The Willpower Myth: 23 Labs Went Looking and Came Up Empty
Does willpower run out like a fuel tank? The famous ego depletion finding failed a 23-lab re-test with 2,141 people. What that means for self-control.
Build habits that stick, using research instead of rules of thumb
Most habit advice gets repeated because it sounds right, not because anyone tested it. Habit Upgrades goes back to the original studies, then explains what they found and what to do about it.
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What the studies actually say about habits: the 21-day rule, the 92% statistic, the 10,000-hour rule. About one email a week. Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
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What you'll learn
Mind
The shortcuts your mind uses to judge and decide, the predictable ways they mislead you, and what really drives focus and willpower.
Body
Sleep, exercise, and eating run more on habit than decisions, and the research on how those routines get built and stick.
Money
Why spending feels good and saving feels like a chore, plus the pricing tricks built to keep it that way.
Tools
Simple systems for building a habit, and what to do the day after you miss one, so one bad day doesn't end it.
Latest Articles
The Habit Loop: Why You Can't Remember Driving Home
The habit loop (cue, routine, reward) explains how the brain automates behavior, why you scroll without deciding to, and where the loop can be edited.
The 10,000-Hour Rule Failed Its Own Data
The 10,000-hour rule came from a study of 30 violinists, and the researcher behind it spent years saying it was misread. Here's what the data shows.
How to Break Bad Habits When Willpower Keeps Losing
Research on how to break bad habits points away from willpower: change the cues, add friction, use vigilant monitoring, and time quits to disruption windows.
Dopamine Detox: Its Inventor Says It's Not About Dopamine
The dopamine detox trend misreads the science: dopamine doesn't deplete or flush out. Here's what its creator actually built, and what works instead.