The Science of Willpower

Secrets for self-control without suffering.

by Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.

The Magic Word that Helps Kids In School

By Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D. on December 19, 2011 in The Science of Willpower

My mom, a third-grade teacher, has been talking to her students about willpower. One of the main tidbits she's passed on is that willpower is like a muscle that can be strengthened. The more you practice using it, the better you get and the more willpower you have. Read More

What if it is in the phrasing?

Submitted by Anonymous on December 30, 2011 - 8:09am.

Just a theory: instead of saying "you need to focus now" the teacher said "you need to use your focus now".

I may be over-analyzing it, but what if sub-conciously the kids are picking up on the phrasing more than the word itself. "You need to use your willpower" now implies something that they have and have the ability to use, while "You need to focus now" may imply that focus is something that they need and require but you aren't sure they have it, or possibly they aren't sure if they have it themselves...