Why we fail at self-control

  • Factors such as negative mood, fatigue and alcohol play a large part in self-control failure.
  • Previous effort is one especially well studied factor that decreases self-control. All else being equal, a second self-control attempt after an initial one is more likely to fail than one that comes after a relatively restful period when no self-control was exercised.

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The one thing all people with strong self-control understand

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qz.com
The one thing all people with strong self-control understand

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  • Research on Self-Control

    A 2011 survey found that 27 % of respondents identified a lack of willpower as the primary factor keeping them from reaching their goals.  One study found that students who exhibited greater self-discipline had better grades, higher test scores, and were more likely to be admitted to a competitive academic program.  The study also found that when it came to academic success, self-control was a more important factor than IQ scores. A health study found that people who were rated as having high levels of self-control during childhood continued to have high levels of physical and mental health in adulthood. Research has found that self-control is a limited resource. In the long-term, exercising self-control tends to strengthen it. 

    How to Improve Your Self-Control

  • Improving Self-Control

    Avoid temptation.   Plan ahead.  If you are faced with temptation, what actions will you take to avoid giving in?  Practice using self-control.  Think of self-control as a muscle. While hard work may exhaust the muscle in the short-term, the muscle will grow stronger over time as you continue to work it. Try focusing on one goal at a time . Once you turn the behaviors needed to reach a goal into habits, you will not need to devote as much effort toward maintaining them. 

    How to Improve Your Self-Control

  • Why self-control matters

    People who have high self-control aren’t missing out on enjoyment. Not being able to resist temptation and enjoying life are not the same things. They tend to eat in a healthily way, exercise more, sleep better, drink less alcohol, smoke fewer cigarettes, achieve higher grades at university, have more peaceful relationships, and are more financially secure.

    The Complete Guide to Self-Control | Scott H Young

  • Bad self-discipline strategies

    Thought suppression: when you consciously attempt not to think about something.  It can have some benefits in the short term, but it takes a lot more effort than other strategies and it will make your desire even stronger in the long-run. Resisting temptations: it when  you’re actively inhibiting your urge to act on them.  Because it’s one of the most effortful strategies, it’s likely to fail when applied over a longer period of time.

    The Complete Guide to Self-Control | Scott H Young