The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It

“Exercise the muscle of self-control without the internal angst that derails so many of our attempts to change.” — Kelly McGonigal

“To succeed at our willpower challenges, we need to find the state of mind and body that puts our energy toward self-control, not self-defense” — Kelly McGonigal

“Neuroscientists have discovered that when you ask the brain to meditate, it gets better not just at meditating, but at a wide range of self-control skills, including attention, focus, stress management, impulse control, and self-awareness.” — Kelly McGonigal

“Slowing the breath down activates the prefrontal cortex and increases heart rate variability, which helps shift the brain and body from a state of stress to self-control mode.” — Kelly McGonigal

“When you do something good, you feel good about yourself. This means you’re more likely to trust your impulses — which often means giving yourself permission to do something bad.” — Kelly McGonigal

“When it comes to right and wrong, most of us are not striving for moral perfection. We just want to feel good enough — which then gives us permission to do whatever we want.” — Kelly McGonigal

“Making decisions uses the very same willpower that you use to say no to doughnuts, drugs or illicit sex…Your ability to make the right investment or hiring decision may be reduced simply because you expended some of your willpower earlier when you held your tongue in response to someone’s offensive remark.” — Roy F. Baumeister

“Decision fatigue leaves us vulnerable to marketers who know how to time their sales” — Roy F. Baumeister

“If you want to overcome bad behavior you have to stop your automatic self from slipping” — Richard O’Connor

“Habits often occur without our permission, but can be reshaped by fiddling with their parts. They shape our lives far more than we realize — they are so strong, in fact, that they cause our brains to cling to them at the exclusion of all else, including common sense.” — Charles Duhigg

“The unconscious is asking the conscious mind to make a plan.” — Roy F. Baumeister

“If you are stressed or depressed, your brain and body may not cooperate. Willpower can be disrupted by sleep deprivation, poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and a host of other factors that sap your energy, or keep your brain and body stuck in a chronic stress response. To every doctor, diet guru, or nagging spouse convinced that willpower is just a matter of making up your mind, this research should be a reality check. Yes, your mind is important, but your body also needs to get on board.” — Kelly McGonigal

“Most psychologists and nutritionists recommend a low glycemic diet — that is, one that helps you keep your blood sugar steady. Low-glycemic foods include lean proteins, nuts and beans, high-fiber grains and cereals, and most fruits and vegetables — basically, food that looks like its natural state and doesn’t have a ton of added sugar, fat, and chemicals. It may take some self-control to shift in this direction, but whatever steps you take (say, eating a hearty and healthy breakfast during the workweek instead of skipping breakfast, or snacking on nuts instead of sugar) will more than pay you back for any willpower you spend making the change.” — Kelly McGonigal