Cal Newport over at Study Hacks ran an article that questions the very same willpower research that I reported on last week. So maybe the research I mentioned was wrong, and willpower isn’t a muscle to be "exercised."
Or maybe it is. The theories that Cal reported on don’t exactly go against Dr. Baumeister’s theories - the two different theories are capable of co-existing. In other words, we have a limited amount of willpower for things we don’t want to be doing, but we have an intense amount of willpower when we’re motivated. And, even better, our "unmotivated" willpower might be expandable through "exercise."
Of course, my reflections on all of this add up to nothing more than pop psychology. I’m about the furthest thing from a psychologist you can get: I majored in Film Production and Business Studies. About the closest I got to psych stuff was my Gender Studies concentration (almost a minor, but not quite!). Most of this research leaves me with more questions than answers.
But I’m willing to try, anyway. I’m interested in people, and their habits, in general. I don’t yet know where the projects on Starting This Week will take me. Maybe I’ll be able to cure my noodle arms, and maybe I won’t.
At least I’m willing to try it. Turn myself into a human guinea pig… do I at least get a giant wheel to play on? You can play along, if you like. I’ve added a little widget to the sidebar of this site, that lets you suggest and vote on habits you’d like to see me try. I’ve got a lot of habits I want to try, but I’m always open to suggestions. We’ll see how it goes.
