REVIEW: “Willpower. How to Develop and Strengthen ", Kelly McGonigal

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The best master is the one who knows how to command himself

arabic proverb

Most encyclopedic dictionaries define the concept of "willpower" as "the property of a person, which consists in his ability to consciously control his psyche and actions." The Philosophical Encyclopedia (edited by Alexander Arkhipovich Ivin, Doctor of Philosophy) even defines this phenomenon as "… a specific ability that is not completely identical or different from reason."

Before reading the book of Ph. D., psychologist, professor at Stanford University Kelly McGonigal, I thought about the same. I believed (very abstractly) that willpower is a character trait, like politeness or punctuality, someone is inherent, someone is not. And when, on the last pages, the author asked me - the reader - whether my idea of willpower and self-control had changed, I exclaimed enthusiastically "Yes"!

"I will" / "I will not" / "I want"

Contrary to the usual idea, self-control (read - willpower) is the control of three forces: "I will", "I will not" and "I want."

Making a commitment to yourself is a tough challenge. But it is even more difficult to accept it. “Tomorrow I will smoke 3 less cigarettes a day”, “I will start running on Monday” - which of us has not made such promises to ourselves? But only a few have accepted the challenge to themselves. Only a few have the power of "I will" stronger than habit.

Likewise, most of us are unable to resist temptations. “I’ll just check my mail, and then I’ll definitely go to work”, “Pie less, more pie, I have already eaten three pieces anyway” - what tricks does our brain use to drown out the voice of the force “I will not”.

Even quieter in the cacophony of temptations is the voice of the third component of self-control - the “I want” power. In fact, everyone understands that his true desire is not a cigarette or another hamburger. Deep down, we all want to be healthy and beautiful. But this requires much more time than to satisfy momentary desires.

It turns out that these three forces "live" in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is responsible for self-control. Initially, the task of this part of the main human organ was reduced to the so-called primary self-control - the control of physical actions (walking, running, grabbing). Evolving, the prefrontal cortex has become a center of control over psychological actions - thoughts, feelings, actions.

Kelly McGonigal explains how I Will, I Won't, and I Want to work from a neuroscience perspective. Thus transforming willpower from "… a specific ability not identical to reason" into an understandable and logical phenomenon. Each person naturally possesses it. Only those who do not seek to learn the systems of their self-consciousness and self-control remain weak-willed.

Delight

(Usually this part of reviews is called "Impressions" or "Read Opinion", but this book has inspired me so much that I simply cannot title it otherwise.)

There are only 200 pages in the book. And this is a complete concentration of facts and information. Not a gram of water. The language of the story is so ironic and metaphorical that one gets the impression that one is reading not popular science, but fiction.

Perhaps, in no other book have I come across so many striking examples, most of which are academic studies of the world's largest scientists. Psychological processes and phenomena are almost always explained from the point of view of human physiology and sociology. And this makes them clearer.

So, thanks to chapters 4-7, I now know where the "traps" come from and how they develop, destroying our self-discipline to smithereens. Do you know why shopaholics, after making one extra purchase, instead of stopping, waste all their savings?

At the beginning of the book, the author asks readers to treat her work as an experiment. Please follow this call if you notice that your “I will”, “I will not” and “I want” forces are in disharmony and prevent you from achieving your goals.

In each chapter, besides the main text, there are two subsections: "Under the microscope" and "Experiment". The first asks questions, answering which thoughtfully and honestly, you will be able to know yourself deeper. The second provides tips and exercises to develop and strengthen willpower. Personally, I have adopted at least two of them.

But even if you are one of the unique people who are completely in control of themselves (shake your hand), do not think that reading this book will be a waste of time for you. Each page reveals surprising facts and prompts deep thought. And if not for the development of willpower, then for broadening one's horizons, it is worth reading the book by Kelly McGonigal.

Summary

I rarely re-read books and consider myself (forgive me) a strong person, but I will definitely return to this work more than once.