Experiment with marshmallows, or How to strengthen the willpower

There are people who have an amazing ability to get up on the first signal of alarm and even regularly go for a morning jog. They have no secret, just that they have developed a strong will. And each of us can take the first steps in this direction.

Almost 50 years ago, it was held the most famous experiment in the field of self-control, which marked the beginning of thousands of works devoted to the problem of formation of willpower.

This experiment was called "marshmallow test".

Imagine that you are - a four-year child, before you put marshmallows and offer the following deal: "I Now briefly'll move on business, and if you do not eat the marshmallow, then on my return I will give you more one". Quite a difficult task for a four-year, agree?

After the experiment was conducted for these children long-term follow up to the end of high school (in total it took 12 to 14 years). Here are the results in the end got the scientists.

• Children, resist the temptation to four years, proved to be more sociable, self-confident and better able to cope with life's difficulties.
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• In the process of learning "resist" are better able to articulate their thoughts and reasoning, as well as to focus, plan and monitor their implementation.
• The verbal and mathematical test "resist" is gaining an average of 15% more points.

Thus, after 15 years of research have been identified cornerstone of willpower. It consists in the ability to consciously suppress rush in order to achieve the goal. And absolutely no matter what the scale in front of you is a goal: to get a second zefirku, to strengthen their health or to succeed in business.

This is precisely the main lever of power. Understanding how it works, anyone is able to repeatedly develop your endurance and stamina with little effort.

Mikrovolya, or an easy way to find strength

Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote, "To see something great, you need to understand the small." In other words, in order to learn how to make lasting volitional behavior, e.g. quit smoking or stop eating sweets, you first need to practice on something less significant.

1. meditate

Meditation - this is not about Buddhism, but about self-control. It allows you to learn how to track the simple impulses of the body at rest.

Sit precisely chair, close your eyes and focus on breathing: inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale... (repeat myself).

At this point you will start to overcome different thoughts, a desire to rearrange the leg, scratch and so on. The meaning of meditation is to learn how to fix the impulsive orders of the brain and push them into the background.

Start small, and eventually you will pay attention to the greater urgency: to pick up a cigarette or eat a piece of cake. Only 5 minutes of meditation a day will help you to train yourself to keep track of your desires and learn to give them up.

2. Be specific

One of the key rules of management says, "you can control what you can find." To overcome the negative habit or develop a new one, fix your desire in figures. For example, decide that this week you will smoke less than 5 cigarettes a day or 3 times only allow yourself to dessert.

Start with your rules, you can not even lower the bar. Most importantly, in the future every week, try to gradually improve your score.

We often do not notice how our habits are out of control at critical moments. This method makes it possible to suppress an inner urge to plunge into all serious and sober assessment of the situation.

3. volitional break

When you feel that you are about to frustrate, just take a break for 5-10 minutes.

No, at this time you are unlikely to suddenly gush burst of willpower. To do this, you need to remember why you even began to fight with the habit, and why is it so important for you.

Most of all, we are ready to change something, when honestly admit to ourselves, why do we need it. At such moments, be honest, and after 5-10 minutes you will be able to return to self-control.

at last

There is a very large set of tools that can help strengthen the willpower. Most importantly, what it is worth remembering: willpower - a muscle. Like any other muscle, it requires training, even small but regular.

We all want to be able to make a serious willful decisions, which at the moment can change our lives. But to this point, it lasted more than a minute, it is necessary to lay a solid foundation for future developments. These simple exercises will help you with this.

Just decide now, whether you are willing to wait for his second zefirku?

I wish you success!