“The proximity of a desirable thing tempts one to overindulgence.”
Our environments are the number one dictator of our behavior. The difference between the chocolate bar on the counter versus behind the cupboard versus buried away in the bottom of the drawer makes all the difference in our eating habits. When we view our struggles with temptation as a battle of willpower, we’ve already lost. Only the rare sort of individual can withstand a test time after time without crumbling or a slow deterioration of their resolve. When we’re used to an environment without tests, we can find the energy stores within ourselves to resist.
Don’t be mistaken—absolutely we should be able to refrain from that which is bad for us. But to needlessly put ourselves into compromising situations that forces us into a contest of willpower? That’s silly.