The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal. (Avery - 2011) [Hardcover]

This book contains easy to follow and practical tips to boost your willpower. It makes tackling your willpower challenges fun and actually gives you relevant real life examples backed by the latest scientific data. A must read book! I sent this to all of my family after reading it and they all agreed that it was one of the most powerful books they have read in years. warning: this just might change your life!

Must have book for everybody that want to know how the inside of the human (you're​ too) complicated brain
Functions in life. and how can you by step by step trying on yourself see the magic happens.
VERY RECOMMENDED - THANK YOU!

Especially everyone in a helping profession--therapists, ministers, dental hygienists, doctors, nurse practitioners,physical therapists, addiction counselors! McGonigal gives us a readable, articulate, and superbly well researched account of how our brains cope with will and won't challenges. She takes away the need for the blame, shame, and guilt that often arises from impulse behavior (it has had evolutionary survival value) and replaces it with easy to follow small steps to activate the brain's "pause and plan" circuits. One of my favorite points: the research she cites that shows that individuals who are kind, compassionate to themselves after a lapse in behavior are LESS likely to have more lapses than those who are self-critical. Buy the book. Read all of it. Watch how it changes your own behavior. Spread the word.

This is an outstanding book, loaded with research on how our minds are influenced, how we actually make choices vs how we think we make choices, and a very practical set of steps to assist you in strengthening your own Willpowe

Kelly McGonigal's work is very useful material and I have benefitted from it. She presents the scientific basis and then has exercises to support that knowledge. I like hearing what current science thinks they have proven, often it is what anecdotal information, or direct experience, has indicated but which scientists have not believed until they could invent the machine to see it.

The writing is very clever and enjoyable. If you're like me, someone who has never thought too much about willpower but knew I needed some, this is a great book. It's practical and easy to get through and packed with perspective and information that will change the way you think. Very beneficial book. I'm glad I purchased this one.

Dr McGonigal gives practical advice, backed by recent research, to counter false myths most of us labor under in our western culture. Found myself immediately using "Surge the Urge" method to effectively deal with a number of compulsive tendencies. Delighted with ease of using her methods.

This book was assigned as a necessary read for one of my favorite college classes, and I completely understand why. I found it inspiring and helpful to recognize how self-control works. I also loved watching the YouTube videos of Kelly McGonigal sharing the stories and theories mentioned in this book. My mind felt a little clouded with this being 1/5 books I needed to read for a single class in a semester, so this review isn't as detailed as I'd like it to be, but I will definitely be revisiting this book once I have a break from necessary studies. I think it's highly applicable to anyone. I sent a copy to a friend of mine who has felt depressed due to weight gain after pregnancy, she felt "out of the loop" with her diet and fell into a habit of eating unhealthy foods. Likewise, I have personally felt inspired by the patterns expressed in this book. It's a book that makes you feel like, "yes, I do have the power to control my actions."

I also highly recommend:
- Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool
- The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Those books I also classify under "empowering", and "inspiring" when it comes to the human ability to change your life.

Very good book, easy to read. Gives some good examples, mostly related to dieting. I would have liked more concrete examples about holding your tongue or self control when dealing with a child or spouse. But overall I thought it was a great read, very easy and funny. I would definitely recommend this book for someone wanting to increase their self-control.

Great book. This book helps you realize that people don't fail systems do. The world is constantly conspiring to break but you, and if you learn how to use the willpower you were born with you will prevail; and you will achieve every dream you have!

This is the most informative, compassionate, funny, and practical self-help book I have seen in years! It would make great required reading in high school if that meant the high schoolers would actually read it. McGonigal's years of experience with Stanford students have helped her tune her presentation to keep it light, readable, scientifically accurate, and most important of all, capable of producing a life-changing experience.

A book written with science and also with a smile on the face - I liked the light and non pedantic style of the author. Some of the points are covered in other books, still I learned quite new (to me at least) and counter-intuitive things about self-control. Some things to be put at use immediately - no quick fixes mind you but well worth trying. Just the link between meditation and self-control was worth the price to me. Recommended.

This book is amazing. The author writes wonderfully and gives pleanty of background info/research on how our brains and bodies work. It actually feels great to really understand my brain, lol. (Seriously.) And she supplies humor tucked throughout, so enjoy!

I have struggled with a willpower issue for many years, and read quite a few books about how to defeat it. This is the first one that has explained what is going on in my head that makes it so difficult. That alone would be worth the price, to know there is a reason for my seemingly self-defeating behavior, but there are also steps to take to counter the problem thinking. This book has given me hope that change is possible.

I personally learned a lot from this book. Things that have already changed the way I look at myself and life. One thought that kept coming back to me while I read this book was, "Why didn't they teach me any of this in school?!" This is a MUST read for everyone.

This took me a while to get through. The concepts were simple enough to understand. At some point the examples didn’t build significantly off the last example, so for me I would have edited a bit more. Overall, a good message.

Not only was this book fascinating, I think it might also be life changing. I started reading this a month ago and now a month into the new year, I'm still meeting my goals and I feel like my life is better in every aspect. I also feel like I'm in control of my future. I loved the writer's dry humor and I'll definitely be rereading, because I really want its lessons to sink in. I even bought a physical copy for my library!

The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can do To Get More of It is a concise and easy to read book which guides the reader into the complexities of how the brain works while still providing useful and helpful ways for a person to make plans for better self-control in all instances. Good reading and good suggestions!

Absolutely, positively, LOVED this book. There is not a day that goes by where my mind isn't thinking of a nugget I took away from reading it. It has not only changed the way I handle all my food temptations but also given me new insights into how to take the subject of willpower and become a better parent. Intriguing, informative, and inspiring. I can't stop telling people about this book!

Having read many/most of the articles referred to in the book and many books in the field, being a practitioner myself and teaching a well deal on this topics, I can say it's one of the best works about practical self-control I've read.

Well written, very well written to convey the message...... One of the best books I've read, across the boards, not just for self-help section...... The author really knows how to make the audience/reader understand what she was trying to say...... An incredible knowledge and hard-to-believe facts of how our brain works..... Just a great, great book!!!

Very interesting and informative--kind of like an "operator's manual" for the psyche. Written with humor and presents research on willpower clearly, in an easy-to-understand way. There are several things i learned that i will use. I highly recommend this book.

While this is written in a popular and very entertaining vein, Dr. McGonigal, a psychologist, incorporates a number of recent neuroscience insights into her account. It's easy to believe this material originally was presented as popular public lectures at Stanford, as it is likely to interest both college seniors, as well as all other adults.

It's written in very plain layman's language, but connects some scientific facts about the brain and physiology to emotions and choices that clarifies and gave me many "aha" moments. The author gives very accessible, useful suggestions for improving one's active participation in making good choices...dispelling the "myth" of being a "victim" or at the mercy of one's emotions or history or whatever. Glad I bought the Kindle version...very portable and available for browsing more often.

I have been struggling with"self control" for some time (my life?) And could never understand why I couldn't think my way out of my desires. This book gave me many of the answers I was seeking. Hopefully with greater understanding I can move forward with less guilt and shame.

Having a read a variety of 'self-help' books over the years - with limited success in producing lasting, measurable change - I purchased this book with some skepticism in spite of its glowing reviews.
However, it actually delivers in a way that works for me.
It provides a basic but solid understanding of the body/mind basis of motivation, and some simple and effective ways to apply that understanding. It does not require subscribing to a particular philosophy, belief, or system in order for it to work. There are no hidden fees.
Even though I first read the book relatively quickly, doing only a few key exercises, I have already seen tangible results in my day-to-day life. If I never pick it up again, it still is easily one of the best investments I've made.
Which is why I'm re-reading it, more slowly, and applying the exercises as recommended.
My thanks to the author for presenting her findings in the form of this engaging and eminently useful book; I'm grateful to have found it.

I got a whole new perspective on willpower through this extremely valuable book. It allowed me to think about the choices I make each day and to be more aware of why I'm making them. There are no wrong answers, just different ways of viewing human nature and the temptations we face each day. I feel incredibly enlightened as I move forward into each new day.

This book is very inspiring and thought provoking. It is practical experiments that one can try and build upon. If you interested in knowing yourself and knowing how your consumers think. This is one of few behavioral psychology books put there

Practical and enjoyable. Dr. McGonigal presents hers and others research on willpower in a useful way. She is not dogmatic. I found the experiments very helpful. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to improve the person they aspire to be.

I am doctor that focuses on preventive medicine. Since the medical literature lacks effective strategies to help patients change, I read self-help books in search of realistic methods to help motivate patients for healthy change. Most of these books only tell me what I already knew- People know what to do (eat right, exercise more, go to bed earlier, etc) but lack the consistent motivation to do it. This book takes a different approach. It explains through science and real world examples, why people act against their long term interest. Then it goes to the next level and provides many different strategies to overcome the most common willpower challenges.

Probably the most surprising thing that came from reading the book was I immediately became more sympathetic to the failure of my patients to meet their healthcare goals. Next, I was able to provide them practical advice on what they could do increase their chances of success. While it it too early to tell the long term effects on the patients' in my medical practice, I have already noticed improvements in my own Willpower challenges (Procrastination).

Accessible writing on an important topic with insight that's easy to translate into behavioral changes. It also can give insight into why things went right/wrong in one's past experiences. Well worth the read.

Great book that brings awareness to how we think and process emotion and emotional reaction. Helpful suggestions for how to recognize impulses and control them. It is well-written and my first recommendation on this topic every time.

The author dispels some commonly held beliefs about how we cave in to temptations and how we avoid them and she uses scientific studies to back up her assertions. She also sets out strategies for improving willpower and making better choices, and with all the problems we have with obesity, substance abuse and others, there is some real value in these pages.

I love the way this book illustrates the fact that you need to pay attention with your behavior in what controls your actions. Also how many subliminal messages that captivates our minds in so many stimulating ways..

My wife checked this out from the library after hearing the author interviewed on PBS. We then bought a copy for our library due to the incredible content. There is a science to willpower and knowledge is power. Highly recommended.

There are so many unexpected revelations in this book, you wonder if he's just making stuff up. When I tried one of the suggestions, accepting that I can't control everything I think or feel, I started achieving more of my goals, with less pain and guilt.

Just that was worth the price of the book... many times over.

I have a hard time finishing books, although I like to read. Working in a bookstore gives me vast opportunities to sample books. This book helped me to train my mind to observe how self conscious I am as a slow reader around my family, by just observing this and not condemning myself. The tools are great and easy to understand, and verified through academic studies.