--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to do something that requires…" description: "\"If you want to do something that requires willpower—like going for a run after work—you have to conserve your willpower muscle during the day,\" — Charl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/charles-duhigg-1088_discipline_if-you-want-to-do-something-that-require_3235080.png" --- # If you want to do something that requires willpower—like… ![“If you want to do something that requires willpower—like going for a run after work—you have to conserve your willpower muscle during the day,” quote by Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/charles-duhigg-1088_discipline_if-you-want-to-do-something-that-require_3235080.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/charles-duhigg-1088_discipline_if-you-want-to-do-something-that-require_3235080.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/charles-duhigg-1088_discipline_if-you-want-to-do-something-that-require_3235080.png) > “If you want to do something that requires willpower—like going for a run after work—you have to conserve your willpower muscle during the day,” [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Willpower is a limited resource that must be preserved by managing daily demands, so you can act on important goals later. **In simple terms:** Willpower runs out; save it for what matters. Key Takeaway Plan low‑effort tasks early, reserve energy for key actions. Themes self‑control energy management habit formation Mood determined practical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - morning routine - workday scheduling - exercise planning - dietary choices Key Concepts psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - How can you redesign your day to protect willpower? - What activities drain your willpower most? A Different Perspective Willpower can be replenished with breaks and proper rest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conserve Willpower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conserve-willpower-6134351/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Muscles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muscles/) [Requires Willpower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requires-willpower-6134352/) [Run Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run-work-2504456/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Willpower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willpower/) [Willpower Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willpower-like-1292794/) [Willpower Muscle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willpower-muscle-4953970/) ## Related quotes > [Willpower is a muscle that can be strengthened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-baumeister/willpower-is-a-muscle-that-can-be-strengthened/) [Roy Baumeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-baumeister/) > [“Willpower is like a muscle. 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It’s a muscle, like the muscles in your arms or legs, and it gets tired as it works harder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/willpower-isn-t-just-a-skill-it-s-a-muscle-like-the-muscles-in-your/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [When people have a willpower failure, it's because they haven't anticipated a situation that's going to come along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/when-people-have-a-willpower-failure-it-s-because-they-haven-t/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“The trick would be to find which few of them had the potential for raw power, the nearly superhuman stamina, the indomitable willpower, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-james-brown/the-trick-would-be-to-find-which-few-of-them-had-the-potential-for/) [Daniel James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-james-brown/) > [“I could see her will leaving and death seeping through her skin to skewer her soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-stroube/i-could-see-her-will-leaving-and-death-seeping-through-her-skin-to/) [J.D. Stroube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-stroube/) ## More by Charles Duhigg > [“If you want to stop smoking, ask yourself, do you do it because you love nicotine, or because it provides a burst of stimulation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/if-you-want-to-stop-smoking-ask-yourself-do-you-do-it-because-you/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“What matters are five key norms,” he told the audience. Teams need to believe that their work is important. Teams need to feel their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/what-matters-are-five-key-norms-he-told-the-audience-teams-need-to/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [America has always had an apocalyptic strain. 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It grows because of the habits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/a-movement-starts-because-of-the-social-habits-of-friendship-and-the/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“In some sense, he said, a community was a giant collection of habits occurring among thousands of people that, depending on how they’re influenced,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/in-some-sense-he-said-a-community-was-a-giant-collection-of-habits/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) [Explore all 293 Charles Duhigg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) ## More Discipline quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) [W.J. 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It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The undisciplined child enters into discipline by working in the company of others; not being told he is naughty.” “Discipline is, therefore, primarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-undisciplined-child-enters-into-discipline-by-working-in-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. 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