My OperaProve that willpower exist ? and its purpose
Thursday, January 1, 2004 11:13:54 AM
So okay, let's say the word willpower is no-good, what about the thing itself? Does willpower exist?
Until recently, no one doubted it. Ancient philosophers such as Plato put the will smack dab at the center of human personality.
They believed human action resulted from three forces: reason, desire, and will.
Medieval philosophers had a paradox that seemed to prove the existence of this thing called will. It was called Buridan's ass. It went like this: Suppose you place a donkey halfway between two bales of hay. If it only has reason and desire it won't move at all because it will be pulled equally in opposite directions and will eventually starve. There must, therefore, be a third force. Enter the will.
Baumeister says that to strengthen your willpower, you must exercise it. But don't set yourself up for failure. Start with stuff your out-of-shape will can handle. Hold your breath. Stand on one leg. Write with your left hand, if you're right-handed. Skip a meal. Look for ways to pit willpower against want-power. It's like a weightlifter doing reps.
The key, he says, is in a person's explanatory script. What Seligman means by script is that little voice in your head that's always analyzing and explaining what happens to you.
According to Seligman, there are two styles of explanatory script--optimistic and pessimistic. When something good happens, the optimist says, "I did that. I do that kind of thing in many ways. It's a permanent part of who I am." But when a bad thing happens, the optimist says, "It was the situation. And that situation was unique. Anyway, it'll be different next time."
Pessimists use the same scripts; but they blame themselves when things go wrong and refuse to give themselves credit when things go well.
Seligman, like many cognitive psychologists, believes you can change your script, and then your script will change you. To become an optimist, says Seligman, first become aware of your automatic script--catch yourself in the act and see what you're telling yourself. Then, write down what you would be saying say if you were an optimist.
Whatever perspective one takes on willpower, theres no denying that it exist in a hidden niche in our psyche. If willpower and tenacity are like muscles that we could excercise daily what would amount to one with such qualities ? Endurance ? Persistance ? Greatness ?
Until recently, no one doubted it. Ancient philosophers such as Plato put the will smack dab at the center of human personality.
They believed human action resulted from three forces: reason, desire, and will.
Medieval philosophers had a paradox that seemed to prove the existence of this thing called will. It was called Buridan's ass. It went like this: Suppose you place a donkey halfway between two bales of hay. If it only has reason and desire it won't move at all because it will be pulled equally in opposite directions and will eventually starve. There must, therefore, be a third force. Enter the will.
Baumeister says that to strengthen your willpower, you must exercise it. But don't set yourself up for failure. Start with stuff your out-of-shape will can handle. Hold your breath. Stand on one leg. Write with your left hand, if you're right-handed. Skip a meal. Look for ways to pit willpower against want-power. It's like a weightlifter doing reps.
The key, he says, is in a person's explanatory script. What Seligman means by script is that little voice in your head that's always analyzing and explaining what happens to you.
According to Seligman, there are two styles of explanatory script--optimistic and pessimistic. When something good happens, the optimist says, "I did that. I do that kind of thing in many ways. It's a permanent part of who I am." But when a bad thing happens, the optimist says, "It was the situation. And that situation was unique. Anyway, it'll be different next time."
Pessimists use the same scripts; but they blame themselves when things go wrong and refuse to give themselves credit when things go well.
Seligman, like many cognitive psychologists, believes you can change your script, and then your script will change you. To become an optimist, says Seligman, first become aware of your automatic script--catch yourself in the act and see what you're telling yourself. Then, write down what you would be saying say if you were an optimist.
Whatever perspective one takes on willpower, theres no denying that it exist in a hidden niche in our psyche. If willpower and tenacity are like muscles that we could excercise daily what would amount to one with such qualities ? Endurance ? Persistance ? Greatness ?
