Self-Control, Character, and Context

The people with the best self-control are typically the ones who need to use it the least.

The Secret

I am preparing to talk about self-control at Sunnyside Family Camp on July 23rd. My study led me to discover some interesting aspects of self-control.

For instance, the Greek language used in the original New Testament writings sometimes has different meanings for words than the meaning in English. What’s fascinating is the word “self-control” in the Greek means… self-control.

The subject of self-control can make you feel guilty. We all battle with self-control. Its hard. I wrote about my struggles with self-control and my nemesis… chips. However, I found the secret to deal with my lack of self-control.

Here’s the secret. People who exercise better self-control rely on good habits more than willpower.

And the habit? Don’t buy chips.

And if you must, don’t buy the Family-size or the regular-size bag. Purchase ONE snack-size bag.

The people with the best self-control are typically the ones who need to use it the least.

Genius.

Context and Character

James Clear, in his runaway bestseller Atomic Habits, says, “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. The people with the best self-control are typically the ones who need to use it the least. It’s easier to practice self-restraint when you don’t have to use it very often.”

A Curious Outcome With Heroin Addicts

In 1971 the Vietnam War was heading into its 16th year. 35% of service members in Vietnam had tried heroin and as many as 20% were addicted. The discovery led to a flurry of activity in Washington including prevention and rehabilitation and to track addicted service members when they returned home.

Lee Robins was one of the researchers in charge in a finding that completely upended the accepted beliefs.

Those who were addicted were kept in Vietnam until they dried out. When these soldiers finally did return to their lives back in the U.S., Robins tracked them, collecting data at regular intervals. And this is where the story takes a curious turn: According to her research, the number of soldiers who continued their heroin addiction once they returned to the U.S. was shockingly low.

5% of users in Vietnam became re-addicted within a year and just 12% relapsed within three years. In other words approximately 9 out of 10 soldiers who used heroin in Vietnam elliminated their addiction nearly overnight.

Context Matters

This finding contradicted the prevailing view at the time which considered heroin addiction to be a permanent and irreversible condition.

Instead, Robins revealed their addictions could spontaneously dissolve if there was a radical change in the environment.

In Vietnam soldiers spent all day surrounded by cues triggering heroin use. It was easy to access, they were engulfed by the constant stress of war, they built friendships with fellow soldiers who were also heroin users and they were thousands of miles from home. Once a soldier returned to the United States though he found himself in an environment devoid of those triggers.

When the context changed so did the habit.

The Quality of Place

James Clear says, “Think about self-control less as the quality of a person and more as the quality of a place.”

Read the quote again.

There are some places and situations that tend toward lower self-control and others that lean toward higher self-control. Self-control is about your context as much as your character.

Trying to be better at self-control? The first step is to acknowledge the struggle.  Struggle doesn’t mean you are weak but that life is hard. Believing that you are weak will lead to LESS self-control.

Don’t give up on yourself. I’ll have more to say about this in a future post and on July 23rd.

Please join the conversation and leave a comment below. Thank you.

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