2 days ago, I wrote a post summarizing Roy Baumeister’s Willpower. The theories and methodologies presented in the book have since been disproven.
One of my readers (Tom Asacker) brought this more recent article to my attention: This Myth About Willpower Is Holding Back Your Productivity
The theory of ‘ego-depletion’ that Baumeister championed doesn’t hold up to subsequent similar experiments that sought to replicate the same results. The publication that initially reported on these findings also omitted some contradictory evidence.
In fact, perception bias in believing Baumeister’s ideas has negative repercussions - YOUR WILLPOWER IS LIMITED IF YOU THINK IT IS:
“Belief drives behavior. Thinking we’re spent makes us feel worse, while rewarding ourselves with an indulgence makes us feel better.”
“signs of ego depletion were observed only in test subjects who believed willpower was a limited resource. Those participants who did not see willpower as finite did not show signs of ego depletion.”
- from the article.
Interestingly enough, I touched upon the correlation => confirmation idea a few posts ago, and I’m quite happy to see Baumeister double down on his beliefs and bring his ideas into the public arena. Only then can we even disprove and disqualify the idea, narrowing our search for ‘truth’.
The Fast Company article touches on a possible alternative - that of our willpower being connected to the emotions we feel.
“Just as we don’t ‘run out’ of joy or anger, willpower ebbs and flows based on what’s happening to us and how we feel.”
It’s not hard to see why the idea caught on; it’s natural desire to find ‘cause’ for why we don’t/do want to do something. Even better if we can connect said cause to something outside our control.
u̶n̶Fortunately, willpower isn’t something that can be depleted. Instead, any lack of inclination for a task should be taken as opportunity to investigate our emotions and mindset. It’s not strength of character keeping us from it; it’s simply desire. Still, Baumeister’s hard at work: perhaps the theory is in the right direction, just the wrong track. Time will tell.
‘til the next disproving, good readers!
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