Your willpower is like a muscle, which means that you can train it. To build a muscle, you must apply resistance, embrace the pain, and push through. Likewise, with willpower and self-discipline—they grow through friction. Embrace that pain, and don’t shy away! In this summary, I talk about the Fire and Water elements in our …
Some people believe that willpower will always fail, and that the environment will always win. They say that we should improve our environment rather than train our willpower. This idea attempts to average us down to the lowest human denominator—and that is incredibly limiting and uninspiring. Those authors speak from the point of view of …
Environment Is Not Enough—You Also Need Willpower Read More »
There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. —Beverly Sills Do we still need self-discipline if we can build habits effortlessly by “hacking” our environment? It is trendy these days to write articles titled “willpower is dead” and “the self-discipline myth”. These ideas, although well-meaning, are misleading and can be harmful. Habits are essential, …
Research on willpower shows there are two ways to look at it: as a limited resource that we should save up, or as a muscle that can be trained and strengthened. For more details on this discussion, see Willpower Is Like a Muscle, or the full chapter on it in the book. There are two …
Is self-discipline/willpower a finite resource? One that we only have a limited amount of, and should avoid using too much, so that we have enough of it in the tank for when we need it? Looking at the research on the surface, it could seem so. The Ego Depletion model suggests willpower is like a …
What is the difference between self-discipline, self-control, willpower, and habits? Do we still need self-discipline if we are otherwise able we build good habits by “hacking our environment”? Let’s investigate. Self-regulation is a broad term that encompasses many internal skills, including willpower, self-discipline, self-awareness, and motivation. It is the conscious, effortful regulation of the self, …
Self-discipline is a virtue, and every virtue casts a shadow—unless it’s balanced by its opposite virtues. Too much humility makes you self-deprecating. Too much vitality makes you hyperactive. Too much perseverance makes you obsessive. Too much focus makes you narrow. Your greatest strengths can be the source of your greatest weaknesses, unless you use your …
Self-discipline, despite being an essential skill, is not really a popular topic. Many people have misconceptions and resist the idea. Let’s look at what Mindful Self-Discipline is not—and what it really is. FOCUS, Not Restriction One mistaken belief is that discipline means a restrictive lifestyle, full of rules, with no room for freedom, spontaneity, or …
We don’t have to be smarter than the rest. We have to be more disciplined than the rest. —Warren Buffett We live in a world of distractions. They are all around you, and always with you in your pocket. The opportunities for instant gratification abound, and there is always a new shiny object to go …
It doesn’t matter whether you are pursuing success in business, sports, the arts, or life in general: the bridge between wishing and accomplishing is discipline. —Harvey Mackay Self-discipline is the most essential ingredient for achieving any long-term goal. It’s what makes people stick to diets, exercise regularly, meditate daily, improve their part in relationships, develop …
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