What is willpower, and how can it be strengthened?
What is willpower, and how can it be strengthened?
Professor Andrew Huberman is an American neuroscientist who teaches at Stanford University and hosts a podcast called Huberman Lab. In his podcast "How to Build Inner Strength," he interviews ex-Navy SEAL David Goggins. This episode was when I first heard about a part of the brain called the anterior mid-cingulated cortex. David Goggins is famous for his physical endurance, first as a Navy SEAL in the US Military and then as an ultramarathon runner. David Goggins reveals how he pushes through 'because' he does not want to, an extreme level of willpower. Huberman explains in scientific terms what is happening in the brain of his guest and introduces us, the audience, to a part of the brain called the anterior mid-cingulated cortex, which grows when doing a task we least want to do. The anterior mid-cingulated cortex, aligned with willpower, grows when we persist in a challenging task. Willpower is not an infinite resource; its depletion varies from person to person. Nevertheless, we all want to nurture this for ourselves and our children.
“Cogmed…. is a feat of mental and emotional endurance that is adaptive to the individual’s ability level.”
I was thinking about willpower depletion, this new angle on its possible reversal, and a recent parent testimonial I received for a program I run called Cogmed Working Memory Training. The parent, in question, commented on a radical change in his teenage son's willpower after he had completed his eight-week training. However, as I thought some more, the growth of willpower was not unique to this case study; it was more of a coincidence, as the parent in question was on my list of people to call that morning.
In Cogmed, students do challenging work and must push themselves daily during the training. It is a feat of mental and emotional endurance that is adaptive to the individual's ability level.
What is Cogmed, and what does it do?
Cogmed is an online clinical program that increases your ability to remember, think and do simultaneously. The part of the brain responsible for this multitasking is called Working Memory. Unlike short-term memory, it is less about temporarily retrieving the stored information. Working Memory is the ability to hold and manipulate information simultaneously. We use working memory all the time to follow through with activities in our day-to-day lives. The list is endless: remembering instructions, comprehending while reading, and determining how long a journey will take; used from the moment we wake, we acknowledge the time and go through the work tasks of the day.
Working memory is fragile and depends on how much information we can hold at any time; it has a limit, a capacity. This capacity grows exponentially in children from age 4 to age 18. An eight-year-old will have a greater capacity than a child half their age.
“Cogmed working memory training tackles both capacity and inattention, incrementally increasing both.”
Those diagnosed or suspected of neurodivergent conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia and most other conditions will have an inherent working memory deficiency. They may struggle early to read, spell, and do sums. Aside from having a smaller capacity than their peers, the information will easily slide out, resulting in inattention (or poor concentration).
Cogmed working memory training tackles both capacity and inattention, incrementally increasing both. A person's working memory can be grown at any age. However, increasing the baseline at a younger age means that child can eventually (with yearly boosts) reach their peers.
How does Cogmed working memory training grow the anterior mid-cingulated cortex, and increase a student's willpower?
In a typical training session, the student is judiciously exposed to more and more stress as the program increases the load of remembering information in each progressive trial. The load reduces, and trials fail when the student's load exceeds their comfort level. A typical session consists of three exercises with around seventeen trials for each exercise. The student must complete each of the trials to finish the session. Even if the student fails, they often feel they are doing a task that is too difficult for them. Most feel the honeymoon phase evaporates within the first five days. However, they must continue for another thirty-five sessions in the remaining seven weeks, with five days of training each week. This entire training is exercising willpower and building the anterior mid-cingulated cortex.
“Building willpower in this way is addictive. Parents often comment that their child misses doing Cogmed and ask when they can repeat it”
Cogmed is a new experience that is eventually rewarding. Pushing through is challenging and possibly a new brain activity for a young student, especially if that student is used to routinely giving up. Cogmed, The journey is supported; a training aide holds the student's hand (metaphorically) the entire journey. Once the anterior mid-cingulated cortex grows, the students experience a positive change. There is no joy here as Cogmed does not get easier; however, the student learns how to challenge themselves, which is an exhilarating 'first' for most.
Building willpower in this way is addictive. Parents often comment that their child misses doing Cogmed and ask when they can repeat it! The student can not reach the level of David Goggins and his endurance ability, but everyone has to start somewhere.
Dyslexia? Dyspraxia? ADHD? ASD? Speech & Language? Developmental Delay? Anxiety?
Is every school day a struggle? As a parent, you may feel exhausted and on this journey alone. Each year you see the gap getting wider. You need to do something - change the approach, help your child learn for themselves, find a way to turn this around - to help while you can - do this NOW. the first step is free.
About the Author
Usha Patel is a Neurocognitive Therapist and Director at Raviv Practice London. Parents searching to help their suspected/neurodiverse child can get evidence-based solutions with results in as little as 8 weeks. Those in search of jargon-free help can get started straight away.
