Willpower poll thread! Answer according to 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 intuition of what willpower and how you think about it.

Set up: consider that you consciously endorse some action X (going to the gym, doing work, avoidinghttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧁" title="Cupcake" aria-label="Emoji: Cupcake">) and also have a strong urge to do Not-X (sit on couch eatinghttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧁" title="Cupcake" aria-label="Emoji: Cupcake">).

What would you call "using willpower to do X"?

A - specific cognitive technique, eg repeating a mantra or self-bargaining
B - any cognitive effort, eg just focusing hard on how much you should do X
C - any conscious process even if easy, eg just remembering you wanted to do X

One way to do X more reliably is to set up the environment so that doing X is easier, for example laying out your gym clothes or avoiding buyinghttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧁" title="Cupcake" aria-label="Emoji: Cupcake">at the grocery store. Would call doing this set up "exercising willpower"? How about doing X after a successful setup made it easy?

Can you exercise willpower without being consciously aware that you& #39;re doing it?

You& #39;re on the couch, remember that you wanted to do X, but the urge to Not-X is currently winning. Can you get yourself to X in the moment by cognitive effort (thinking) alone?

A - almost always
B - depends on circumstance, like tiredness/blood glucose
C - very rarely

It& #39;s important that you do X but you have failed to do so the last few times. What are you likeliest to try?

Is willpower something that can be trained or lost over months, like a skill?
Is willpower something that can be acquired and exhausted in an hour, like a resource?

Please elaborate below:
• How do you think about willpower?
• How can exercising willpower be unconscious?
• What circumstances does overcoming strong urges with cognitive effort depend on?
• Should we talk about willpower more or trash the concept?