Member-only story
Just Because You’re Willing to Do Something Doesn’t Mean You Want to Do It
The concept of willingness is something we talk about frequently in recovery. We say if you’re willing, you can make it through just about anything.” But just because you’re willing to do something doesn’t mean you want to do that thing.
I am willing to have the dentist use a drill on my teeth, but I don’t want to do that.
This mindset shift has been enormously helpful to me, especially in my recovery. It’s exceedingly helpful when it comes to changing our behaviors for the better.
I may not want to go to the gym five days a week, but I’m willing. That’s because adults do things they don’t necessarily want to because they want the outcome that behavior will get them. What I do want is a healthy, pain-free, physically fit body. That makes me willing to do the things required to have a healthy, pain-free, physically fit body.
Here’s a story to illustrate the immense power of willingness from someone I heard speaking at a recovery workshop. He’d been struggling in his recovery and relapsing, and during his one minute of willingness the day before he went online, he found out about the workshop and signed up.
At the workshop, he learned that there was a local men’s meeting. He’d never had the opportunity to attend a men’s…
