Thursday, January 3, 2013

Willpower - the ingredient of success

Every year we make a list of New Year's resolutions; things we want to do better, changes we want to make...many times we decide we will finally lose that weight, get in shape.  We go all gung ho.  We get that gym membership, go on a massive diet....and months later the diet is failed and the gym membership is just a drain on our bank accounts, and we are still in our fat pants.  We have failed and that puts us back in the cycle of increased weight gain, etc.  But, are we doomed to rinse and repeat this year?  Can we break the cycle?  Can we be "that guy", the one in the before and after pictures on those infomercials that actually dropped weight and looks like an underwear model?
WILLPOWER: these people plugged into a support system for motivation and stuck with it.  For support and motivation find me on facebook at the fitter Fitter or at teambeachbody.com as kashubian.

Being "that guy", the person you fantasize about seeing in the mirror doesn't come by wishing.  For me, turning the corner to successfully beginning my journey from wishing to being was facilitated by plugging into a network of people who wanted me to succeed.  The sad fact is there are those near and dear to me who still are not very happy that I'm making these positive changes, as silly as that sounds.  I needed to look beyond my present circle of friends to find a support system of those who would motivate and support me on my health and fitness journey.  For me it's not becoming an underwear model, it's about avoiding the medical issues obesity had laid out before me.  This is a fight for my life, so to speak: avoiding heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, knee replacements....on and on.  I have so many reasons to get healthy, no real good ones for staying obese.  So, what does willpower bring to the table?  Where does it come from and what difference will it make?  What scientific basis is there for willpower?

Pioneering research psychologist Roy F. Baumeister collaborates with New York Times science writer John Tierney to revolutionize our understanding of the most coveted human virtue: self-control. Drawing on cutting-edge research and the wisdom of real-life experts, Willpower shares lessons on how to focus our strength, resist temptation, and redirect our lives. It shows readers how to be realistic when setting goals, monitor their progress, and how to keep faith when they falter. By blending practical wisdom with the best of recent research science, Willpower makes it clear that whatever we seek—from happiness to good health to financial security—we won’t reach our goals without first learning to harness self-control.
 The New York Times Bestseller about WILLPOWER; advise, insight, the science and how to make it work for you.

Reviews

An immensely rewarding book, filled with ingenious research, wise advice and insightful reflections on the human condition.” - (THE NEW YORK TIMES (Steven Pinker) )

An accessible, empirically grounded guide to willpower and how best to deploy it to overcome temptation.  ‘Willpower’ offers no shortage of helpful strategies to compensate for weakness of will” - (WALL STREET JOURNAL )

"Brilliant." - (THE DAILY BEAST )

Baumeister and Tierney use their appealingly upbeat voice to explain the intricate call-and-response between the failure of self-control and its problematical results.” - (KIRKUS REVIEWS )

 “Willpower (the thing) lies at the curious intersection of science and behavior. Willpower (the book) lies at the intersection of Roy Baumeister, an extraordinarily creative scientist, and John Tierney, a phenomenally perceptive journalist. Ignore it at your peril.”-
(Stephen J Dubner, author of FREAKONOMICS )

About the Authors

ROY F. BAUMEISTER directs the social psychology program at Florida State University. He has written more than 450 scientific publications and consistently ranks among the world’s most frequently cited psychologists.

JOHN TIERNEY writes the “Findings” science column for the New York Times. His writing has won awards from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Institute of Physics. This is his third book.

Learn how to be that guy, Go Get Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength.




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