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Shall I order a hamburger or a salad? Shall I revise for an exam or go to a party? Shall I watch my favorite TV show or go for a run?Īll these decisions share one thing in common: You can choose between an option that yields a smaller immediate reward (pleasant taste of food, fun from watching TV or pleasure from socializing with friends) and an option that yields a larger but delayed reward (staying healthy, maintaining good weight, or reaching a higher income).
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What is self-control? It’s your ability to resolve conflicts between your short-term desires and your long-term goals. Since the topic of self-regulation is extensive, we’ll focus mainly on self-control in this guide. 1 Self-regulation is a broad term and includes many different things, including goal-setting, habit formation, emotional regulation and self-control. Self-regulation is your ability to control what you’re thinking, feeling and doing in a way that promotes your goals. Two common terms from the psychological literature are self-regulation and self-control. Hyperopia: Can You Have Too Much Self-Control?.Working Memory: Strategically Controlling Distractions.Mindfulness: Letting Cravings Come and Go.Reappraisal: Changing the Meaning of Temptations.Construal: Adopting an Abstract or Concrete Mindset.
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Construal and Reappraisal: Reframing Self-Control Conflict.Self-Affirmation: Facing Self-Control Conflict.Adjusting Your Identity to Prevent Self-Control Failures.Psychological Connectedness: Today is Yesterday’s Tomorrow.Do Your Beliefs About Self-Control, Change Your Ability to Avoid Temptation?.Self-Control Training: Is Willpower a Muscle?.Thought Suppression: Don’t Even Think About It.Which Self-Discipline Strategies Don’t Work?.
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