Ego Depletion -- Short Sidebar
Been Thinking... Maybe, Frame Shift?
Ok, I know what you are thinking…
“You said we are moving on! I am bored of the mental stuff!”
A. How dare you!
B. This is important and short I promise!
If you recall I talked about Ego depletion and how even though the data may refute it, it could still be an accurate and valid concept.
I don’t think I am wrong HOWEVER…
I think I need to add something else important.
Nir Eyal wrote an article in 2016 talking about this topic. He referenced Carol Dweck and both were against my point that ego depletion is a good thing. They acknowledge it could be a thing just an unhelpful one.
This is tough for me because I respect both of their opinions and so do I go against them and dig in my heels thinking I am right or adopt their perspective. They are way smarter than I am so I should take the latter.
I am going to go with…
Here is what Dweck had to say:
New research proposes another explanation for why we run out of steam. In a study conducted by the Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck and her colleagues, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dweck concluded that signs of ego depletion were observed only in test subjects who believed willpower was a limited resource. Those participants who did not see willpower as finite did not show signs of ego depletion.
Naming abstract concepts we feel are important! That’s kind of the whole point of this ledger to begin with.
Here is the part I want to correct and explain how it all fits together.
I also feel it’s possible if you rely on this theory, it can negatively impact your life. If you name it and unsubscribe from it you may unlock yourself from your shields depleting.
How does this all tie into the ledger?
It all comes back to how you talk to yourself and inscribe ledger events.
Does this void half the blog you wrote about ego depletion where you try to get your shields up and do things that charge you?
It could. It doesn’t have to.
Remember how I keep saying ledgers are not the same for everyone?
This still holds.
Believing your mental energy is limitless is a tough reframe. It may not be realistic without practice and a lot of work. If it’s better for you right now to use the ego depletion theory to start practicing healthier behaviors, why not go for it?
You can always work on removing the limits later.
Remember, this is your journey!
If you want to work towards playing “cliff of dover”…
You must take steps forward. Some people can pick up a guitar and play it immediately (yeah, those people are both amazing and annoying at the same time!) Others will never get there and that is ok!
You should figure out where you want to go and take steps to get there. It can be as little as picking up 1 new healthy habit a month which increases your shields.
Steps towards positivity is the goal! How ever you get there is up to you!