This week, I’m starting a new type of post on the blog called Resource Highlight. Because I help people through several different roles, I tend to think of myself as a clearinghouse of information. Part of professional development means that I will keep finding and consuming useful resources, so I’d like to share that part of my journey with you.
In this series, I’ll be highlighting some of the resources that I find myself recommending most often to clients, students, colleagues, and even my own social circle.
January tends to be a time for new year’s resolutions - commitments to pick up new habits or maybe kick old nasty ones. The problem is that even though most of us start strong, our resolutions are usually toast by MLK Day. If we start out SO committed, then how and why do we fail to keep up with our resolutions?
Dr. Kelly McGonigal addresses this struggle head-on in her book The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It. I found this book when wandering through the library one day, and I’m so glad that I did! I loved it enough to buy it in hard copy and for my Kindle. She uses neuroscience, clear language, and real world examples to tackle why our willpower challenges are so, well, challenging!
The book is written like a course that you can complete on your own time and on your own. This means that you don’t want to devour this guy in an afternoon! Read a chapter, and then take a week to implement her ideas. Dr. McGonigal includes creative thought exercises, deep reflection, and insightful experiments to help you with your specific resolution.
I love how Dr. McGonigal recognizes the different types of challenges:
“I will” - Something that we want to do more
“I won’t” - Something that we want to do less
“I want” - Something that we are working towards
This means that no matter what change you are struggling to implement or maintain (remember The Cycle of Change?), this book can help you to accomplish your goal.
How have you been successful lately in harnessing your willpower? If you haven’t been successful, what do you see as your biggest obstacle? Comment below!
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