How to become better at self-control, immediately

Self Control

Self awareness is the foundation of self-control.
The best way to improve self-control is to just recognize when you lose it.

When the brain recognizes an opportunity for reward, it releases Dopamine. This tells the rest of the brain what to pay attention to. It builds anticipation for the reward but does not help enjoy it.
Dopamines’s primary function is to make us pursue happiness, not to make us happy.

Immediate rewards trigger our primitive reward system which does not care about long-term benefits

When you notice yourself doing something on autopilot, or against your long-term interests, use the “pause and plan.” Instead of reacting impulsively to the Dopamine release, pause, and plan out what you actually want to do in response to that stimulus.

Just wait 10 minutes before doing what you’re thinking of doing.

Know what your impulsive self-wants, and what your wise self-wants.
Recognize when one is in control.

Quick notes from “The Willpower Instinct”