I recently learned about a part of the brain that’s thought to be responsible for willpower and it’s been altering the way I think.
While listening to a podcast the other day, they brought up a part of the brain called the anterior midcingulate cortex. They explained how when a person chooses to do something they don’t want to do, this area of the brain grows bigger. If a person continues to never do things they don’t want to do, the AMC stays the size size or gets smaller. Scientists say this is the structure responsible for not only willpower, but also the will to live.
This is fascinating to me, especially in th midst of 75 Hard. It just goes to show how important it is to challenge yourself on a regular basis and do the things you don’t want to do.
So now when I get absolutely destroyed by an insane 8 hour shift and want nothing to do with my workout and walk, I realize doing them both with improve my brain. When I once again resist the urge to drink a beer or cheat on my diet, my brain is altering its structure and benefitting me in the long run.
So what are you not doing because you don’t want to? Are you pushing off a diet, choosing to go home instead of the gym, eating a sweet treat? Consider how detrimental these choices can be for your long-term well being. Not only your physical health is at stake, but even your mental is at risk.
Do the shit you don’t want to do. Your willpower expands with effort and your will to live will do the same. Challenge yourself regularly and see the difference in your life.
September 28, 2024
