Take a photo of a barcode or cover
258 reviews for:
The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It
Kelly McGonigal
4.1 AVERAGE
258 reviews for:
The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It
Kelly McGonigal
4.1 AVERAGE
Very well written and insightful. Provides lots of helpful hints and tips without being too “self-help.” Lots of funny anecdotes and makes the science behind willpower interesting.
Enjoyable, actionable, advice that doesn't always appeal to common sense...but then again, we humans are some irrational fuckers. Some interesting insights here.
A very intriguing book, with lot's of interesting studies discussed and very practical methods for using will power effectively to live a better life. The topic and material was very good, but the reason it doesn't get five star is just the writing style. The way it was written was meant to be conversational and accessible, which no doubt it was, but it came out a little bit cringe-worthy at times, just ti me at least. I would and have recommended this book to people, because the advice in here isn't home spun, it's scientifically rooted and really worth taking on board to live a more fulfilling life.
informative
medium-paced
It’s a self help book. Tons of fluff. Author doesn’t make the distinction clear enough. Apparently using your willpower drains it, so you have less self control, but using your willpower trains it, so you get more self control??
The take away from this book is that you can't control your initial emotional reaction to something, but you can control what happens next. Any negative behavior can be changed if you are able to change your way of thinking. Belittling yourself won't work but making steps to be more aware of why you think a certain way could change everything. The criminal justice system should use this book as a took for offenders. I will not magically be a better me after completing it but I will be more aware of the choices I make and how my poor emotional reaction can be slowed to something more beneficial.
informative
medium-paced
I liked this book, I actually learned a lot of things about the science of willpower. It wasn't total fluff like many other books in this category. The issue is that a lot of it read like this:
According to studies, drinking 8oz of milk a day increases muscle mass.
One of my students, Tiny Tim, drank milk every day, and now he's big and strong.
I could have done without the examples from her class.
I'm also sort of skeptical of research in psychology. You can't control for as many factors as you can control for in harder sciences. You can't raise a person in a test tube. You also often have to rely on someone's subjective report as opposed to interpreting results directly, which introduces an extra layer of uncertainty.
According to studies, drinking 8oz of milk a day increases muscle mass.
One of my students, Tiny Tim, drank milk every day, and now he's big and strong.
I could have done without the examples from her class.
I'm also sort of skeptical of research in psychology. You can't control for as many factors as you can control for in harder sciences. You can't raise a person in a test tube. You also often have to rely on someone's subjective report as opposed to interpreting results directly, which introduces an extra layer of uncertainty.
I wish I had read this book at a time when I was actually excited to, rather than just because it was available on audio, because the information is really good. I do remember and think about some of it, but overall it was different than what I wanted just now and I mainly finished it to finish it.
3 stars = I liked it
This suffers from the eye-rolling self-help-ness a bit less than a typical self-help book. It is researched and grounded in studies, though there are some persisting myths that have been debunked such as fat-rich diet = a healthy diet.
What I value the most about this book is that it helped me identify all the stuff I do to avoid what I fear. Through several key points, the author shows the reader how to view their actions and their day from a birds-eye perspective. This really was helpful, as well as the 'measurable' (if not anything) benefits of meditation/mindfulness and why to incorporate that to your days, even just for 5 minutes daily.
Not completely eye-opening, but it certainly allows one to identify starting points on how to incite a change and avoid procrastination and thus live the life they desire to live.
This suffers from the eye-rolling self-help-ness a bit less than a typical self-help book. It is researched and grounded in studies, though there are some persisting myths that have been debunked such as fat-rich diet = a healthy diet.
What I value the most about this book is that it helped me identify all the stuff I do to avoid what I fear. Through several key points, the author shows the reader how to view their actions and their day from a birds-eye perspective. This really was helpful, as well as the 'measurable' (if not anything) benefits of meditation/mindfulness and why to incorporate that to your days, even just for 5 minutes daily.
Not completely eye-opening, but it certainly allows one to identify starting points on how to incite a change and avoid procrastination and thus live the life they desire to live.