How to Increase Your Willpower & Tenacity
In this episode, I discuss neuroscience and psychology studies that address the basis of willpower and tenacity, how they differ from motivation and how we can all increase our levels of willpower and tenacity.
October 9, 2023
2 hr 5 min
145
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171 of 417
Episode 145 · October 9, 2023
How to Increase Your Willpower & Tenacity
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Andrew Huberman Episodes Around October 9, 2023
Episode 171 of 417 — walk the feed in the order it was published.
How to Increase Your Willpower & Tenacity
Summary
In this episode, I discuss neuroscience and psychology studies that address the basis of willpower and tenacity, how they differ from motivation and how we can all increase our levels of willpower and tenacity. I discuss whether willpower is a limited resource, the controversial “ego depletion” theory of willpower and the role that beliefs play in determining our tenacity and willpower. Then, I discuss the neural basis of willpower in the brain and body and how tenacity and willpower relate to sleep, stress, focus, and possibly lifespan. Then, I provide a series of science-supported tools and protocols to increase your level of tenacity and willpower.
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Timestamps
(00:00:00) Tenacity & Willpower
(00:01:36) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up
(00:03:49) Tenacity & Willpower vs. Habit Execution; Apathy, Depression & Motivation
(00:10:40) Ego Depletion & Willpower as a Limited Resource; Controversy
(00:19:14) Tool: Autonomic Function, Tenacity & Willpower; Sleep & Stress
(00:28:31) Sponsor: AG1
(00:28:58) Willpower as a Limited Resource (Theory)
(00:35:36) Willpower & Glucose, Brain Energetics
(00:42:44) Beliefs about Willpower & Glucose; Multiple Challenges
(00:54:01) Willpower Brain ‘Hub’; Anorexia Nervosa, Super-Agers
(01:07:15) Anterior Midcingulate Cortex & Brain/Body Communication
(01:14:54) Allostasis, Anterior Midcingulate Cortex Function
(01:25:19) Anterior Mid-Cingulate Cortex (aMCC), Difficult Tasks & Neuroplasticity
(01:29:30) Tool: Novel Physical Exercise & Brain; Cognitive Exercise
(01:43:43) Tool: “Micro-sucks”, Increase Tenacity/Willpower
(01:50:58) Impossible Tasks, Super-Agers & Learning, Will to Live
(01:57:23) Tool: Rewards & Improving Tenacity/Willpower
(02:01:07) Tenacity & Willpower Recap
(02:05:55) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
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