We all know the feeling. You’re tired. Stressed. Your mind says, “start gain on Monday” or “skip this, you deserve a rest”, tempting you to take the easy way out. Maybe it’s hitting snooze instead of going to the gym. Skipping prospecting calls. Or giving in to habits that feel good in the moment but don’t serve your goals.

And yet, some people seem to power through. They show up consistently. They follow through on hard decisions. They act with intention, not emotion.

What separates them from the rest?

Willpower. And like any other kind of strength, it can be trained.

Meet the aMCC: Your Brain’s Willpower Engine

Deep inside your brain lies the anterior mid-cingulate cortex (aMCC), a key player in the neuroscience of mental fitness. This region is activated during effortful tasks that require discipline, emotional regulation, and decision-making under pressure.

In short: when the going gets tough, it’s your aMCC that gets going.

It’s the part of the brain responsible for grit, and for choosing the uncomfortable but necessary path over the easy one.

But here’s the catch: willpower behaves just like a muscle. If you don’t use it, it weakens. If you overuse it without recovery, it fatigues. But if you train it consistently, it becomes one of your most powerful assets, in business and in life.

5 Ways to Strengthen Your Willpower (and Your aMCC)

1. Do Something Difficult on Purpose Every Day

This is your mental fitness gym. Wake up early. Make your bed. Take a cold shower. Make that uncomfortable phone call. Each time you take deliberate action that goes against comfort or resistance, you strengthen your mental muscle.

Try this: Choose one small discomfort to face daily. Over time, you’ll notice an increased tolerance to challenge and a growing sense of inner strength.

2. Avoid Quick Dopamine Hit

As we explored in earlier articles, behaviours that create artificial dopamine spikes like mindless social media scrolling, sugary snacks, excessive alcohol, and gambling, they train the brain to seek easy rewards and avoid effort.

These quick hits flood the brain with dopamine, but what goes up must come down. And that crash is where motivation, focus, and mood suffer most.

Try this: Delay gratification. To something effortful before getting a reward. For example: make your bed or go for a walk before your first brew in the morning.

3. Train Your Self-Talk

Mentally fit people don’t rely solely on external motivation. They coach themselves internally. Their inner voice encourages discipline, not excuses.

Try this: Use mantras like:

• “I don’t negotiate with excuses.”
• “If I said I’d do it, I follow through.”

These aren’t just affirmations, they’re declarations of intent. The technical term is heuristics or rules we give ourselves.

4. Reduce Unnecessary Decisions

Every decision you make consumes cognitive energy. The more choices you face in a day, the more your willpower depletes, a concept known as decision fatigue.

That’s why high performers build systems and routines that preserve willpower for what matters most. If it needs repeating, it needs a system, routine or habit.

Try this:

• Plan your day the night before.
• Eat similar meals during busy weeks.
• Automate and systemise anything that repeats.

Fewer trivial choices = more energy for the meaningful ones.

5. Rest and Recover Like an Athlete

Willpower isn’t infinite. Just like physical training, mental strength requires rest and recovery. Constant hustle without downtime leads to burnout, not growth.

Try this: Prioritise deep rest. Sleep well. Spend time in nature. Limit digital distractions. Connect with others. These practices restore your capacity for discipline.

Why It Matters in Real Estate and Business

In high-performance industries like real estate, willpower isn’t optional, it’s essential.

Think about it:

• Making prospecting calls when you don’t feel like it.
• Delivering honest client feedback, even when it’s uncomfortable.
• Holding your ground in fee negotiations and price alignments.
• Showing up every day, regardless of results or setbacks.

Every one of these moments is a test of mental fitness. The most successful agents, property managers and leaders are the ones who train for these moments before they arrive.

Final Thought: Train the Brain, Build the Life

The takeaway is simple: No one is born mentally fit. Like physical strength, it’s something you build, rep by rep, choice by choice.

And the part of your brain that powers that discipline is your aMCC, and it’s waiting for its daily workout.

So, ask yourself:

• What discomfort am I avoiding today?
• What task would strengthen my willpower if I faced it?
• What small habit can I do every day to train this muscle?

Because the people who thrive in business, in leadership, and in life, aren’t always the smartest, talented or even the most experienced.

They’re the ones who do what needs to be done, especially when it’s uncomfortable.

And that’s not motivation…..That’s mental fitness!

Click here to learn more about Shane Kempton.

More Shane Kempton readings

10 Habits of Mentally Fit People: Do you have these? 

Mental Fitness for Self-Learning and Coaching in Real Estate 

Mental Fitness: More Than Just Positive Thinking 

Introducing ‘Mental Fitness by Shane Kempton’