[dead]
Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
11–20 of 241 posts
Re: Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
#12It’s just like decision fatigue: your capacity for it diminishes the more you use it (within a given time range). Instead, carefully curate your identity . This is described well in Atomic Habits. Train yourself to think “I am just not the kind of person who does x.”
Whether decision fatigue is a real thing has been called in to question: https://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/cover_stor...
Doesn’t matter. Changing via willpower and context cues is quite difficult.
Identity change is the best, most lasting way.
Re: Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
#13Huberman did a very nice review of the literature here. Highly recommend.
Re: Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
#14Replacing bad habits with good ones seem to be the easiest thing for me.
Going for that cookie? Go for some pushups instead when you crave. Usually your mind is just bored.
Re: Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
#15Once you realise you are more of a sheep than you think you can do things like adapt your environment to encourage giving up the habit. Or replace the havit with a new more powerful one. Or use a star chart!
Re: Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
#16It’s just like decision fatigue: your capacity for it diminishes the more you use it (within a given time range). Instead, carefully curate your identity . This is described well in Atomic Habits. Train yourself to think “I am just not the kind of person who does x.”
> Instead, carefully curate your identity . This is described well in Atomic Habits. Train yourself to think “I am just not the kind of person who does x.”
Interesting but orthogonal to the article.
The article: "I am the kind of person who has changed my environment such that doing x is inconvenient enough that I can avoid it most of the time without having to use much willpower."
Re: Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
#17Replacing bad habits with good ones seem to be the easiest thing for me. Going for that cookie? Go for some pushups instead when you crave. Usually your mind is just bored.
Even replacing the cookie with 100g strawberries and 100g yoghurt goes a long way. And why is that cookie there? Shop on a full stomach. Take a list.
Re: Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
#18Huberman did a very nice review of the literature here. Highly recommend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcs2PFz5q6g
Love Huberman, although gripping it is not the format for quick revision. Each episode is movie length. Take notes.
Re: Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
#19It’s just like decision fatigue: your capacity for it diminishes the more you use it (within a given time range). Instead, carefully curate your identity . This is described well in Atomic Habits. Train yourself to think “I am just not the kind of person who does x.”
> This is described well in Atomic Habits. Train yourself to think “I am just not the kind of person who does x.” Is this just basically willpower? Or perhaps I should read the book to find out.
People who consider themselves "gym rats" go to the gym because it is what they do.
People who are mountain bikers don't ride to keep in shape, they look forward to getting on their bike.
Re: Studies suggest that relying on will power to break habits is hopeless (2019)
#20Every time I've quit drinking I used will power. So it's not hopeless. Now I'm 8 days sober! Checkmate, studies.