To meet your goals, forget willpower and fill your toolbox
Achieving your goals has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with using the right mix of psychological tools
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Slow down, it’s what your brain has been begging for
It’s no small task to live a life of sustained attention. So slow down, and give your brain a break to do its work
«Paying attention to the moment during a walk shifts focus away from the internally generated, anxiety-provoking scenarios, creating much-needed space.»
How to know what you really want
From career choices to new purchases, use René Girard’s mimetic theory to resist the herd and forge your own path in life
«These are people whose desires are in some sense intertwined with your own – they can affect your desires, and you can in turn affect theirs»
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The willpower paradox: when self-talk becomes counterproductive
People using interrogative self-talk seem to perform better than those who use declarative self-talk. That’s the Willpower Paradox.
«The researchers wanted to understand the relationship between intention, motivation, and actual goal completion.»
How to break unhealthy habits: Stop obsessing over willpower and focus on routines
Understanding and changing the environment in which habits form is a critical step when it comes to breaking unwanted behaviors and forming healthy ones.
«Instead, we concoct more compelling explanations, like saying we drink coffee to ease our morning fog.»
How to Build Healthy Habits
It’s not about willpower. Good habits happen when we set ourselves up for success. Our new challenge will show you how.
3-2-1: Happiness, the opinions of others, and accepting the reality of slow progress
3 IDEAS FROM ME I. “Before you try to increase your willpower, try to decrease the friction in your environment.” II. “Your habits are how you embody a particular identity. When you make your bed,…
«Author Leo Tolstoy on the opinions of others: “If you care too much about being praised, in the end you will not accomplish anything serious.»
Temptation bundling: stop procrastinating by boosting your willpower
Temptation bundling is a productivity technique that involves combining an activity that gives you instant gratification, such as watching TV, with one that is beneficial but has a delayed reward,…
«trying to reply to important work emails while watching one of your favourite TV shows may not be the best combination, as your concentration levels are likely to be affected.»
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