I think self control arises from a combination of controlled consistency and trying to break old habits to build new pathways. It is definitely self control if you decide to cut certain things out of your life in order to improve it. I think it's also kinda funny how you can take self control itself to an extreme. Then, even self control needs to be controlled and it's a paradox. I think having everything in balance, ie having self control but also letting things be and losing some control to enjoy life is important.
There's a difference between the thing just being near you without your say-so and the thing being put there by you in an attempt to tempt yourself. If the thing is there and you didn't decide it should be there, I'd say it's valid to expect self-control, but you shouldn't keep temptations around just to overcome them. That's like an alcoholic leaving an open bottle of liquor next to him on the table just to see if he can abstain from drinking it. That's not a smart move.
"Mental toughness" or sheer willpower is necessary in life, but it should be pulled out of the armory only when you don't have any other tools at your disposal, because it's unreliable. People in bad moods and even people that are hungry are shown to have less control over themselves, so it's wise to take preventative action so that when you truly need the willpower for something you have a better shot at using it successfully.
Thinking that you can train your willpower to be available whenever you want it is something that someone thinks who hasn't yet been sufficiently humbled by life .
