Framework · Angela Duckworth, Tamar Gendler and James Gross
Situational strategies for self-control
Self-control is easier when you act early — choosing and changing situations before temptation arrives — rather than resisting in the moment.
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Self-control is easier when you act early — choosing and changing situations before temptation arrives — rather than resisting in the moment.
How to use it with a real habit
- Choose situations that support the habit.
- Change your surroundings.
- Remove temptations before they appear.
What the evidence says
Research-supported: Good studies support it, but there are fewer of them, the effects are modest, or they come from a narrow set of situations.
Supported by research showing people high in self-control meet fewer temptations and rely on beneficial habits; the strategies themselves are less studied than in-the-moment willpower.
Limits
- Not every situation can be chosen or changed.
Sources
- Duckworth, Gendler & Gross (2016). Situational Strategies for Self-Control. Perspectives on Psychological Science. doi:10.1177/1745691615623247
- Hofmann, Baumeister, Förster & Vohs (2012). Everyday temptations: An experience sampling study of desire, conflict, and self-control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. doi:10.1037/a0026545
- Galla & Duckworth (2015). More than resisting temptation: Beneficial habits mediate the relationship between self-control and positive life outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. doi:10.1037/pspp0000026
Related techniques
- Redesign a space — Rearrange a room, desk or shelf so it invites the habit you want. (Research-supported)
- Remove the cue — Take away what starts the unwanted habit — out of sight, out of reach. (Research-supported)
- Steer around high-risk moments — Where it’s sensible, avoid the situations where the unwanted habit almost always happens. (Research-supported)