Author

Kelly McGonigal

16 key ideas across 2 books, each explained in our own words.

The Upside of Stress

IDEA 1
Beliefs about stress change its effects
McGonigal argues that how you think about stress matters. She describes research in which people who experienced a lot of stress and believed it was harmful fared worse than those who did not hold that belief.
IDEA 2
A short mindset shift can help
The book describes mindset interventions: brief exercises that teach people to see stress as useful. McGonigal reports studies in which such exercises changed how people performed and felt under pressure.
IDEA 3
Stress can prepare you to rise
Rather than only harming us, the stress response can give energy and focus. McGonigal describes a challenge response, in which the body gears up to meet a demand rather than freeze in fear.

IDEA 1
Willpower has three powers
McGonigal describes willpower as three abilities: I will power to do hard things, I won't power to resist temptation, and I want power to remember what you really want. Each is needed for real self-control.
IDEA 2
Pause and plan, not fight
Self-control, McGonigal explains, is a body response she calls pause and plan, the opposite of fight or flight. Slowing down, breathing deeply, sleeping well and exercising all appear to strengthen this calmer response.
IDEA 3
Good deeds can license bad ones
McGonigal describes moral licensing: after doing something virtuous, people often feel they have earned a treat and relax their standards. Seeing progress as proof of who you are, not as a reward, helps avoid this trap.

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