Opinion: Willpower doesn’t work. This does.

Successful people rarely rely on inner fortitude to resist temptations.

View in browser|nytimes.com January 13, 2026 As a psychologist who studies how people achieve their goals, Angela Duckworth sees data showing that willpower is overrated, she writes in Times Opinion. Instead, arranging our lives to minimize the need for willpower in the first place can lead to success. Andrey Kasay Opinion Read the essay. → Sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter Get expert analysis of the news and a guide to the big ideas shaping the world every weekday morning. Get it in your inbox If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this message because you signed up for updates from The New York Times. To stop receiving From The Times, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018