willpower Podcast is about the science of making discipline easier. Most people think success comes from having more motivation, self-control, or willpower. But the most consistent people often use less willpower because they've built systems, habits, and environments that make the right choices easier. Each week, I'll explore one simple behavior change that can have a disproportionate impact on your health, productivity, focus, relationships, and quality of life. You'll learn the practical psychology behind why it works, then have the chance to add it to your own routine.

  1. 5d ago

    #109 — Frozen in place by your to-do list? Today, do this instead (1 minute willpower unlock)

    You have a day off. You finish your morning routine. And suddenly you go... now what? Then tonight you lie down and your eyes pop open. All the racing thoughts come back. Everything I haven't done yet. I've been caught in this loop more times than I can count. So I found the tiniest action that breaks you out of it. Track your habits with my free app Grooves or my new app Habit Empire. And grab my free 10 day Willpower Walkthrough at https://williamulvaney.com/#willpower Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:29 Does this feel familiar? Wasted days and sleepless nights 01:37 Procrastination is not a personality trait 02:12 What a low stress life actually looks like 02:47 The vicious cycle most people are stuck in 03:43 Why a to do list isn't enough 04:41 This week's habit: one minute writing after brushing teeth 06:19 Why understanding the habit makes you stick with it 07:22 Reason 1: better sleep equals better willpower 07:52 Reason 2: breaking the reactive cycle 08:33 Reason 3: defining your will as the prereq to willpower 10:09 William's personal experience with this 13:06 Commit to the action now 13:37 Monthly habit stack recap 15:21 Rules of the show 16:06 Grooves app and Habit Empire mention 17:56 Free willpower walkthrough at williamulvaney.com/#willpower #willpowerpodcast #procrastination #betterhabits  ----------------------------------- Hey there! I’m William, and this channel is all about self-control, willpower, and making choices today that lead to a better future, all while enjoying life. If you're looking to build stronger habits, stay motivated, and push through challenges, you're in the right place! 📌 Stay Connected: 🌍 My website: https://williammulvaney.com/ 🎙️ Listen to The Willpower Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-Podcasts 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast 👉 Amazon Music Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast-Amazon 📸 Let’s connect on IG: https://instagram.com/willpower_lifestyle If you found this video helpful, hit the like button, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe + tap the 🔔 so you never miss an update!

    18 min

  2. Jul 1

    #108 — “1 gallon/day” is NOT what you need. Make this 1-minute change instead

    What if improving your focus, energy, and self-discipline was as simple as keeping a water bottle within reach? In this solo episode, I share one of the simplest yet most overlooked habits for improving focus, energy, and willpower: keeping water within reach. Most people think hydration requires tracking ounces, setting reminders, or forcing themselves to drink more. But what if the secret is simply making water easier to access? If you're looking to build better habits, improve productivity, increase focus, and strengthen your willpower, this episode is for you. Track your habits with the Grooves App — https://mygrooves.onelink.me/elix  Join the Grooves Community on Skool — https://www.skool.com/grooves/about Chapters: 00:00 Why Hydration Matters 00:27 The Simplest Habit You'll Ever Build 01:02 Leave a Water Bottle in Sight 02:02 Why This Actually Works 03:40 Remove Friction From Healthy Habits 05:31 Hydration and Willpower Connection 07:17 How Water Impacts Focus and Energy 08:17 Personal Experience With Dehydration 11:57 The Habit Design Principle 13:02 Why Easier Choices Build More Discipline 16:02 The Monthly Habit Stack Review 20:04 How to Successfully Add New Habits 23:00 Final Challenge and Takeaways #willpowerpodcast #Hydration #atomichabits  ----------------------------------- Hey there! I’m William, and this channel is all about self-control, willpower, and making choices today that lead to a better future, all while enjoying life. If you're looking to build stronger habits, stay motivated, and push through challenges, you're in the right place! 📌 Stay Connected: 🌍 My website: https://williammulvaney.com/ 🎙️ Listen to The Willpower Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-Podcasts 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast 👉 Amazon Music Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast-Amazon 📸 Let’s connect on IG: https://instagram.com/willpower_lifestyle If you found this video helpful, hit the like button, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe + tap the 🔔 so you never miss an update!

    25 min

  3. Jun 24

    #107 — Why Your Phone Is Destroying Your Focus (And How to Fix It) | Solo Episode

    Phones are causing a lot of harm and most of us aren't taking it seriously enough. In this episode of the Willpower Podcast, William breaks down why something as simple as charging your phone outside your bedroom can change how you interface with your phone, your mornings, and your entire day. This isn't about quitting your phone or promising never to use it again. It's about environmental control, making yourself the agent instead of the phone. William gets into the deeper psychology behind phone addiction, how constant dopamine without effort makes everything else harder, and why checking your phone first thing in the morning can quietly hijack your entire day before you've even had a chance to decide who you want to be. William also shares his own story with phone addiction starting at age 11 with an iPod Touch, through a dopamine detox phase in college, and where he stands with it today. This week's challenge: no phone in the bedroom after a set time. Success means 5 out of 7 days. Stack it with last week's habits, 10 minutes of morning sunlight and no food 3 hours before bed. Track your habits for free with the Grooves app or join the free Skool community to build this alongside others. #PhoneAddiction #DigitalDetox #WillpowerPodcast  Timestamps:  00:00 Intro: phones causing harm 00:48 This week's habit: phone outside the bedroom 01:56 Why this works 03:32 Deeper reason: how phones affect your brain 05:29 Mornings and vulnerability 07:17 Phones and loss of agency 09:01 Cal Newport shoutout 09:52 William's personal story with phone addiction 14:09 How phone checks derail your morning 15:38 Making the bad habit harder 17:32 This week's challenge 19:00 Success means 5 out of 7 days 20:36 Grooves app mention 20:59 Outro ----------------------------------- Hey there! I’m William, and this channel is all about self-control, willpower, and making choices today that lead to a better future, all while enjoying life. If you're looking to build stronger habits, stay motivated, and push through challenges, you're in the right place! 📌 Stay Connected: 🌍 My website: https://williammulvaney.com/ 🎙️ Listen to The Willpower Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-Podcasts 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast 👉 Amazon Music Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast-Amazon 📸 Let’s connect on IG: https://instagram.com/willpower_lifestyle If you found this video helpful, hit the like button, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe + tap the 🔔 so you never miss an update!

    21 min

  4. Jun 17

    #106 — The One Morning Habit That Fixes Your Sleep, Energy and Willpower | Solo Episode

    Track your habits with the Grooves App — https://mygrooves.onelink.me/elix  Join the Grooves Community on Skool — https://www.skool.com/grooves/about Most people spend all their energy trying to fall asleep better. But by the time you're lying awake at night, you're already 20 steps behind. In this episode of the Willpower Podcast, William (me) breaks down why the fix for bad sleep, low energy, and poor willpower actually starts the moment you wake up. The habit this week is simple. 10 minutes outside in natural sunlight within one hour of waking. I covers the science behind your circadian rhythm, why your internal clock drifts without sunlight to reset it, and how one tiny morning habit can create a ripple effect through your entire day including your energy, focus, mood and sleep that night. Plus I shares my own experience from never getting morning sunlight in high school in Minnesota to building this habit into his daily routine now. This is episode 106 and part of a new series on building a high willpower life through easy, stackable actions. Last week was no food 3 hours before bed. This week we add morning sunlight. One brick at a time. Download Grooves free on the App Store to track your habits and join the community at skool.com/grooves #Discipline #BetterEveryDay #HealthyHabits Chapters:  00:00 Intro 00:44 Why mornings matter more than nighttime routines 01:06 This week's habit: 10 min morning sunlight 02:01 Sleep and willpower connection 03:38 The science of circadian rhythm 05:01 How sunlight resets your internal clock 07:23 Why you can't make up for it later in the day 08:51 Cortisol, energy levels and Huberman 11:33 William's personal experience 14:09 Other benefits of getting outside 16:28 Building willpower the easy way 20:30 One brick at a time mindset 21:55 Quick fixes vs long term habits 25:13 This week's challenge 26:43 Success means 5 out of 7 days 28:23 Habit stack recap 30:32 Grooves app mention 31:35 Next week's preview ----------------------------------- Hey there! I’m William, and this channel is all about self-control, willpower, and making choices today that lead to a better future, all while enjoying life. If you're looking to build stronger habits, stay motivated, and push through challenges, you're in the right place! 📌 Stay Connected: 🌍 My website: https://williammulvaney.com/ 🎙️ Listen to The Willpower Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-Podcasts 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast 👉 Amazon Music Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast-Amazon 📸 Let’s connect on IG: https://instagram.com/willpower_lifestyle If you found this video helpful, hit the like button, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe + tap the 🔔 so you never miss an update!

    18 min

  5. Jun 10

    #105 — The Best Way to Increase Your Willpower Naturally (Why "Sleep More" Doesn't Cut It) | Solo Episode

    Track your habits with the Grooves App — https://mygrooves.onelink.me/elix  Join the Grooves Community on Skool — https://www.skool.com/grooves/about What if the single biggest thing holding back your sleep, your energy, and your willpower has nothing to do with your mindset — and everything to do with when you stop eating? In this solo episode of the Willpower Podcast, I break down the very first weekly challenge of the new series — and it's one I picked for a reason. Because it's something I've personally struggled with for years. The challenge is simple. Stop eating 3 hours before bed. That's it. No overhauling your diet. No cutting out carbs. No 5am cold plunges. Just one clear rule that has a way of quietly influencing dozens of other decisions throughout your day. This show is not about motivation. It's not about grit. It's about finding the one concrete action that makes everything else easier — and doing it in a way that actually sticks. This week, we're hitting 5 out of 7 nights. That's the benchmark. That's success. 🔔 Subscribe — every week we add one new habit to the stack. 👍 If this episode landed for you, share it with someone who always eats late. #WillpowerPodcast #LateNightEating #SleepHacks  ----------------------------------- Hey there! I’m William, and this channel is all about self-control, willpower, and making choices today that lead to a better future, all while enjoying life. If you're looking to build stronger habits, stay motivated, and push through challenges, you're in the right place! 📌 Stay Connected: 🌍 My website: https://williammulvaney.com/ 🎙️ Listen to The Willpower Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-Podcasts 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast 👉 Amazon Music Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast-Amazon 📸 Let’s connect on IG: https://instagram.com/willpower_lifestyle If you found this video helpful, hit the like button, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe + tap the 🔔 so you never miss an update!

    18 min

  6. Jun 3

    #104 — 95% of Your Life Is Running on Autopilot and Here Is How to Stop It | Chris Harris

    What does it take to rewire your mind and your life from the inside out? This episode stopped me in my tracks. I sat down with Chris Harris, internationally known as The Warrior Maker. Elite military combat trainer. Executive coach. Keynote speaker. Bestselling author of 7 Rivals of Leadership. 25 years teaching close quarters combat to Special Forces units around the world. Then he took that same warrior mindset into corporate America and made it to the top of one of the most competitive high ticket sales industries out there. But the part of his story that hit me hardest had nothing to do with any of that. At 10 years old his mother was arrested and he entered the foster care system. By 12 he chose to live homeless on the streets of Dayton, Ohio rather than stay in homes where he felt unwanted. Let that sink in. Twelve years old. On the streets. By choice. Because it felt safer than the alternative. And what he built from that point forward is nothing short of extraordinary. What Chris teaches now is something I think everyone needs to hear. You are not your circumstances. You are the space between your stimulus and your response. That one idea alone is worth the listen. Chris's latest book The Book of Mindset is also available on Amazon and Audible if you want to go deeper. #MindsetMastery #Leadership #WillpowerPodcast ----------------------------------- Hey there! I’m William, and this channel is all about self-control, willpower, and making choices today that lead to a better future, all while enjoying life. If you're looking to build stronger habits, stay motivated, and push through challenges, you're in the right place! 📌 Stay Connected: 🌍 My website: https://williammulvaney.com/ 🎙️ Listen to The Willpower Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-Podcasts 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast 👉 Amazon Music Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast-Amazon 📸 Let’s connect on IG: https://instagram.com/willpower_lifestyle If you found this video helpful, hit the like button, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe + tap the 🔔 so you never miss an update!

    49 min

  7. May 27

    #103 — Why You Read Every Self-Help Book But Never Actually Change | Erin Laverone

    Most people who want to change their lives are already consuming the right content. They're reading the books, taking the courses, listening to the podcasts. And still nothing changes.In Episode 103, I sits down with Erin, habit coach and author of "Do the Thing," to get to the bottom of why. Erin has spent nearly 18 years in the coaching space and 7 years running the Habit Coach Professionals, a certification program, and her answer might surprise you.Check out Erin's new book: https://dothething-book.com/It's not a discipline problem. It's not a knowledge problem. It's an application problem. And there's a science-backed fix for it.📚 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:- "Do the Thing" by Erin science-backed process for building real habits- Habit Coach Professionals certification program- Goodreads, Duolingo streak psychology- Alex Hormozi's approach to reading one chapter at a time- The Domino Action concept (smallest first micro-step)💡 KEY TAKEAWAY:Knowledge is step zero. Reading feels like progress but the application of what you learn is the only thing that actually changes your life. Erin breaks down exactly how to bridge that gap using behavioral science.⚠️ This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. For personalized coaching or mental health support, please consult a qualified professional.#Productivity #HabitCoach #PersonalDevelopment Timestamps:-----------------------------------Hey there! I’m William, and this channel is all about self-control, willpower, and making choices today that lead to a better future, all while enjoying life. If you're looking to build stronger habits, stay motivated, and push through challenges, you're in the right place!📌 Stay Connected:🌍 My website: https://williammulvaney.com/🎙️ Listen to The Willpower Podcast:👉 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-Podcasts👉 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast👉 Amazon Music Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast-Amazon📸 Let’s connect on IG: https://instagram.com/willpower_lifestyleIf you found this video helpful, hit the like button, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe + tap the 🔔 so you never miss an update!

    38 min

  8. May 20

    #102 — How Chris Ryan Built a Fitness App After Lululemon | Daily Routine, Discipline & Business | Chris Ryan

    In this Willpower Podcast Episode, Chris Ryan — former Lululemon Mirror trainer and founder of the Chris Ryan Fitness app — breaks down exactly how he structures his day, balances family life with running a business from home, and what discipline actually means in real life. Chris shares how he went from training high-level executives in New York City to building his own fitness platform after his Lululemon contract ended in 2024. If you're an entrepreneur, a fitness professional, or someone trying to build better daily habits, this one's packed with practical insight. What we cover: - Chris's full daily routine as a fitness entrepreneur - How he transitioned from in-person trainer to online fitness app founder - What "golden hours" are and how to use them to grow your business - Why discipline is the foundation of long-term success - Balancing fatherhood and entrepreneurship while working from home - How student athletes carry a competitive edge into business - Staying authentic on social media without overthinking it - The Chris Ryan Fitness app — what's inside and who it's for 📱 Available on Apple App Store & Google Play  🎙️ Host: William Mulvaney Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro & Episode Teaser 01:00 — Chris Ryan's Daily Routine 04:07 — The Chris Ryan Fitness Ecosystem Explained 05:35 — Leaving Lululemon & Launching His Own App 07:19 — App Features: Workouts, Programs & Nutrition 08:10 — Working From Home With a Family 10:07 — Sink or Swim: Discipline as an Entrepreneur 11:31 — How to Prioritise When Everything Feels Urgent 12:14 — The "Golden Hours" Framework 13:53 — Compartmentalising Time Like a Workout 14:39 — What Student Athletes Bring to Business 17:08 — How Chris Lives Differently From Most People 18:57 — What Discipline Actually Means 20:47 — Cutting Through Fake Success on Social Media 21:50 — What It's Really Like Being a Dad 25:12 — Chris's Biggest Current Struggle: Social Media & Algorithms 26:50 — How to Be More Authentic on Camera 28:38 — Dealing With Internet Trolls 34:43 — What Does Chris's Dream Life Look Like? 36:12 — Life Is a Long Game: You Don't Have to Peak at 25 38:23 — Selling a Business at 28 & Traveling the World 39:35 — Final App Shoutout & Where to Find Chris Ryan ----------------------------------- Hey there! I’m William, and this channel is all about self-control, willpower, and making choices today that lead to a better future, all while enjoying life. If you're looking to build stronger habits, stay motivated, and push through challenges, you're in the right place! 📌 Stay Connected: 🌍 My website: https://williammulvaney.com/ 🎙️ Listen to The Willpower Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-Podcasts 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast 👉 Amazon Music Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/willpower-podcast-Amazon 📸 Let’s connect on IG: https://instagram.com/willpower_lifestyle If you found this video helpful, hit the like button, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe + tap the 🔔 so you never miss an update! #Willpower #SelfControl #BetterHabits

    40 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

The Willpower Podcast is about the science of making discipline easier. Most people think success comes from having more motivation, self-control, or willpower. But the most consistent people often use less willpower because they've built systems, habits, and environments that make the right choices easier. Each week, I'll explore one simple behavior change that can have a disproportionate impact on your health, productivity, focus, relationships, and quality of life. You'll learn the practical psychology behind why it works, then have the chance to add it to your own routine.

Information

  • Creator
    William Mulvaney
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    109
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © William Mulvaney
  • Show Website
    The Willpower Podcast

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