The Willpower Instinct

By Kelly McGonigal

The Willpower Instinct - Kelly McGonigal
  • Release Date: 2011-12-29
  • Genre: Psychology
Score: 4
4
From 171 Ratings

Description

Based on Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal's wildly popular course "The Science of Willpower," The Willpower Instinct is the first book to explain the science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity.

Informed by the latest research and combining cutting-edge insights from psychology, economics, neuroscience, and medicine, The Willpower Instinct explains exactly what willpower is, how it works, and why it matters. For example, readers will learn:

   •  Willpower is a mind-body response, not a virtue. It is a biological function that can be improved through mindfulness, exercise, nutrition, and sleep.
   •  Willpower is not an unlimited resource. Too much self-control can actually be bad for your health.
   •  Temptation and stress hijack the brain's systems of self-control, but the brain can be trained for greater willpower
   •  Guilt and shame over your setbacks lead to giving in again, but self-forgiveness and self-compassion boost self-control.
   •  Giving up control is sometimes the only way to gain self-control.
   •  Willpower failures are contagious—you can catch the desire to overspend or overeat from your friends­­—but you can also catch self-control from the right role models.

In the groundbreaking tradition of Getting Things Done, The Willpower Instinct combines life-changing prescriptive advice and complementary exercises to help readers with goals ranging from losing weight to more patient parenting, less procrastination, better health, and greater productivity at work.

Reviews

  • A MUST READ !!

    2
    By mmm17368
    I love this book it has so many valuable information that you can hardly find anywhere , it has depth and you will come out of reading this a whole new person , I can’t stress this enough if you procrastinate this is for you !!!!
  • Great read

    5
    By Arlo isnt great
    This book really helped me understand why I give into things I don’t want to eat or do and how to make myself more disciplined.
  • Great book

    5
    By Stupiuno
    This book is best read in the way they tell you to read it. One chapter per week. If you really internalize the information instead of speed-reading, it works much better.
  • The Willpower Instinct

    5
    By Prisca33
    This is the best book I have read in a long time, because it gets to the heart of why we fail to stick to what we really want. Being aware and staying focused is only the beginning, the author gives so many good examples and research to back it up that you want to try it out. Knowing what we can and can't control, gives us the tools needed, and the realization that we can do it for ourselves, because we have the POWER!