The Issue of Exerting Self-Control to Overcome the Temptations - Assignment Example

The authors cite research that has shown that people still have the same willpower as the previous generations, but are unable to execute it owing to the continuous exposure to innumerable temptations present in today’s world. With the increasing number of available goods and services available at our door step, researchers believe that our psychological system lacks the inherent ability to resist them. Defining self-control and willpower, the author quotes that self-control is the ability to set goals while willpower helps the individual to attain those goals.

In addition to setting goals and achieving them, it is equally important to access how far we have reached in attaining them in order to know the effectiveness of the strategy used. Citing practical examples the author also cautions that willpower can become fatigued when it is overused. The more a person exerts resistance in one particular task the possibility of performing less well in other tasks increases. Despite the fact that the ability to exercise willpower also depends on the genetic makeup of an individual, psychologists believe that people can find ways to exert the same by placing controls in tempting activities such as spending and eating.

However, the author ascertains that it should also be borne in mind that self-control is a virtue and that it cannot be considered lightly. In addition, people may lack the skills to practice self-control or they may possess the skills and lack the ability to use them rightly. This can be rectified through proper counseling guidance. Even practicing to keep out the temptation, for the time being, will help to overcome it in the long run and in addition, people can also develop a belief that resisting the right temptations will only bring reward later in life.