Got Willpower?

Did you know maybe half of all scientific researchers do not believe there is such a thing as willpower? They cannot see, measure or track it with an fMRI, so many believe it is another urban myth like the alligators in the New York sewer
system.

Joseph Stalin, Soviet Czar for 24 years (1929-1953) is remembered for one thing. Uncle Joe had twenty million Russians et al. executed before World War II. He claimed they were all latent capitalists and thus enemies of the State.

Which of the following quotes of Joseph Stalin (< Rus – man-of-steel) stick like glue to the mind?

a) “The Pope demands? How many divisions does the Pope have?”
b) “A single death is a tragedy, one-million is a statistic.”
c) “In the Soviet Army it takes more courage to retreat than to advance.”
d) “The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count
the votes decide everything.”
e) “I believe in one thing only, the power-of-human-will.”

Willpower Lives

In the journal Nature Neuroscience, May, 2008, decision making was tested while the subjects were hooked to a fMRI (brain scan equipment). Google: John-Dylan Haynes, Max Planck Institute.

Result: the brain made the decision up to 10 seconds before the conscious mind (willpower) was aware of the result. The researchers concluded: our non-consciousness, (subconscious) and right hemisphere, made the decision and choice of behavior, and caused our consciousness (left hemisphere) to believe it was the
instigator and manager of the action.

Coda: Our decisions are powerfully triggered by the brain’s neural pathways and firing synapses based on hardwiring. When we (consciousness) attain awareness, all that is left is to confirm or veto the action.

Some scientists believe it is our subconsciousness (brainstem-basal ganglia (nuclei)-nervous and immune system, Sympathetic and ParaSympathetic Nervous Systems) that hold a veto power over dangerous decisions).

I remind the reader that each of us has 62 thousand miles of blood vessels in each of our bodies. Consciousness has a broadband (Hz) that can process about 100 cycles per second of information, while Nonconsciousness (get this) can and does
process 11 million bits of information per second.

Ego

Another name for Consciousness is Ego Mind, our autobiographical entity containing all our knowledge and experience. Our active behavior on a daily basis is an integration between our left and right hemispheres, (subconscious and consciousness).

Subconsciousness uses habit (autopilot) and hormones. What is subconsciousness? It is a combination (joint venture) between the Limbic System (emotion) and the Reptilian Complex (instinct and reflexes).

It is stored in long-term memory for instant access. These guys produce our Behavior Routines, hardwired instincts.

Consciousness is the new-kid-on-the-block – our NeoCortex – the left-hemisphere’s specializations like planning, organizing, logic and language.

Conation: definition: synonymous with motivation, will/drive. < Latin conan – to attempt, to strive. The power to act.

Willpower is Limited

The New York Times published an article on the function of willpower on 4.02.08 by researchers Sam Wang and Sandra Aamodt.

Coda:

Our brain has a limited (the glass is half-full or half-empty) supply of willpower. If we use it for self-regulation of instant-gratification, and impulse-control, we drain the supply for other goals like weight control or to cease smoking.

Taking exams, the learning process, restraining aggression or sex depletes our willpower.

Google: psychologist Roy Baumeister.

How to Manufacture Willpower

It is not the economy – it is Glucose, that is - blood sugar, the human fuel operating like gas for your car. All forms of planning, and self-control require a gallon of glucose to run the programs.

Before an exam, studying or an important presentation – eat an apple or drink a glass of real (not low calorie) lemonade to increase your glucose.

Eating or drinking protein, chomping on a complex carbohydrate produce even great amount of blood sugar for longer efforts. The latest research indicates that multitasking depletes our willpower energy level.

Concentrating all your willpower on one outcome increases your success potential. It is a scientific fact – use-it-or-lose-it. The more you exercise willpower, the more becomes available for the future.

Each time we exercise impulsivity control, (inhibit impulsive behaviors) delay gratification (put down the chocolate in mid-act), we increase our willpower function. Willpower is associated with success in school, career, and relationships.

Google: Sam Wang, Princeton University psychologist.

Endwords

Would your success at school and career improve if you could read and remember three (3) articles, reports and books, compared to your peers, who can hardly finish one? Ask us how.

See ya,

Speed Reading

copyright © 2008
H. Bernard Wechsler