Willpower：Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

Oneoftheworld'smostesteemedandinfluentialpsychologists,RoyF.Baumeister,teamswithNewYorkTimessciencewriterJohnTierneytorevealthesecretsofself-controlandhowtomasterit.InWillpower,thepioneeringresearcherRoyF.BaumeistercollaborateswithrenownedNewYorkTimessciencewriterJohnTierneytorevolutionizeourunderstandingofthemostcovetedhumanvirtue:self-control.Inwhatbecameoneofthemostcitedpapersinsocialscienceliterature,Baumeisterdiscoveredthatwillpoweractuallyoperateslikeamuscle:itcanbestrengthenedwithpracticeandfatiguedbyoveruse.Willpowerisfueledbyglucose,anditcanbebolsteredsimplybyreplenishingthebrain'sstoreoffuel.That'swhyeatingandsleeping-andespeciallyfailingtodoeitherofthose-havesuchdramaticeffectsonself-control(andwhydietershavesuchahardtimeresistingtemptation).Baumeister'slatestresearchshowsthatwetypicallyspendfourhourseverydayresistingtemptation.Nowonderpeoplearoundtheworldrankalackofself-controlastheirbiggestweakness.Willpowerlookstothelivesofentrepreneurs,parents,entertainers,andartists-includingDavidBlaine,EricClapton,andothers-whohaveflourishedbyimprovingtheirself-control.Thelessonsfromtheirstoriesandpsychologists'experimentscanhelpanyone.Youlearnnotonlyhowtobuildwillpowerbutalsohowtoconserveitforcrucialmomentsbysettingtherightgoalsandusingthebestnewtechniquesformonitoringyourprogress.Onceyoumasterthesetechniquesandestablishtherighthabits,willpowergetseasier:you'llneedlessconsciousmentalenergytoavoidtemptation.That'sneithermagicnoremptyself-helpsloganeering,butratherasolidpathtoabetterlife.Combiningthebestofmodernsocialsciencewithpracticalwisdom,BaumeisterandTierneyheresharethedefinitivecompendiumofmodernlessonsinwillpower.Asoursocietyhasmovedawayfromthevirtuesofthriftandself-denial,itoftenfeelshelplessbecausewefacemoretemptationsthanever.Butwealsohavemoreknowledgeandbettertoolsfortakingcontrolofourlives.Howeverwedefinehappiness-aclose-knitfamily,asatisfyingcareer,financialsecurity-wewon'treachitwithoutmasteringself-control.