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mattbellThere's now a substantial body of work on willpower that shows it is governed by a distinct biochemical pathway.
Some really interesting discoveries:
- Willpower is a limited resource. If you expend it on one activity (eg putting up with a loud noise) it will be weaker when you need it for another activity (eg not getting mad when someone yells at you). Thus it';s worth choosing what to focus your willpower on wisely.
- Willpower can be increased with strength training, just like a muscle.
- Low blood sugar decreases willpower. (I used to tell high school teachers that eating in class helped me stay focused on the lecture. Now I finally have evidence of this)
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is higher during high-willpower tasks. This is REALLY interesting. It's not mentioned in the article, but I know that high HRV can be induced by slow-breathing techniques used in meditation. Biofeedback systems (eg the StressEraser and Journey To Wild Divine) train people to increase HRV.
http://www.inneridea.com/library/how-to-strengthen-willpower-part-1
http://www.inneridea.com/library/how-to-strengthen-willpower-part-2
(via Christine Peterson)
Some really interesting discoveries:
- Willpower is a limited resource. If you expend it on one activity (eg putting up with a loud noise) it will be weaker when you need it for another activity (eg not getting mad when someone yells at you). Thus it';s worth choosing what to focus your willpower on wisely.
- Willpower can be increased with strength training, just like a muscle.
- Low blood sugar decreases willpower. (I used to tell high school teachers that eating in class helped me stay focused on the lecture. Now I finally have evidence of this)
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is higher during high-willpower tasks. This is REALLY interesting. It's not mentioned in the article, but I know that high HRV can be induced by slow-breathing techniques used in meditation. Biofeedback systems (eg the StressEraser and Journey To Wild Divine) train people to increase HRV.
http://www.inneridea.com/library/how-to-strengthen-willpower-part-1
http://www.inneridea.com/library/how-to-strengthen-willpower-part-2
(via Christine Peterson)
