More on the Willpower Instinct

These words of wisdom from Dr. Kelly McGonigal, Ph. D. tell us more on the willpower instinct. The first article on The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal appeared on Best Meditation Videos on November 29, 2012, in which she talks about her book, The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It. I think Kelly is doing a wonderful job.

According to Dr. McGonigal, willpower is something that can improve our lives beyond what we have come to expect. She says,

“We may all have been born with the capacity for willpower, but some of us use it more than others. People who have better control of their attention, emotions, and actions are better off almost any way you look at it. They are happier and healthier. Their relationships are more satisfying and last longer. They make more money and go further in their careers. They are better able to manage stress, deal with conflict, and overcome adversity. They even live longer. When pit against other virtues, willpower comes out on top. Self-control is a better predictor of academic success than intelligence (take that, SATs), a stronger determinant of effective leadership than charisma (sorry, Tony Robbins), and more important for marital bliss than empathy (yes, the secret to lasting marriage may be learning how to keep your mouth shut). If we want to improve our lives, willpower is not a bad place to start.”

Don’t take willpower as something negative. Steve Chandler, in his book, Fearless: Creating the Courage to Change the Things You Can, has demonstrated that it is not the meek that shall inherit the earth, but only the disciplined. Meditation practices promote and rely on discipline.

In fact, discipline or diligence is one of the Six Paramitas (i. e., perfections) as explained in The Perfection of Diligence. Practicing diligently, observing the Mindfulness Trainings, offering compassion to all sentient beings, and realizing the insight of interbeing all support our efforts to be the best possible personswe can be. Don’t you think that this will enhance our ability to exercise our willpower instinct as well?

Books by Kelly McGonigal

The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal Ph.D. Based on Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal’s wildly popular course “The Science of Willpower,” The Willpower Instinct is the first book to explain the new science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity…. [Read More…]