2018-11-08

2018年11月8日 星期四

The willpower instinct

Chapter 1: I will, I won’t, I want : what willpower is and why it matters

My questions:

Do I need the willpower? To what extent do I need it?

In which aspect can I use the willpower?

Willpower is actually three powers - I will, I won’t and I want - that help us to be a better version of ourselves.

自制力是由三部分组成：我将要，我不要，我想要做一件事。

自制力存在的意义：成就更好的自己。

“I will” power - the ability to do what you need to do, even if part of you doesn’t want to.

针对 “I will”，其实有三种选择，“I will do it”; “I won’t do it”; “I delay doing it”. 做事情和做作业通常都有deadline。我自己的心路历程通常是：“我马上就会完成了，” “哎，有件好玩的事情，再等等吧”。“我真不想做这件事，时间太短了，做不完呀”，“限制时间到了，赶紧做吧，先交差再说”。然后就不了了之。

如此看来，我还是很有必要了解自制力原理，并且加强自制力的锻炼。

自制力是同人的prefrontal cortex息息相关的。

The prefrontal cortex controls physical movement, what you pay attention to, what you think about, what you feel and even what you do. 

这本书在介绍原理之后会给出实践方式和现实案例，以增强可信度。

Under the microscope

What is the harder thing?

Imagine yourself facing your willpower challenge, and doing the harder thing. What makes it hard?

Meet your two minds.

For your willpower challenge, describe your two competing selves. What does the impulsive version of you want? What does the wiser version of you want?

一件事情很难进行，心情烦躁，时间越是紧迫，越是难以专注着完成，心里越来越慌乱。书上说此时，静下来，回看自己的行为，再思考自己做事情的目标，近期目标和长远目标，从而能够进一步分析自己的行为。

如果写出来是为了自己明白和行动，上面那一段写完就可以了。还想多说两句，解释以下知易行难。所谓的知道也不过是皮毛。

首先“回看自己的行为”这一个举动能够难倒一批人，其次冷静分析自己的优缺点，也是一不留神就会偏向一端。流水账式的记日记并不能够帮助人们改变困境。但是反过来看，按照书上说的方法实验，一直一直做，就能够在某个点有质的飞跃。也就能够使自己的大脑结构有所改变。下面两个方法就很及时了。作者将时间缩短到track your willpower choices at least one day, meditate 5 minutes。回看自己的行为—一天；冥想—5分钟。先做起来，再说其他。

Willpower experiments

Track your willpower choices. For at least one day, try to notice every decision you make related to your willpower challenge.

Five-minute brain-training meditation. Focus on your breath using the words “inhale” and “exhale” in your mind. When your mind wanders, notice, and bring it back to the breath.