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

by Kelly McGonigal

There are few things ever dreamed of, smoked, or injected that have as addictive an effect on our brains as technology.

dopamine’s primary function is to make us pursue happiness, not to make us happy. It doesn’t mind putting a little pressure on us—even if that means making us unhappy in the process.

The brain, it turns out, is especially susceptible to temptation when we’re feeling bad.

Optimism can make us motivated, but a dash of pessimism can help us succeed.