Willpower Doesn’t Work. Here’s the Key to Being More Productive According to Neuroscience.

being more productive doesn’t mean getting more done. It means getting more of the right things done.

In an incredibly dangerous primitive world, early man couldn’t afford to spend his precious time and energy on activities that delivered delayed rewards, such as saving food for a rainy day or practicing proper running technique. By the time the payoff for these activities arrived, he might have already been devoured by a giant hyena.

growth activities, entail none other than delayed gratification. Whether it’s studying for the bar, practicing free throws, or reading long educational articles such as this one, the one thing these activities have in common is they require substantial effort now, for a greater payoff later.

implementation intentions

if we want to consistently execute growth activities, we have to outsmart the live for today part of our brain