The mindset that brings unlimited willpower

The common perception is that willpower, defined by psychologists as the ability to resist short-term temptations and override unwanted thoughts or feelings, is a finite resource. However, there are strategies that can help us augment our willpower. We all encounter situations that test our self-control. For instance, you might be a barista dealing with particularly difficult customers, or you could be working on a crucial project that requires sustained concentration. If you're on a diet, you might have spent hours resisting the allure of the cookie jar. In all these scenarios, you're relying on your willpower. Some individuals seem to possess greater reserves of willpower, finding it easier to regulate their emotions, avoid procrastination, and adhere to their goals.

The prevailing psychological theory until recently proposed that willpower functioned like a battery. You start the day with full strength, but each instance of controlling your thoughts, feelings, or behavior drains the battery's energy. Without opportunities to rest and recharge, these resources run low, making it increasingly difficult to maintain patience, concentration, and resist temptation. However, in 2010, psychologist Veronika Job published a study that challenged this theory, presenting evidence that ego depletion, or the exhaustion of willpower, depended on individuals' underlying beliefs. Job found that people with a limited mindset, or those who believed their willpower was easily depleted, performed as the ego depletion theory predicted. However, those with a non-limited view, or those who believed that their mental stamina could replenish itself, showed no signs of ego depletion.

Job's research indicated that people's mindsets about willpower could predict their procrastination levels and their academic performance. Students with non-limited views were better able to maintain self-control in other areas of life, such as resisting fast food or impulsive spending, especially when under academic pressure. Those who believed that their willpower was easily depleted were more likely to indulge in these behaviors. The influence of willpower mindsets also extends to fitness, with people who hold non-limited beliefs about willpower finding it easier to motivate themselves to exercise. If you've been operating under the assumption that your self-control reserves are easily depleted, Job's studies suggest that learning about this science can help shift your beliefs, potentially enhancing your mental stamina.