A common distinction between Western and Eastern philosophy concerns the importance of will. While Western philosophy emphasizes the power of will, Eastern philosophy highlights effortless action. Force versus flow You can force yourself to be courageous in the face of fear, to work without procrastinating, to persist despite exhaustion, and to suppress adverse emotions. But what does it actually mean to force yourself to do something? Consider first that you can't force your body to do … [Read more...]
6 Ways How Alcohol Weakens Your Will
Caution: The following lines are a note to myself, not a judgment of others. 1. Alcohol weakens your will by impairing prefrontal functioning and thus self-control. 2. Alcohol weakens your will by dimming the focus on your goal and plan to achieve it. 3. Alcohol weakens your will by dulling the decision-making processes needed for leading groups and women. 4. Alcohol weakens your will by undermining opportunities to improve your social skills and core confidence. 5. Alcohol … [Read more...]
Can We Build Willpower like a Muscle?
The Muscle Analogy of Self-Control In my book Willpower Condensed, I wrote that we can strengthen our will like a muscle: Track the food you eat or improve your posture for two weeks and you'll be more tenacious at holding a handgrip. Stick to an exercise plan or keep track of your spending for two months and you'll have more willpower to resist distraction. Use your non-dominant hand for everyday activities or monitor your language for two weeks and you'll increase your puzzle-solving … [Read more...]
A Hard Workout Does Not Sap but Boosts Willpower
How does exercise intensity influence cognitive control? In a new experimental study (Peruyero et al., 2017), participants were assigned to one of three groups: no exercise, light-intensity exercise, or high-intensity exercise. Their inhibitory control was tested before and after the workout. The results: People who had just exercised intensely did better at the cognitive test than those who had exercised lightly, while those who had not exercised at all performed the worst. This drives yet … [Read more...]
Little Bad Feelings & Personal Growth
Every failure is an opportunity for growth. It is easy to see that. But also: A little bad feeling is a little opportunity for growth. It is easy to overlook that—and to deaden little bad feelings with little bad pleasures (sugar, drugs, porn, entertainment).* Let us take good, mindful little steps on our path to greatness. Let us walk with little bad feelings. * Advanced insight: Sometimes we choose little bad pleasures not to make us feel better, but to avoid feeling out of control. For … [Read more...]
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