In today’s lesson, we’re going to kick-start module 4 “Maximize Your Willpower”, discover why willpower is overrated, and see why making decisions are more dangerous than you think.
Video Lesson
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Time: 2:31
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Click full screen (lower right corner) to increase the size
Lesson Summary
Decisions drain your willpower
Just hear what President Obama had to say:
“I wear only gray or blue suits. I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.”
What is willpower—and how important is it to success?
Willpower: the ability to delay gratification, resisting short-term temptations in order to meet long-term goals.
Now that sounds important. But is it?
Not really, according to several studies.
In this module “Maximize Your Willpower” you’ll:
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Discover why willpower is overrated—and what to do instead.
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See a psychological study that reveals why making decisions is more dangerous than you think.
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Understand when—and when not—to rely on your willpower.
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Learn the secret to 10x your willpower.
Your willpower is limited; plan accordingly
Your willpower is limited.
Each morning, you wake up with a limited amount of willpower, and every decision you make reduces your willpower.
Think of it this way: your willpower is like a gas tank that automatically gets filled up each night. In the morning your tank is full, but—with every decision—your tank goes down. By the end of the day, your tank is empty.
Does making decisions decrease willpower?
Here’s an interesting study that proves willpower is limited: Research led by Kathleen D. Vohs of the University of Minnesota wanted to see if making decisions decreased a person’s willpower over time. In four different studies, one group had to choose among consumer goods or college course options, while the other group merely thought about them (i.e. they didn’t make any decisions).
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Group A: Made decisions
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Group B: Thought about decisions
The results?
Decision makers (Group A) showed:
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less physical stamina,
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reduced persistence in the face of failure,
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more procrastination, and
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less quality and quantity of arithmetic calculations.
In other words…
**Decisions are **exhausting
We wake up with a finite amount of willpower and can only make so many decisions; after that, we give into the “Ah, screw it” mentality.
Start to think about the number of decisions you make throughout the day and how you can reduce them.
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