TheRedArchive

~ archived since 2018 ~

Is increasing willpower as easy as pretending you’re left-handed?

Eric Barker
March 17, 2012

From Willpower: Resdiscovering the Greatest Human Strength:

One simple way to start is by using a different hand for routine tasks. Many habits are linked to your dominant hand. Right-handed people, in particular, tend to use their right hands for all sorts of things without giving the matter the slightest thought. Making yourself switch to your left hand is thus an exercise in self-control. You can resolve to use your left hand instead of your habitual right hand for brushing your teeth, using a computer mouse, opening doors, or lifting a cup to your lips. If it seems too onerous to do this all day, try it for a set period. Some research studies have assigned people to switch hands between eight A.M. and eight P.M. This lets people revert to their familiar habits in the evening, when they are already physically tired and mentally depleted from the dayâs activities. (Note to lefties: This strategy may not be as effective for you, because many left-handed people are actually fairly ambidextrous and have had more practice using their right hands in a world oriented for right-handed people. So using your right hand may not do as much for your willpower: No strain, no gain.)

In fact, any little exercise like this that requires willpower increases willpower.

TheRedArchive is an archive of Red Pill content, including various subreddits and blogs. This post has been archived from the blog bakadesuyo.

bakadesuyo archive

Download the post

Want to save the post for offline use on your device? Choose one of the download options below:

Post Information
Title Is increasing willpower as easy as pretending you’re left-handed?
Author Eric Barker
Date March 17, 2012 12:41 AM UTC (12 years ago)
Blog bakadesuyo
Archive Link https://theredarchive.com/blog/bakadesuyo/is-increasing-willpower-as-easy-as-pretending.14517
https://theredarchive.com/blog/14517
Original Link https://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/03/is-increasing-willpower-as-easy-as-pretending/
Red Pill terms in post
You can kill a man, but you can't kill an idea.

© TheRedArchive 2024. All rights reserved.
created by /u/dream-hunter