October 9, 2023 • 2hr 5min
How to Increase Your Willpower & Tenacity
Huberman Lab
Key Takeaways
- Tenacity and willpower are distinct from habit execution and motivation. They require intervening in default neural processes and governing ourselves to do or not do something, which requires effort and energy.
- The anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) is a key brain hub for generating tenacity and willpower. It allocates resources and energy to different brain areas to meet motivational goals.
- The aMCC is activated more during hard tasks vs. easy tasks. Its activity levels correlate with academic performance, successful dieting, and resilience to depression/apathy.
- Cardiovascular exercise 3x per week for 1 hour at moderate-high intensity can increase the size and function of the aMCC, especially in older adults.
- Engaging in challenging new activities that you resist or don't want to do ("micro-sucks") can activate and strengthen the aMCC and build tenacity/willpower.
- Beliefs about willpower being limited or unlimited can impact performance on challenging tasks. Believing willpower is unlimited allows sustained performance.
- Autonomic function (sleep, stress, etc.) strongly modulates our ability to engage tenacity and willpower. Taking care of foundational health is crucial.
- Occasionally rewarding yourself after successfully engaging tenacity/willpower can reinforce the behavior and build capacity for future challenges.
Introduction
In this episode, Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses the neuroscience and psychology of tenacity and willpower - our ability to persist under pressure and resist temptations. He explains how these traits differ from motivation and habit execution, and explores the controversial research on whether willpower is a limited resource. Huberman then delves into the neural basis of tenacity and willpower, focusing on a key brain region called the anterior midcingulate cortex. Finally, he provides science-based tools and protocols to increase one's level of tenacity and willpower across various life domains.
Topics Discussed
Defining Tenacity and Willpower (6:01)
Huberman distinguishes tenacity and willpower from habit execution and motivation:
- Habit execution is automatic and doesn't require much willpower
- Tenacity and willpower require intervening in default processes and governing ourselves
- They involve either doing something we don't want to do or resisting something we want to do
- This requires mental effort and energy
He places tenacity/willpower and apathy/depression on opposite ends of a continuum, with motivation as the "verb" that moves us along that continuum.
Is Willpower a Limited Resource? (10:40)
Huberman discusses the controversial "ego depletion" theory proposed by Roy Baumeister:
- Suggests willpower is a limited resource that gets depleted with use
- Studies showed performance declining on subsequent willpower tasks
- Proposed glucose as the limited physiological resource
- Drinking glucose between tasks improved sustained willpower
However, other researchers like Carol Dweck found beliefs about willpower impact performance:
- Those who believe willpower is unlimited show sustained performance
- Glucose only helped those who believed willpower was limited
The debate remains unresolved, but beliefs clearly play an important role.
The Neuroscience of Tenacity and Willpower (50:07)
Huberman explains that the anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) is a key brain hub for tenacity and willpower:
- Located in the frontal lobes, about 1/3 back from forehead
- Receives inputs from many brain areas (reward, executive function, autonomic, etc.)
- Allocates resources/energy to different brain regions based on motivational goals
- Activity increases during hard tasks vs. easy tasks
- Size and activity correlates with academic performance, successful dieting, resilience to depression
- Electrical stimulation creates feeling of needing to persist through challenge
The aMCC appears to be the seat of the "I absolutely will" or "I absolutely won't" feeling associated with tenacity and willpower.
Cardiovascular Exercise Increases aMCC Size/Function (1:28:14)
Huberman discusses a key study showing cardiovascular exercise can increase aMCC size and function:
- 60-79 year olds did 3x 1-hour moderate-intensity cardio sessions per week for 6 months
- Increased or maintained aMCC size vs. control group
- Also improved white matter tracts connecting aMCC
- Likely due to repeatedly engaging willpower to exercise when they didn't want to
This provides a concrete way to potentially strengthen the neural circuits underlying tenacity and willpower.
Tools to Increase Tenacity and Willpower (1:40:15)
Huberman suggests several ways to activate and strengthen the aMCC:
- Engage in novel, challenging physical or mental activities
- Add "micro-sucks" - small challenging tasks you resist doing
- Examples: extra exercise set, cold shower, language practice, resisting phone use
- Key is doing things you don't want to do or resisting things you want to do
- Should feel effortful and create some agitation/discomfort
- But avoid anything psychologically or physically damaging
The goal is to repeatedly activate the aMCC in safe but challenging ways to build capacity.
Autonomic Function and Willpower (20:03)
Huberman emphasizes that autonomic nervous system function strongly modulates our ability to engage tenacity and willpower:
- Sleep deprivation, stress, pain, distraction all reduce willpower capacity
- Taking care of sleep, stress management, etc. is crucial foundation
- Autonomic nervous system provides direct input to the aMCC
Addressing these foundational health factors is necessary to optimize tenacity and willpower.
Rewarding Tenacity/Willpower (1:56:16)
Huberman discusses new research on rewarding oneself after engaging willpower:
- Feeling of relief after stress can reinforce tenacity
- Occasionally providing yourself a reward after successfully engaging willpower can further reinforce the behavior
- But avoid rewarding every time to prevent dependency
- Choose healthy, safe rewards
This can help build a positive feedback loop to increase willpower capacity over time.
Conclusion
Huberman concludes that tenacity and willpower are trainable skills rooted in the function of the anterior midcingulate cortex. By understanding the neuroscience and psychology behind these traits, we can engage in targeted practices to strengthen our capacity for persistence and self-control. This includes challenging ourselves with novel, difficult tasks, taking on small "micro-sucks", and occasionally rewarding ourselves for successfully engaging willpower. However, he emphasizes the importance of doing this safely and in balance, avoiding extremes that could be psychologically or physically damaging. With consistent practice, we can build up our tenacity and willpower "muscles" to better achieve our goals and navigate life's challenges.
