Is Your Willpower Running Low? with Roy Baumeister

Roy Baumeister is one of the world’s most prolific and influential psychologists. He has published well over 500 scientific articles and more than 30 books. In 2013, he received the highest award given by the Association for Psychological Science, the William James Fellow Award. He is a professor of Psychology at Florida State University.  

Wish you had more willpower to stick to your resolutions?  Roy’s early studies found that generally self-control works like a muscle – it gets tired when you exercise it, but if you exercise it a lot, it seems to get stronger. Recently he is finding a link between your willpower and your body’s energy system, so when you are feeling tired, hungry, or run down your levels of self-control may be lower. Hear how self-control can help you manage the challenges of life.

Connect with Roy Baumeister:

Website: http://www.roybaumeister.com/

You’ll Learn: [01:45] – Roy explains why self-control seems more important and powerful than self-esteem. [04:30] – Roy describes his findings on how self-control works. [07:01] – Roy comments on a recent study by Carol Dweck where if you believe you have unlimited willpower you will be less likely to deplete it. [09:40] – Roy’s current research is finding that when your willpower is depleted you’re more likely to jump to conclusions. [14:08] – Roy talks about self-defeating behavior, specifically in situations with short-term gain and long-term loss. [17:36] – Roy explains that people with good self-control generally have fewer stresses and problems. [19:35] – Roy shares some insights on when and how to make positive changes in your life. [20:17] – The Lightning Round with Roy Baumeister Your Resources: Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength – Roy Baumeister and John Tierney A Natural History of Human Morality – Michael Tomasello Cheap Sex: The Transformation of Men, Marriage, and Monogamy – Mark Regnerus Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining me again this week.  If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this post.  

Also, please leave an honest review for the Making Positive Psychology Work Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

You can also listen to all the episodes of Making Positive Psychology Work streamed directly to your smartphone or iPad through stitcher. No need for downloading or syncing.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. It’s free!

Special thanks to Roy for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!