减少诱惑暴露比反复抵抗更可靠
自控力强的人,未必每天都在进行更激烈的心理斗争。《Atomic Habits》里提到,他们只是较少待在充满诱惑的情境里,所以需要动用自控力的次数也更少。
手机放在手边,工作中断的入口一直开着;不断看新电子产品的评测,购买欲望便会被反复叫醒。等渴望已经出现再抵抗,相当于把同一场仗每天重打一遍。把手机留在另一个房间,停止关注引发嫉妒的账号,拔掉游戏机,这些做法没有让意志变强,只是让提示不再随时出现。
这是 环境设计 的反向用法,也是一种很直接的 减法。有些诱惑无法躲开,只移走线索也没有处理坏习惯原本在缓解的情绪;但在可以选择的地方,少看见一次,通常比多抵抗一次可靠。
《Atomic Habits》原文:
When scientists analyze people who appear to have tremendous self-control, it turns out those individuals aren’t all that different from those who are struggling. Instead, “disciplined” people are better at structuring their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control. In other words, they spend less time in tempting situations. (Location 1171)
The people with the best self-control are typically the ones who need to use it the least (Location 1174)
So, yes, perseverance, grit, and willpower are essential to success, but the way to improve these qualities is not by wishing you were a more disciplined person, but by creating a more disciplined environment (Location 1175)
Bad habits are autocatalytic: the process feeds itself. They foster the feelings they try to numb. You feel bad, so you eat junk food. Because you eat junk food, you feel bad. Watching television makes you feel sluggish, so you watch more television because you don’t have the energy to do anything else. Worrying about your health makes you feel anxious, which causes you to smoke to ease your anxiety, which makes your health even worse and soon you’re feeling more anxious. It’s a downward spiral, a runaway train of bad habits. Researchers refer to this phenomenon as “cue-induced wanting”: an external trigger causes a compulsive craving to repeat a bad habit. (Location 1185)
If you can’t seem to get any work done, leave your phone in another room for a few hours. If you’re continually feeling like you’re not enough, stop following social media accounts that trigger jealousy and envy. If you’re wasting too much time watching television, move the TV out of the bedroom. If you’re spending too much money on electronics, quit reading reviews of the latest tech gear. If you’re playing too many video games, unplug the console and put it in a closet after each use. (Location 1199)
Rather than make it obvious, you can make it invisible. (Location 1204)
Self-control is a short-term strategy, not a long-term one. You may be able to resist temptation once or twice, but it’s unlikely you can muster the willpower to override your desires every time. Instead of summoning a new dose of willpower whenever you want to do the right thing, your energy would be better spent optimizing your environment. This is the secret to self-control. (Location 1206)
Chapter Summary The inversion of the 1st Law of Behavior Change is make it invisible. Once a habit is formed, it is unlikely to be forgotten. People with high self-control tend to spend less time in tempting situations. It’s easier to avoid temptation than resist it. One of the most practical ways to eliminate a bad habit is to reduce exposure to the cue that causes it. Self-control is a short-term strategy, not a long-term one. HOW (Location 1209)
Links to this note
- Atomic Habits
习惯还没开始,入口已经先决定了一半。实施意图与习惯叠加:提前规定行为入口 安排时间、地点或前一个动作,环境设计:显眼线索与固定情境塑造行为 决定到了那里最先看见什么,减少诱惑暴露比反复抵抗更可靠 直接把某些提示移走。等动作变得自动,行为觉察:自动行为只有进入意识后才能改变 又负责把已经看不见的旧程序叫回来。