Intention

CHAPTER 6The Surprising Impact of Willpower Attitude

“An alternate view of the world…one that recognizes how much of our reality is socially constructed, may actually afford more personal control.”

—Ellen Langer

So much of our modern lives seems to rely on willpower. With the onslaught of enticing options and attractive distractions in our overstimulated world, it seems that we're increasingly reliant on our power to act responsibly and resist temptation. Unfortunately, for many of us, relying on willpower is a taxing process. It grinds us down until we eventually have no choice but to give in. Whether it's a long day at work, countless distractions from our digital devices, or the constant demands of daily life, our willpower reserves dwindle. We're left vulnerable to procrastination or indulging in unhealthy habits.

This story of struggling with willpower should be familiar. After all, most people believe that willpower is a limited resource. We therefore need to do everything we can to conserve and preserve it, lest we waste it on pointless tasks and decisions. This is why many “life hackers” encourage us to limit the decisions we have to make by wearing the same clothes every day or eating the same meals. It's why a huge body of self-help literature advises readers to structure their days in a way that puts the toughest decisions first thing in the morning, before our willpower gets all used up. We see our willpower much in the same way we may view the battery power on ...