Do I Have The Willpower To Write This Blog?
All of this started with a radish.
As funny as it sounds, one of the most influential aspects of human nature did indeed have close relations to the rather flavourless vegetable. The overarching story is:
In an experiment ran by the famous Roy Baumeister, students who had to suppress the urge to eat cookies on a table, after only being invited to eat the radishes available, spent subsequently less time on following puzzle tests compared to those who were invited to eat the cookies. So, it looks like it takes a certain capacity of mental work to resist.
As described in his book titled, “Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength,” and article, “The Strength Model of Self-Control,” willpower is: “the capacity for altering one’s own responses, especially to bring them into line with standards such as ideals, values, morals, and social expectations, and to support the pursuit of long-term goals.” Baumeister believes that improving upon willpower capabilities is the “surest way to a better life”.
Is this the secret? Is this the key factor for predictions about a successful and happy future self?
The seemingly endless experiments and tests ran with the manipulation of depleted willpower seem to justify, in my eyes, just how valid and reliable of an indicator one’s willpower is in terms of how we will behave. Its manipulation gives us a consistent and similar effect across almost all aspects of our lives, explaining concepts like the following:
· Why we have drastic changes in decision-making (for example, decision fatigue, which depletes our willpower and makes us less likely to compromise and make trade offs).
· Why we have highly emotional responses after being ego-depleted.
· How we may react to a diet (Ex: “What The Hell Effect”, where a dieter chooses to give up after indulging only a bit.)
· Why we may bomb on a quiz.
· Why we cannot multitask or even meet basic human needs while studying for exams and so much more!
It is a precious and limited resource that we process to keep us on track. We must learn to maintain it, not strain it. Fortunately, it works like a muscle! By practicing small ideas of self-control, like posture fixing throughout the week, you can definitely improve your capacity for self-control. So remember, 20 squats a day and a mental workout!
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