Table of Contents
Below are some books on willpower – something a lot of people believe they have difficulties with, along with self-control and self-discipline.
Willpower is incredibly important as it allows you to restrain impulses and maintain control. Understanding the science behind willpower and being able to apply it to your life, will not only lead to more happiness but also a better life.
1. Willpower by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney :
This book shines a light on the science of self-control, coming straight from the top researcher in the field. Mixing the best of modern social science with practical wisdom, the authors of Willpower share advanced lessons on the subject that will change your life forever.
You’ll learn essential information about self-control, self-esteem, and others, along with skills on how to use willpower with money, productivity, and nutrition. We also have more knowledge and more tools than ever to take control of our lives and succeed.
Furthermore, Willpower shares lessons on how to focus our strength, resist temptation, and redirect our lives. It shows readers how to be realistic when setting goals, monitor their progress, and how to keep faith when they falter.
By blending practical wisdom with the best of recent research science, Willpower makes it clear that whatever we seek—from happiness to good health to financial security—we won’t reach our goals without first learning to harness self-control.
2. The Marshmallow Test by Walter Mischel :
Walter Mischel holds the Robert Johnston Niven chair as a professor of humane letters in psychology at Columbia University. He is the author of more than two hundred scientific papers as well as the coauthor of Introduction to Personality, now in its eighth edition.
He has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has won the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award of APA and the Grawemeyer Award for Psychology. He lives in New York.
During the late 1960s, renowned psychologist Walter Mischel looked at the intricacies of delayed and instant gratification in kids, mainly preschoolers.
He offered them 2 choices; either one marshmallow now or two 10 minutes later, recording the children’s choices and then sending them on their way. It’ll give you a peek into one of the most eye-opening experiments in psychology.
Mischel emphasizes that willpower is not a predetermined and fixed characteristic of people but a learnable skill. He explains that through relatively easy and learnable techniques we can learn to not respond in an emotional and uncontrolled manner but in a wise and controlled manner.
3. The Paradox Of Choice by Barry Schwartz :
Barry Schwartz is the Dorwin Cartwright Professor of Social Theory and Social Action at Swarthmore College. He is the author of several books, including Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing, with Kenneth Sharpe, and Why We Work. His articles have appeared in many of the leading journals in his field, including American Psychologist.
While willpower is the ability to say no to something, like an unhealthy meal… self-discipline is the ability to instead choose something that will benefit your health in the long run, such as a salad over french fries. Willpower and self-discipline go hand-in-hand when it comes to building a great life. The paradox of choice is all about helping you develop self-discipline.
The book reveals how to simplify your life, spend less time sorting out the many choices you have, and feel happier. Not only that, but Schwartz will show you how to eliminate choices that can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives.
If you take in all the great advice this author has to offer, you’ll see how you can shift your focus to the important stuff, ignoring the rest, and ultimately enhancing your life satisfaction by making better choices. And he interviews many of the top thinkers in psychology and neuroscience today.
4. What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite by David DiSalvo :
David DiSalvo is the author of “What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite”, which has been published in 15 languages, and two other books in the genre he coined as “science-help”: “Brain Changer: How Harnessing Your Brain’s Power to Adapt Can Change Your Life” and “The Brain in Your Kitchen”. He’s a senior contributor with Forbes and Psychology Today and has written for Scientific American Mind, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, Mental Floss, Slate, Quartz, and Esquire, among many other publications.
David is also a public education expert with more than 20 years of experience developing and implementing outreach campaigns focused on health and science-based topics with public and private organizations in the US and abroad.
Have you ever felt like doing something you know is not really productive or even good for you… yet you do it anyway?! Of course, we all have! However, in this book, David DiSalvo explains in – great detail. Why you, and pretty much anyone who wants a great, successful life should do the opposite of what their brain wants. This is simply because our brains often want what it doesn’t need – which can lead to errors, biases, and distortions – making our lives more difficult.
DiSalvo’s research delves deep into evolutionary psychology, social psychology, cognitive science, and neurology, along with marketing and economics! From research, DiSalvo draws out insights that we can use to identify our brains’ faults and turn our awareness into edifying action. Ultimately, he argues, the research does not serve up ready-made answers but provides us with actionable clues for overcoming the plight of our advanced brains and, consequently, living more fulfilled lives.
So, if you want to know what you should be focusing on instead of what makes you “happy” give this book a shot!
5. This Year I Will…: How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Make a Dream Come True by M. J. Ryan :
M. J. RYAN is one of the creators of the Random Acts of Kindness series, which has sold more than one million copies, and the author of The Power of Patience, The Happiness Makeover, and many other titles.
She founded Conari Press and is currently an executive coach and a popular speaker. She is a contributing editor at Good Housekeeping and a regular contributor to Health magazine. She lives in Walnut Creek, California. Sign up for M.J.’s “I Will” Power daily e-mails at www.mj-ryan.com.
Every December countless people make New Year’s resolutions, hoping they’ll improve their lives in the coming year. Whether it’s to lose weight, quit smoking, and hit the gym 3 times a week… you know, the classics. But, by the time February kicks in, most people have already given up.
Best Selling author M. J. Ryan offers life-changing wisdom and coaching to help readers make the improvements they want in their lives, permanent. She says everyone has their specific formula for making changes stick… the problem is, that most people have no idea what their formula is. This is a truly practical guide for working on making those changes you want to make.
From preparation to taking action to dealing with setbacks and keeping yourself moving forward, this offers lots of good tips to help craft your plan. The author is not putting forth one set plan for making a change, but offering up several strategies with the idea of finding what works best for each individual, based on what motivates you, what holds you back, etc.
If you’ve ever broken your New Year’s resolutions, fallen off a diet, or given up on a dream for whatever reason, “this year I will…” was written for you.
6. Willpower Doesn’t Work by Benjamin Hardy :
Benjamin Hardy and his wife, Lauren, are the foster parents of three kids. In 2016, Benjamin was the number one writer on Medium.com. His work has been featured in Forbes, Psychology Today, Fortune, Mashable, and others.
We included this one to show you a different perspective on the matter; of someone who doesn’t think that willpower is the be-all-end-all and offers a great alternative. Hardy is against the fad of willpower, saying it’s dangerous to think willpower will solve everything and if you lack it, you’re prone to failure.
The world around us is fast-paced, confusing, and full of distractions. It’s easy to lose focus on what you want to achieve, and your willpower won’t last long if your environment conflicts with your goals–eventually, the environment will win out. Instead, he recommends you simply alter your surroundings to support your goals.
“Willpower doesn’t work” will teach you how to create an environment that supports your goals and nurtures your physical and mental well-being to achieve the success you truly want.
7. The Power Of Habit by Charles Duhigg :
He has studied history at Yale and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is a reporter for The New York Times. He worked at the Times since 2006. In 2013, he was part of a team that won the Pulitzer Prize for a series about Apple named “The Economy”. Before that, he contributed to the NYT series about the 2008 financial crisis, how companies take advantage of the elderly, and national violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Award-winning reporter Charles Duhigg takes you on an exciting scientific journey that reveals why habits exist, how they are formed, and how they can be changed.
With comprehensive detail and the ability to distill great amounts of information, Duhigg shines a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation. He’ll introduce you to a set of specific strategies for transforming habits and taking control of your life.
8. The Little Book Of Big Change by Amy Johnson :
This time we want to introduce you guys to a fascinating book that revolves around the neuroscience of addiction and habits, along with various ways of changing them. It’s very popular amongst professionals because it offers many insights for those struggling with anxiety or anxiety-related disorders…
It’s very popular amongst professionals because it offers many insights for those struggling with anxiety or anxiety-related disorders… but it also mentions how we can counteract our unproductive or even harmful thinking patterns.
9. Zen Habits by Leo Babauta :
Zen habits are all about making things as simple as possible, but not simpler, and building a life for yourself that involves little conflict.
Leo runs one of the most popular self-improvement blogs on the internet and offers many tips, strategies, and advice on how to clear up the clutter in your life and create something amazing to cultivate happiness in your life. This is one of the top books on self-control you can find anywhere in the world!
10. The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal :
Kelly McGonigal, PhD, is a research psychologist, lecturer at Stanford University, and an award-winning science writer. Her scientific research focuses on the mind-body connection, and how to cultivate resilience and compassion
Kelly explains, in detail, the science of self-control and how you can harness its power to improve your health, nutrition, happiness, and productivity, along with the intricate ways it works and why it matters so much. Furthermore, you’ll learn where willpower comes from, how to use it effectively, and what simple changes you can make in your life that will give you more of it.
11. Decisive: How to Make Better Decisions by Dan and Chip Heath :
Chip Heath is a professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, teaching courses on business strategy and organizations.
Dan Heath – A graduate of the University of Texas and Harvard Business School, he lives now in Durham, NC.
After many years – and countless studies – psychologists have brought to light how our decisions are disrupted by a variety of biases and irrationalities. We do things that are not in our favor based on reasons that don’t matter, are not true, or are harmful to us in more ways than one.
Based on a comprehensive study of decision-making, the book tries to answer the key question of “How can we do better?” by introducing a 4 step process designed to counteract all biases.
12. Awaken The Giant Within by Anthony Robbins :
For more than 30 years Tony Robbins’ passion has been helping people BREAK THROUGH and take their lives to another level—no matter how successful they already are—in the areas that matter most: their business, personal finance, intimate relationships, careers and health.
The contents of this book are awe-inspiring and it will empower you to make your own decisions by putting you behind the wheel of your own life. Knowing your power is enough to enable you to break through your insecurities and do what you need to do to succeed in your chosen endeavors.
13. The War Of Art by Steven Pressfield :
Steven Press Field is the author of The War of Art which has sold over a million copies globally and been translated into multiple languages. He is a master of historical fiction with Gates of Fire being on the required reading list at West Point and the the recommended reading list of the Joint Chiefs. His other books include A Man at Arms, Turning Pro, Do the Work, The Artist’s Journey, Tides of War, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Last of the Amazons, Virtues of War, The Afghan Campaign, Killing Rommel, The Profession, The Lion’s Gate, The Warrior Ethos, The Authentic Swing, An American Jew, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t, and The Knowledge.
Steven Says Knowing your power is enough to enable you to break through your insecurities and do what you need to do to succeed in your chosen endeavors. This man is a legend when it comes to inspiring people! Steven introduces the reader to the concept of “resistance”. Whatever your field of work is, The War of Art will help you realize that the struggle to create is real, but not insurmountable… it’s something that can be conquered!
Through the book, Steven Press Field highlights how you must commit to your work to become a pro, practicing self-discipline to the extent needed to achieve your desires.
14. Mini Habits by Stephen Guise :
Stephen Guise has been researching and writing about personal development for more than 15 years. By combining creativity and logic with cutting edge psychology and neuroscience research, he’s crafted some of the most widely used strategies for behavior change and habit formation today, including Mini Habits and Elastic Habits. His techniques are used by teachers, psychologists, and therapists all over the world.
Guise says that some of the greatest missed opportunities in life are in the name of “freedom.” They don’t want to pick up something new… they don’t want to commit to something that would tie them down. Little do they know that something could’ve been one of the best things to ever happen to them. Mini habits are all about making those small changes in your life that will bring about all the freedom and results you’ve always wished for.
15. Drive by Daniel H. Pink :
The main premise of the book is outlining the 3 things that are the basis for intrinsic motivation; a sense of purpose… autonomy to go about achieving our goals a certain way… and mastery.
Willpower doesn’t need to be a crazy eternal struggle against the odds, for the sake of it! It can be a smooth experience, based on intrinsic motivation which will help you achieve your goals more naturally – in spite of the odds.
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