PDF Summary:Willpower, by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney

In a world obsessed with quick fixes and life hacks, social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister and science journalist John Tierney’s Willpower discusses our most underutilized mental resource. The authors explain that willpower functions much like a muscle: It can be strengthened through exercise, it fatigues with overuse, and it needs proper nourishment to perform at its best.

This guide will begin by discussing what willpower is and how it works. We’ll then go over some exercises you can use to strengthen your willpower. We’ll conclude by exploring ways to create healthy and positive pressure to keep yourself on track when your willpower is running low.

Our commentary will further explain the science behind Baumeister and Tierney’s principles, including which of their assertions don’t yet have a strong scientific consensus. We’ll also compare and contrast their ideas about willpower with other productivity guides such as Limitless. Finally, we’ll provide tips to help you make the most of your willpower.

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The Cycle of Motivation

The other way to minimize your willpower use is to keep yourself motivated. On this subject, Baumeister and Tierney say that the real secret isn’t getting motivated, but rather staying motivated over the long term. Fortunately, you can use motivation and work to create a loop, each feeding into the other to form a largely self-perpetuating cycle.

To begin this cycle, consider the reason behind whatever goals you set: Perhaps you want to improve your health or self-image, make a positive change in the world, or simply have some fun. Whatever it is, that reason can give you the initial motivation to take action. Unfortunately, that motivation doesn’t last forever, which is why it’s so common for people to start new projects and then lose steam after a short time.

(Shortform note: If you’re having trouble finding the motivation to start (or restart) something you need to do, another option is to start small. As Mark Manson says in [The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck](https://shortform.com/app/book/the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck)*, doing something—anything—to make progress will help you overcome your urge to procrastinate and will make the rest of that task seem easier. For example, if you have to write a long report or essay, you might start by setting a goal to write just the first sentence. Once you’ve broken through your procrastination by taking that first step, continuing to work on it won’t seem so daunting.)

To help you stay on task over the long term, Baumeister and Tierney point out that when you notice that you’ve made tangible progress toward a goal, it boosts your motivation to keep working. This increased motivation then drives you to put forth more effort, leading to further progress, and so on. Therefore, the secret to staying motivated is to come up with highly visible ways to track your progress toward your goals, and to celebrate small milestones.

For example, if you’re trying to lose a large amount of weight, you might weigh yourself every day and use a simple spreadsheet to track the dates and your weight. You could then treat yourself to a small gift for, say, every five or 10 pounds you lose.

(Shortform note: This motivation loop is the result of a chemical in your brain called dopamine. In The Molecule of More, the authors explain that making progress toward something you want causes your brain to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that creates feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. This natural reward system encourages you to repeat those goal-directed actions in the future. In short, because of dopamine, progress leads to pleasure, which in turn motivates further progress, creating the motivation loop that Baumeister and Tierney describe.)

Decision Fatigue

Baumeister and Tierney say that you should minimize your willpower expenditures because you only have a limited amount of willpower, and it’s possible to run out—a condition known as decision fatigue. When suffering from decision fatigue, you become more susceptible to impulsive behavior, poor decision-making, and diminished performance on tasks requiring self-control.

(Shortform note: Not only is it possible to run out of willpower, you may be in a near-constant state of decision fatigue without even knowing it. As psychologist Benjamin Hardy writes in Willpower Doesn’t Work, simply living in modern society constantly drains your willpower. This is because you always have countless options to choose from (what to watch, what to eat, what to wear, and so on), as well as countless temptations like addictive social media feeds and easy access to alcohol or other drugs.)

Decision fatigue leads people to minimize the effort they put into making decisions, much like how they’d try to avoid using a muscle that’s already tired and sore. In fact, people who have exhausted their willpower tend to avoid decision-making altogether: They’ll default to “standard” or pre-set options, or else impulsively agree to the first option they’re presented with. For example, someone who goes shopping for a car while in a state of decision fatigue might simply buy the first car they’re offered at the sticker price, instead of looking for a car that more closely matches their needs and haggling for a better deal.

In less extreme cases of decision fatigue, people often simplify their decision-making criteria by focusing on just one factor, rather than thoroughly comparing their options. Someone in this state might go to a restaurant and just order the cheapest thing on the menu, rather than comparing their options to find the best combination of cost and enjoyment.

Counterpoint: Decision Fatigue Is Still Being Studied and Debated

The concept of decision fatigue is not universally accepted. Critics argue that studies of decision fatigue have been fundamentally flawed, leading to inconsistent findings. This seems to weaken the case that decision fatigue is the result of a real and finite resource (willpower) being depleted, or at least indicates there are also other factors at work in people’s decision-making processes.

Furthermore, recent research suggests that people’s beliefs about willpower strongly influence how susceptible they are to decision fatigue. That is to say, people who think willpower is limited are likely to make the kinds of impulsive decisions that Baumeister and Tierney describe. Conversely, those who believe that willpower is infinite are better able to maintain their self-control even after making numerous decisions.

Strengthening Your Willpower

The good news is that, also like a muscle, you can strengthen your willpower through training and practice. We’ll explore each of those approaches in more detail.

Training Your Willpower With Exercises

Baumeister and Tierney say that willpower training can enhance both how strong your willpower is, and how long you can exert your willpower without running out (your “stamina,” so to speak).

Essentially, anything that disrupts your usual habits and makes you consciously think about what you’re doing could be a good willpower exercise. So, for instance, if you tend to eat quickly, one effective exercise would be to force yourself to take smaller bites and thoroughly chew every bite before swallowing it. Doing so will feel unnatural, uncomfortable, and tedious—and that’s exactly why it will help you build up your willpower.

(Shortform note: Personal trainers and martial artists often say that the most uncomfortable exercises are the ones you need the most. You dislike those exercises because they target your weaknesses, but that’s also why they’ll help you. The same holds true for willpower training: The exercises you dislike the most are the ones that will produce the best results if you’re able to stick with them.)

Practicing With Your Willpower Through Self-Improvement

However, Baumeister and Tierney say it’s crucial to approach self-improvement strategically—attempting to make too many changes at once often leads to failure, as it places excessive demands on limited willpower resources. Therefore, focusing on one self-improvement goal at a time will make you more likely to reach that goal.

However, the authors add that—much like how making progress gives you motivation to make more progress—reaching one self-improvement goal will also make it easier to reach other goals in the future. This is because self-improvement is good practice for your willpower. So, if one of your goals seems daunting at the moment, try pursuing an easier one first; working toward that first goal will strengthen your willpower, and make you better able to reach more difficult goals later on.

(Shortform note: Reaching one self-improvement goal can make it easier to reach others for reasons besides just practicing using willpower. In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains how changing one core habit can create a ripple effect that leads to numerous other improvements in your life, including things that aren’t directly related to that habit. The same principle applies to self-improvement. For instance, if one of your goals is to quit smoking, reaching that goal will greatly improve your health and stamina, making it much easier to lose weight—not just because your willpower is stronger, but also because you can tolerate exercise much better than before.)

The authors also say that the greatest challenge is maintaining your discipline over extended periods of time. While many people can muster willpower for short-term efforts, sustaining self-control over the long term requires a much greater level of commitment. Aligning your self-improvement goals with your personal values will help you maintain focus and self-control, leading to much better results.

For instance, someone who highly values physical fitness would most likely be highly motivated to quit drinking. On the other hand, someone for whom physical fitness isn’t a top priority would need much more willpower to reach the same goal—therefore, if they try it too early in their willpower practice, they’re likely to become discouraged and give up after a short time. Just like people have to build up their muscles to lift heavier weights at the gym, they have to build up their willpower with easier goals before pursuing goals that will be more difficult for them.

(Shortform note: It seems reasonable to align your goals with your personal values, but which values should you focus on? In Dare to Lead, social worker and best-selling author Brené Brown points out that holding too many different values will make you unable to effectively practice any of them. Therefore, she recommends choosing just two core values to base your goals and your decisions on. For instance, if generosity is one of your core values, it could motivate you to pursue your career goals so you can earn enough money to help others in need. Brown also emphasizes that, when choosing your two core values, make sure they relate to the person you genuinely want to be, and not the person you think others would want you to be.)

Amplify Your Willpower With Positive Pressure

We’ve just discussed how to improve your baseline level of willpower. Now let’s examine some strategies for using your existing willpower to its fullest extent; Baumeister and Tierney say that you can do this by putting various kinds of pressure on yourself, which will drive you to do your best even when you may not feel like it.

A Positive Pressure Toolbox

The authors provide a number of strategies to bolster your self-control and keep yourself focused on your goals. These “tools” are especially helpful when you’re feeling exhausted or overwhelmed by difficult situations—those are the times when your willpower is the weakest, and also when you’ll most need willpower to keep your self-control and avoid making impulsive decisions.

(Shortform note: What the authors describe here is also referred to as eustress. In The Upside of Stress, psychologist Kelly McGonigal explains that there are positive types of stress that trigger what she calls your challenge response, which gets you excited and focused, allowing you to perform at your best. It’s the kind of stress you might feel before giving an important presentation, competing in a sport you love, or working on a challenging project you’re passionate about. This is in contrast to distress, which is negative stress that upsets you and tires you out.)

Tool #1: Commitment

One way to generate external pressure for yourself is to publicly commit to a particular goal.

Commitment means making public declarations or promises about what you’re going to do, thereby creating a psychological barrier against giving up. This is because if you do give up after such a declaration, you would disappoint not only yourself but also the people you made that promise to.

(Shortform note: Publicly committing yourself to a goal is a way of creating personal consequences (disappointment or scorn from others) if you fail. Risk analyst Nassim Nicholas Taleb calls this putting Skin in the Game. Taleb writes that personal risk of this sort will motivate you to work harder, stop you from getting bored or frustrated as you work toward a goal, and cause you to make more careful decisions. On the other hand, if there are no consequences for giving up on your goal, then the only thing keeping you on task is your own willpower—which, as we’ve discussed, is a limited resource that you should conserve as much as possible.)

Tool #2: Routine

The authors say that routine will provide much-needed structure and guidance during challenging times. Even simple daily habits, like making coffee at the same time every morning, help to reinforce your willpower.

Routine is helpful for two key reasons. First, it creates a sense of normalcy and gives you a feeling of control over your environment. This will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed in difficult situations. Second—assuming your habits are productive ones—your routine will keep you on task even when you don’t feel like you have the energy to work toward your goals.

(Shortform note: Any kind of routine can help you stay grounded and push through overwhelming situations, but it stands to reason that a routine built around good habits will be the most beneficial. Psychologists and self-help experts have numerous tips about how to replace bad habits with better ones. One simple way to start building a better routine is to come up with an if-then statement that recognizes one of your bad habits and puts a good habit in its place. For example, if you tend to drink too much coffee to power through stressful work days, you might set the intention “If I start feeling tired at work, then I will take a five-minute break to stretch.” This replaces an unhealthy habit (overusing caffeine) with a healthy habit (regular stretch breaks).)

Tool #3: Purpose

Baumeister and Tierney say that finding a strong sense of purpose is, perhaps, the most important strategy for reinforcing your willpower. The purpose you devote yourself to could be a lofty ideal like “justice” or “freedom,” but it could also be something more mundane, such as keeping your family housed and fed—everyone is different, so find what motivates you.

A sense of purpose will help you maintain your self-control in extreme circumstances. Believing that you’re engaged in a deeply meaningful task will make you much more willing to endure hardship, and empower you to overcome challenges that might otherwise seem impossible. Furthermore, getting fully engaged in something like your job, volunteer work, or creative pursuits is an effective way to avoid dwelling on your personal problems. This will stop you from wasting mental energy on rumination, and instead keep you focused on what needs to be done.

For instance, say you’re struggling to quit smoking, and you’ve decided that your purpose is to take care of your family. Recognizing that smoking could lead to serious illness or death—thereby making you unable to support your loved ones—will be a powerful motivator to keep you on track when your willpower falters. Also, focusing on your family instead of yourself will help keep your mind off of how difficult and unpleasant it is to break a smoking habit.

Why It’s Important to Have a Purpose—and Where to Find Yours

The authors’ urging to find a sense of purpose closely aligns with psychologist Viktor Frankl’s school of logotherapy, which he outlines in the book Man’s Search for Meaning.

Logotherapy, which Frankl developed based on his experiences as a Holocaust survivor, centers on the premise that the primary motivational force in humans is the search for purpose and significance in life. This is because, during his time as a prisoner in several different concentration camps, he observed that people who maintained a sense of purpose— such as reuniting with their loved ones or completing unfinished work—had better chances of surviving the horrific ordeal. People who lacked that sense of purpose simply gave up, and were therefore much more likely to die.

Frankl also wrote that there are three ways to find meaning in life: You can find meaning in actions (what you do or make), you can find meaning in love (whether love for another person or for something like art or nature), and you can find meaning in suffering (using pain and hardship as challenges to overcome and chances to experience personal growth).

Religion Is an Especially Effective Tool

In addition to the toolbox above, Baumeister and Tierney say that getting involved in a religious or spiritual practice is an especially helpful way to boost and preserve your willpower. This is because religion and religious communities provide guidance, support, and accountability by their very nature.

First of all, religious and spiritual practices reduce the need for willpower by providing their followers with clear moral codes, rules of behavior, and routines or rituals to guide their day-to-day actions. This greatly simplifies decision-making processes and provides guidance in challenging situations, allowing practitioners to conserve their willpower. For example, a religion might have rules about what to eat, what clothes to wear, how to treat others, or what to do with your money—all decisions that would otherwise require some amount of mental energy.

Religious practices also encourage self-monitoring, often reinforced by the fear of being shunned by the community and the sense that you’re being watched by a higher power. Furthermore, in some belief systems, that higher power will punish you if you don’t act appropriately. This heightened awareness of your actions and their potential consequences serves as a constant reminder to exercise self-control.

The authors add that, if you don’t hold any religious or spiritual beliefs, there are similar communities in the secular world that could help you in many of the same ways. For example, gyms and martial arts schools tend to value consistency, discipline, and self-improvement, so members still feel pressured to work hard and will be held accountable if they don’t.

How “Choice Architecture,” Like Religion, Tries to Guide People’s Actions

These principles are similar to the concept of choice architecture in behavioral economics—that is, presenting options in such a way as to make people more likely to make the decision you want them to make. This is commonly seen in grocery stores, for instance, which place expensive brand-name items on highly visible endcaps while tucking cheaper products away in the middle of an aisle.

Religious practices and choice architecture both create frameworks that guide decision-making without forcibly restricting anyone’s choices. For example, a Christian still can commit grievous sins like adultery and murder, but their faith teaches that they’ll suffer for eternity in hell if they do so.

However, these two approaches differ in that religious systems often have a more comprehensive and explicit set of rules and beliefs, whereas choice architecture typically relies on subtle “nudges” to guide people toward specific decisions. Also, religion often tries to guard against the shortcomings of willpower by applying powerful outside pressures, while choice architecture seeks to exploit limited willpower by nudging people toward choices they might not otherwise make. Even so, both approaches recognize the limitations of human willpower and therefore try to create environments that produce desired behaviors.

(Shortform note: Some studies have shown that religious people tend to be healthier and more satisfied with their lives than their nonreligious counterparts, which suggests that religion is indeed helpful for boosting willpower and thereby reaching your life goals. Notably, however, those benefits were only found in cultures where religion is highly valued. In more secular cultures, such as those found in Scandinavian countries or Japan, the differences between religious and nonreligious people disappear almost entirely. Therefore, researchers have largely concluded that the benefits people experienced weren’t from religion itself, but rather from the social connections and support they gained while practicing their religion.)