Kelly McGonial gives you the scientific reasoning as to why we act on our impulses and refrain from making positive choices in The Willpower Instinct. It is an eye-opening account into the human mind as we struggle with the natural instinct of fight or flight and how it can hinder the basic choices we make in this world.
She points out:
Our human nature includes both the self that wants immediate gratification, and the self with the higher purpose. We are born to be tempted, and born to resist. It is just as human to feel stressed, scared, and out of control as it is to find the strength to be calm and charge of our choices.
One of the many tools she gives the reader is to help fine tune their willpower by walking away from the decision to eat the last cupcake or make the impulse purchase on a designer pair of shoes. It is necessary to reflect on how that small one choice will be of assistance to our future self. Will our future self be pleased to battle the muffin top? Or will they be happy with the designer purse in the closet instead of a healthy investment plan? It is by taking a moment to view yourself in the future it helps you say no to the things holding you back in the present.
She also recognizes that many of us are bound to fail in the choices we make because immediate gratification takes over in our lives. The key is to recognize your failure and be kind to yourself moving forward in attempt to reach your goals. It is by allowing yourself compassion and forgiveness that you are able to recognize your mistakes in order to forge ahead towards the future making wiser choices.
Kelly McGonial, demonstrates in ten stages how we can make self-control work in order to reach our goals whether it be to write the next chapter of the novel, to lose ten pounds, or to just stop procrastinating from that last household project. It is after reading The Will Power Instinct which will enable you to evaluate how you make your decisions and how the impulse choices you make could be holding you back from success.
How do you achieve your life goals? Are you kind to yourself when you sometimes fail?
Come join in on the conversation of The Willpower Instinct with BlogHer Book Club.
“This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.”
One goal at a time – one day at a time:) You have to give yourself some self-love and self-compassion when times are hard! Great Post – thanks for sharing – Happy Thursday:)
Thank you! Self compassion and love are key when times are hard! Have a great weekend!
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I get up every day, and I try. All that’s required is to try, and I count that a win, every time.
I like that! I like that alot!
This is a very good article on a very important topic. I’m deeply impressed that this was a paid review by the way. The quality of it made the money they spent on you well worth it in my opinion. I’m great at not wanting anything, but pretty poor at going after my goals, so this acted as a bit iof a prompt to me.
Thank you! It’s hard for me because I know the goal but I procrastinate on attempting to execute it.
what an interesting book that has peaked my interest
I suspect you would enjoy it! I am usually leery of books like this but it really does help to build and strengthen the will power tool box.