John Tierney

Willpower

1. IDEA 1

   Self-control predicts success in life

   Baumeister and Tierney argue that self-control, along with intelligence, is one of the strongest predictors of a good life. People who manage impulses tend to do better at school, work, health and relationships.

2. IDEA 2

   Willpower can run low

   The book presents research on ego depletion: using self-control on one task seemed to leave people with less for the next. The authors compare willpower to a muscle that can tire with use. Later studies have debated how strong this effect is.

3. IDEA 3

   Glucose and self-control are linked

   The authors describe studies linking self-control with the brain's energy supply. They suggest that hunger and tiredness weaken willpower, which helps explain why people make worse choices when they skip meals or sleep poorly.

All 8 ideas from Willpower →