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They actually have a lot of the pieces out there but unconnected. I will answer the question. Willpower is an equilibrium between two distinct drives, one of
by LPTS 19y ago
They actually have a lot of the pieces out there but unconnected. I will answer the question.
Willpower is an equilibrium between two distinct drives, one of which is a drive to act, and one of which is an inhibitory drive. The first step to growing willpower is to make sure your lack of willpower isn't caused by a biological problem or a mental health problem. Before struggling too long to grow willpower, have a physical, have your thyroid level checked, and get a mental health evaluation.
The reason you can build willpower is that it is an equilibrium between the parts of your brain that produce fear and anxiety and the parts of your brain that produce good feelings. Your right prefrontal cortex produces negative emotions, and your left prefrontal cortex produces positive emotions. This circuitry is linked up to the circuitry that primes your body to move. Assuming no mental or physical illness, willpower is simply a measure of the relation between these systems.
We know that monks who meditate for 10,000 hours have much greater gamma ray function. Gamma rays underlie large scale brain synchronization. These monks also had a different relationship between the left and right prefrontal cortexs (corti?). In monks, the positive emotion producing left prefrontal cortex was much more active than the right. Also, they were much more primed to move.
Meditation, particularly certain kinds from Zen Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism, are scientifically proven to work on this, to such a degree that neuroscientists haven't seen some of those neurological states in normal people. From studying these monks, we know what to do.
It's scientifically proven that you can grow willpower by getting a physical, and a mental health eval, and then meditating. It's the best, most efficient way. Everything the nyt article lists as a way of increasing willpower is an example of an activity where you must be continually bringing your attention into the present. I don't want to sound like some stupid hippy, but meditation can be the most concentrated way to practice this focusing of attention, and directing your focus in certain Tibetan buddhist ways hits all the main parts of increasing motivation.
I consulted http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma8/monkstudy.html http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma8/monkstudy.html to refresh my memory on the monk neurology study.
- euccastro 19y ago[...] the left and right prefrontal cortexs (corti?) [...] Cortices. Very interesting comment! I find it slightly paradoxical that I associate Buddhist meditation with a passive attitude of just accepting the present and suppressing earthly desire, yet according to what you say, that activity actually improves one's ability to persist in the active pursuit of one's desires. Not a true contradiction, of course: both are instances of suppressing immediate desires in favor of more significant, delayed ones. Besides any long term neurological benefits, I read once or twice that meditation and relaxation have an immediate effect of helping relieve the stress that lies at the root of most cases of procrastination.
- LPTS 19y ago"Besides any long term neurological benefits, I read once or twice that meditation and relaxation have an immediate effect of helping relieve the stress that lies at the root of most cases of procrastination." You are right. This is because when you exhale, it calms the amygdala, which manages fear. The pattern of breathing in meditation over time causes a cumulative effect, and you end up with less stress, and less inhibition. At the same time, if doing a meditation where you direct focus, you are priming parts of your brain involved in focus and attention. Like I said before, motivation is an equilibrium involving inhibition (potentially caused by fear). Meditation is great for motivation. I wouldn't go as far as to say most cases of procrastination would be fixed by meditation, though. Procrastination can have multiple causes. I'd say a failure to have clearly thought something through or unconscious psychological resistance would be more likely factors in procrastination, and meditation would not remove that stress as readily as logic or psychotherapy would, respectively.
- euccastro 19y agoSorry, I meant anxiety rather than stress. Anyway, I was wrong in saying that either thing lies at the root; you can go deeper and find the causes of anxiety and stress in order to fix them. Lack of preparation and psychological fears sound like usual suspects. (Just reordering my own thoughts here; I'm no expert.)
- wallflower 19y agoI think exercising the mind is the hardest thing to do because it's so easy to take the path of least resistance. What are your thoughts on the (1) Marathon Monks of Japan and (2) the Lung-Gom-Pa's (near mythical if not mystical) of Tibet? (1) http://www.millennium-tv.com/Monks.htm http://www.millennium-tv.com/Monks.htm (2) http://www.planetultramarathon.com/lunggomparunners.htm http://www.planetultramarathon.com/lunggomparunners.htm
- as 19y agoGreat links, thanks. Here's a video for anyone who's interested: http://youtube.com/watch?v=S06oMxdt40A http://youtube.com/watch?v=S06oMxdt40A
- kingnothing 19y agoExercising anything is hard to do because it's much easier to do nothing.
- as 19y agoAs neat as being being able to produce gamma rays with my brain would be, (see: 'I can kill you with my brain.') I think you meant gamma waves.
- LPTS 19y agoYou mean you never heard of the Lotus Bloom Gamma Death Ray Compassion Flower Monks of tibet? You are right, thanks.