MindTango #4: Maybe You Don't Need More Willpower
We often treat discipline as a personal trait: you either have it or you don't.
But what if discipline is partly a design problem?
The easier a behaviour is to access, the less effort it takes to repeat. And the more friction we put between ourselves and a behaviour, the less automatic it becomes.
So instead of constantly asking yourself to try harder, ask:
How could I make the behaviour I want easier — and the behaviour I don't want slightly harder?
Sometimes changing your environment is more effective than fighting yourself.
As Aristotle wrote:
“ We are what we repeatedly do.”
I explore why willpower is such a fragile strategy — and what actually helps us create lasting behaviour change.
in my YouTube video.
Science Corner
Research on habit formation suggests that our surroundings can become powerful cues for behaviour, especially when behaviours are repeated in consistent contexts.
Worth exploring:
Lally et al. (2010), How are habits formed? — European Journal of Social Psychology. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.674?source=content_type%3Areact%7Cfirst_level_url%3Aarticle%7Csection%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link&utm_source=chatgpt.com
Gollwitzer & Sheeran (2006), Implementation Intentions and Goal Achievement — Advances in Experimental Social Psychology.
One question to take with you this week:
Am I looking for information — or am I looking for certainty?
The Deeper Question behind Performance
Are you trying to become more disciplined — or could you design your environment so you need less discipline in the first place?
I’d love to hear your thoughts simply send me and email at muguet@themindtango.com
Thank you for being part of the MindTango community.
Let’s rearrange your mind.
- Muguet
Comments