The Science of Willpower: Kelly McGonigal at TEDxBayArea

[@knotwilg3596]

For those frustrated with the quality of the video, or impatient to sit it through or being distracted by the physical appearance of the speaker - as so many seem to be, looking at the comments - here's a summary 0. intro: science doesn't only provide solutions, it changes the way we think 1. desire is not linked with happiness; people, like rats, are willing to endure stress and pain in order to keep the brain center of desire active; we need to be conscious that our desire, our "wanting reward", is never going to be satisfied 2. will power is not a measure of virtue; it is like a muscle and can be trained; moreover, training will power in one area (example: using the non-dominant hand) increases the capacity to focus and assess one's actions, with effects on unreleated areas (partner abuse) 3. guilt and shame are NOT motivators to do better next time, on the contrary; e.g. shame for breaking diet leads to more binging as a consolation; instead one should be self compassionate, forgive the misstep and move on or start over 4. we don't need to work on bigger issues like anger, anxiety or guilt first, before we can change or behavior; the opposite is true: changing behavior reduces the overall feeling of anxiety; 5. very important: our anxieties and behaviors don't define us, we are not unique in having them; they show that we are a normal human, because with focus comes distraction and with courage comes anxiety; let go of the egocentric "this is me" and it will be much easier to change

[@YewOw]

I was about to make an immature comment; but i exerted my self control, and made a pointless statement instead

[@YewOw]

@itsaaron6423 I must concede - that is some hardcore willpower.

[@linkdude64]

Very insightful. I wish someone had told me these things when I was younger. If this kind of thing were taught in school, society would be much better off.

[@iammeyouareyou7327]

This is awesome!! 15 Minutes of your time that could help you break away from Addictions or become more awesome!!! Love it.

[@Respected2010]

The information being presented is absolutely fantastic and has helped me enormously. However, through recently reading about Buddhism philosophy, I realized that these willpower concepts being proposed by scientific research, has been taught by the Buddhist for centuries! It's a shame that the western society has ignored their teachings for so long because it was not originally founded on science.

[@Gusbus001]

Very insightful. Willpower can only be achieved without guilt and the idea that procrastination can be mitigated thru training is exactly what most modern psychologists would propose. Shame is a crutch and ridding yourself of it will allow people to achieve their true potential and desires.

[@jotaro.tanjiro]

The Science of Willpower Takeaways: 1. Don't mistake wanting (and what leads to addiction) for happiness. - Learn to distinguish desire from happiness. - Mindfulness meditation can help you see the huge gap between the two. 2. Willpower is not a measure of your virtue. - Do not associate having a weak or no willpower with not being virtuous, not being good, or being sinful. - Willpower is simply the ability to do what we set out to do, e.g. acting in alignment with our values and long-term goals. 3. The best way to think about willpower: It's like a muscle that you can build by training, by doing difficult and uncomfortable things. - Each step you take teaches your brain how to exert self-control. - Even small willpower workouts can teach the brain to tackle much larger impulses and challenges. 4. Don't use guilt and shame as motivation. - Don't beat yourself up for a mistake. - Based on the science of self-compassion, thr faster you forgive your self, the faster your remember your goals and you are more likely to achieve them. 5. Myth: We need to change something inside of us before we can make any lasting change in our behavior. - The science says that the more you resist your inner experiences, the stronger they get. - It's paradoxical, but the ONLY way to change them is to accept them and then change your behavior first. 5. Realize that there's no uniquely wrong with you if you're not able to tackle impulses, temptations, procrastination, etc. - We live in a human body with a human mind (and other biological aspects) that makes us want things. - So don't beat your self up. Have more compassion for your self and others.

[@GiniCurv]

I really like it when she's illuminated by the #2 text in bright white letters at the 08:20 mark. I think I'll watch this over and over again. This is pretty good and convinced me to read her book. Turns out guilt begets backsliding. Don't tell my mother.

[@snicker576]

Just chill brah, lol

[@beldonhuang]

Brilliantly said. Just one talk covers so much that we should know about how to live our lives to the fullest and learn to enjoy it

[@wonjubhoy]

The lady has intelligence, beauty, charisma, empathy and compassion in abundance!

[@PaulOuzounov]

Read her book, it's super fantastic awesome as hell.

[@bjmortie]

Paul Ozz Which one did you read? (So I can put it on my list.)

[@PaulOuzounov]

The Willpower Instinct. It was fabulous, I've read it twice since I posted this comment.

[@bjmortie]

Super, thanks!

[@luzescoto6895]

Paul Ozz I never considered hell as awesome...

[@mpking-ey7ys]

I lost my willpower to continue watching as soon as the video starts. I can't stand the echoey sound.

[@kartikkalia01]

When production quality was bad but content was good.

[@JacanaProductions]

Yes, I agree, her book has lots of interesting research that I personally have not seen in other books. Good stuff especially the stuff on HRV.

[@xxxWHATuWANTxxx]

One of my favorites worth re watching for sure

[@deuxciel]

Will there ever be any satisfaction, that one may view or hear in its entirety WITHOUT the mindless interruption(s) of DRM, these excellent presentations, and others with similarly enlightening insights? I pray the RIAA grants us relief from future frustration.

[@erikvaage544]

I think this is an underrated Ted talk

[@Georooney]

Sorry, I gave it my best shot but at 2:28 hit the pause button. I could not make out what she was saying; sounded like she was talking into a tin can instead of a mike. Too bad, because from the reviews it sounds like I missed something worthwhile.

[@Anolaana]

Georooney - she did another talk for regular TED which has much better production values. It gets better around 4:00 though

[@rajendrarajasingam6310]

Concept of willpower is different among those who believe in freewill. We can't control our thoughts without creating choices through our Will and intellect.

[@Dave.Mustaine.Is.Genius]

Where are you from, friend? From your name, I couldn't deduce. Of which language is it?

[@simonpollo]

Her book is a great read! Well worth the time :)

[@richl9268]

behavioral psychology is just naturally interesting.

[@combatchaos]

Her book (The Willpower Instinct) is excellent.

[@rhythmriderone]

Thank you Kelly, It was important, timely and sooooo very helpful. r

[@nonelost1]

Will Power is forced self effort, and finite in supply. It begets shame to the weak, and pride to the strong, and failure to all.

[@q9r8s7t6u5v4w3x2y1z0]

do you suggest you have a better method ?

[@Diminished5]

@ 9:27, reminds me of using anchors in NLP to invoke or revoke a habbit or mindset.

[@HumanityPlusPlus]

The camera man has a crush for this gal. Nothing else can explain first 6 minutes of horrible closeup shot.

[@marekdrzewiecki3780]

Excellent lecture, very insightful. Thank you!

[@UnknownMFe]

Next time you feel an urge, don't try to push it out, just experience the feeling and stay focused on rational thinking.

[@seancummings3843]

wonderful talk

[@JohnBastardSnow]

"Beauty AND brains; A deadly combination"

[@ritadelgado4119]

No closed captioning, an echo and her form in shadow and/or dark, make it impossible for deaf/hearing impaired to access this Ted Talk. Very disappointed

[@Seirceyourbuddy]

Bloody Great Talk

[@majestic777elctr]

I love willpower for you.

[@mikzambo]

Because she's smart.

[@veramann]

The sound is lousy.

[@queuesnake704]

Dilemma: 95% reinforced suffering for making good or bad decisions, 5% happiness for making good or bad decisions. Result: Don't piss off the rat with your rigged games. He always seems better off minding his own business at 50/50 before he started.

[@zedooncadhz]

Shes hot and this is all true, i just had to do a degree and this completely applies to the whole procrastination thing "Ohh i cant work now i feel like shit, I'll do something i like until i feel better, so when i feel better i can work" haha thats exactly what i did so much of the time. Just gotta treat yourself right, get on your own team and find what works for you. Structure helps massively as well. If you say you will exercise mon tues thurs and stick to it it beats doing it spontaneously

[@seymourex]

I love her.

[@janesommer8578]

THANK YOU

[@Respected2010]

I agree and she has a brilliant mind aswell. What a combination! :)

[@TheDarkhounds]

Work sent me here

[@KSangel180]

Well said!

[@BeOutstanding]

Good Content Thank You Tedx Mistake wanting for happiness Musc Don't beat yourself up. Forgive urself Chan inner Or we can juz change beh firs

[@fitmarkku]

you simply use willpower to create positive habits so you don't have to use so much willpower ... repeat.. simple.. (ps. you spell the word separate.. not seperate..

[@ILOVEGGC]

I would lose my control to this woman ..

[@intellagent7622]

ya she is just wow

[@leonardomoses7205]

really good presentation!..other evidence to what shes talking bout>2000 yr old book.the Bible

[@magnusmarkling]

Great talk. Bad production.

[@chavruta2000]

Clearly most people in the comments section have very little brain to deal with, sadly.

[@kehkeh92821]

Wow that's dope

[@ravenstyles06]

Very cool

[@kalceoer]

I love you!

[@pukiiiii6598]

People loves you too .

[@wazeaway71]

Yeah, she's smokin'! Then I gave my brain an electric shock, and all was satisfied.

[@VVeltanschauung187]

Willpower can go beyond science. The world is your oyster if you think hard enough

[@dustydustydusty]

thanks, oh yeah, hap t day eve

[@t3b0g0]

- The rat story is traumatic - The sound is bad - She's obstructing the projector Too many uncharacteristic off-putting aspects about this TedTalk. The message is lost somewhere in between the chaos.

[@lil_pharma]

+t3b0g0 It's TEDx. Not the same thing as TED.

[@music0freak10]

+t3b0g0 if thats the only message you got from this video its your problem and yours alone. its not only that you wasted your valueable time but not understanding what she said is much more crucial to your life. i hope you turn out well :)

[@zes3813]

wrg

[@alexakalennon]

Yet here I am still using my phone Trying to drop YT, ect

[@Tiefenhall]

If i was in hogwarts , she would be my prof :)

[@traywor]

Well, the one in hogwarts looks pretty different.

[@makrofocus]

God i love beautiful smart women! Lucky to have been born!

[@brendamariebatty2055]

Sorry but I cannot *hear her clearly... POOR SOUND !!! Plus why are you standing in shadow, it’s distracting all this hand shadow movement. 🤭

[@100001091057100001]

khazaR hun science fear GotaMa

[@sonic763]

Project go

[@unclebrian555]

she's a baaabbeee

[@jayyykayyy]

holy f

[@zingg7203]

I honestly don't find any cream/sweet attractive.

[@watzax26]

Video is old af

[@Wobeert]

Sounds like drugs to me.

[@XKingMGX]

Interesting topic, but speaker put me to sleep literally. Needs more enthusiasm.

[@DeviantDespot]

Exactly, unfortunately for her, you need the willpower she tries to teach in order to stay awake for the whole thing.

[@grinfcked]

i dunno, i really like herhat calm, reasonable way of explaining things. it kept me interested throughout the talk.

[@XKingMGX]

Grin Fckedup im high energy person when someone with low energy talks i feel drained but thats just me

[@sadised434]

Interesting subject, but she has terrible presentation skills - standing in front the screen, blocking the visual. Ahhhh....i find this distracting...utterly terrible.

[@Manachtron]

Excuse me, Sir, but this is more a matter of the person who films her than a matter of herself.

[@sadised434]

HI Manachtron...A good presenter will not stand in front of the screen. Just check the video again the slides are projected on her face most of the time...check it out and let me hear your opinion. kind regards

[@Manachtron]

sadi sed Yep, you're right.

[@Old299dfk]

What is the purpose of this complaint? It doesn't effect what has already happened.

[@sadised434]

Its constructive criticism so that she can improve on future presentations...

[@TheSamthaman24]

very insightful...she's hot as well

[@goodfellowpittis24]

\Yeup. I totally want to marry her.