Issue 3
JAS 2017
Explore
FYI
Research – Self Control, not self-
esteem, is the key to success
Roy Baumeister, social psychologist, Professor at Florida State University and
co-author of ‘Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength’ says, ‘Self
Control is the best gift you can give your child’. He says, after over two decades of
study on self-control, ‘whatever you do, you’re likely to do it better if you’re smart
and have good self-control.
Nobody has found reliable ways of increasing intelligence. But self-control can
be improved, which makes it the best way psychology can contribute to society.
Our take: Scientific research on self control provides evidence for age-old
traditional wisdom that exists across religions.
Watch - The Science of Willpower
Author of ‘The Willpower Instinct’, Health
Psychologist and Stanford University
Lecturer, Dr. Kelly McGonigal - talks about
what willpower is and how we can get
more of it. She defines willpower is the
ability to remember what matters most to
us and the willingness to do things that
support those goals, even when self doubt,
physical pain or impulses are present.
Highlights: Dr. McGonigal’s articulation of Willpower as having 3 powers - ‘I
Will’, ‘I Won’t’, ‘I Want’ is useful in understanding willpower in relation to the
bigger purpose - goal.
Also effective is her recommendation to look at
‘thanking your present self from your future self’ - as most people look at our
future self as complete strangers.
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