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Summary of The willpower paradox: when self-talk becomes counterproductive

  • Research suggests we may benefit from phrasing our goals in a speculative way: “Will I?” rather than “I will.” — this is called the Willpower Paradox.
  • Declarative self-talk (“I will”) is more likely to be linked to extrinsically motivated goals. Using interrogative self-talk (“Will I?”) allows for more time to build intrinsic motivation.
  • By switching from declarative self-talk to interrogative self-talk, we can consider whether we really want to achieve that goal. If the answer is yes, intrinsic motivation makes us more likely to succeed.

Read the full article (3 min read)

    
Anne-Laure Le Cunff
Anne-Laure Le Cunff, the author
founder @ness_labs • neuroscience studies @kingscollegelon • metacognition, tools for thought, networked thinking
Ness Labs
Ness Labs
Build a lab for your mind with neuroscience-based content, coaching, and conversations. @MentalNodes for raw ideas. Founded by @anthilemoon.
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The researchers wanted to understand the relationship between intention, motivation, and actual goal completion.
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