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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
Continuing my policy of not rating books where I know the author (umm, sort of).
This book makes James Clear's "Atomic Habits" book feel like a pamphlet, although I'm not sure which one will eventually have a bigger impact on people's behaviour. There are A LOT of actionable insights in this book which is why I recommend taking the authors suggestion seriously and reading this book through in chunks with practice periods in between.
The book is well written, backed up by research (the author is a lecturer on willpower at Stanford University) and does a great job of explaining the evolutionary process that has shaped our behavioural mechanics. It also expands on a variety of topics outside the personal realm, like neuromarketing, governmental policies etc.
Out of the books I've read on the same topic it clearly tops The Marshmallow Test and even The Power of Habit (which was great, but a little too general) and stands in tie with Atomic Habits as the latter is one of the most actionable books I've read.
The book is well written, backed up by research (the author is a lecturer on willpower at Stanford University) and does a great job of explaining the evolutionary process that has shaped our behavioural mechanics. It also expands on a variety of topics outside the personal realm, like neuromarketing, governmental policies etc.
Out of the books I've read on the same topic it clearly tops The Marshmallow Test and even The Power of Habit (which was great, but a little too general) and stands in tie with Atomic Habits as the latter is one of the most actionable books I've read.
funny
informative
medium-paced
What this boiled down to for me: act on behalf of your future self instead of your present self. All the time. This doesn't sound like fun at all!
I am surprising myself by giving this book 5 stars. I don't much care for the self-help genre and have not read many books of this nature. Perhaps the reason I appreciated this book was because it was more science based and less general psychology based? It's a practical book that doesn't dither about. I finished the book knowing nothing about the author's personal life - which is how it should be. I much prefer reading about various experiments rather than one person's experience. She does use some of her students' stories in brief examples, to hammer home a point. I found the book easy to read(less than 200 pages - plenty long enough) and I found it easy to follow. Best of all, I think it will be easy to apply to my actual life. In fact, I am going to attempt to get my two teenagers to read this book, I find it so filled with helpful ideas. (Wish me luck!) Baring that, I plan to aggravate them by following them around the house, reading pertinent bits out loud to them. I've even already copied one page out of the book and pinned it to the fridge. I'm not sure what has come over me. I guess I just like the message of this book - that while we cannot control what thoughts and feelings pop into our head, we can control how we react to them. Understanding that you are not a special snowflake and that your responses and behaviors have a biological basis is also a message worth hearing. This book is filled with practical advice that you can actually do. I'm glad I picked up this book.
It's a little humbling to put a book like this on my reading list. I have plenty of willpower! I am strong! Or not. Oh well.
By far my favourite "self help" book of 2018 has helped me tremendously. I seriously talk about it at least once a week.
The most actionable, practical and resourceful self help book on the market.
This trumps all the 'inspiring and motivating' titles that crowd shelves by providing step by step, scientifically backed and practically proven processes to grow your willpower muscle.
It does not waste words at getting the reader to 'ignore their fears' or 'just do it'; instead it focuses on the cause of willpower deficit and seeks to create solutions accordingly.
Written in an immersive and clear-cut manner, it is a fast read even though it's a nonfiction. Though it is recommended to read it slowly over a course of months and try and implement each method to your struggles.
I would recommend keeping a companion journal to this book to avail the best outcome and take it slow instead of rushing through the book.
Simply, one of the best books I've ever read, this thing is life changing.
"When your mind is preoccupied, your impulses—not your long-term goals—will guide your choices"
This trumps all the 'inspiring and motivating' titles that crowd shelves by providing step by step, scientifically backed and practically proven processes to grow your willpower muscle.
It does not waste words at getting the reader to 'ignore their fears' or 'just do it'; instead it focuses on the cause of willpower deficit and seeks to create solutions accordingly.
Written in an immersive and clear-cut manner, it is a fast read even though it's a nonfiction. Though it is recommended to read it slowly over a course of months and try and implement each method to your struggles.
I would recommend keeping a companion journal to this book to avail the best outcome and take it slow instead of rushing through the book.
Simply, one of the best books I've ever read, this thing is life changing.
"When your mind is preoccupied, your impulses—not your long-term goals—will guide your choices"