39: Willpower | Chapter 2 | Minding The Brain Towards Change

The Emil Barna Podcast

In this episode, psychotherapist Emil Barna reads the revised second chapter to his 2017 book Minding The Brain Towards Change: What Willpower Really Means For Addiction.
Here is a snippet from the book:
"... there formed a group of Kurdish female freedom fighters who began to hold the Islamic State (IS) at bay in the small Syrian town of Kobane. These freedom fighters were relentless. They were convinced that IS was afraid of them because if a fighter were to die at the hands of a woman they wouldn’t inherit heaven. These women were convinced that the reason they were so successful at holding IS off was the power of their indomitable ‘will.’ They said that their ‘will’ could not be budged, and that IS could never compete with their determination. Driving IS from Kobane was top priority.."
—Chapter Summary

Main Points

• Willpower is the energy behind self-control
• Self-control is the ability to refrain from current temptation for a future goal
• Glucose is an important carbohydrate that gives you the energy to do the things you set your mind to
• Things like violence, aggression, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, and a lack of attention can often come about when blood glucose levels and metabolism are out-of-whack
• Expectations play a big role in willpower
• Self-regulation is the ability to evaluate the pros and cons of a particular behaviour and adjust that behaviour accordingly
• Self-awareness is the ability to know yourself, others, and your surroundings
• Willpower, self-control, self-regulation, and self-awareness work together in intricate ways to help you keep to your set goals

Practical Considerations

• Keep your body well-nourished for the exercise of energy
• Remind yourself that positive expectations lead your brain to work better on a goal you’ve set for yourself
• Open your mind, learn more about yourself, listen to others' opinions of yourself (especially if you disagree with them), and consider your impact on others and the way others impact you
• Weigh up the pros and cons in determining the benefit of a particular action

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