Wish you could lay off the potato chips better? Then spend more time with someone who's got excellent self-control.
Research shows that thinking about or writing about or watching people who are good at exerting self-control helps you exercise good self-control as well. Time to pick up that Gandhi biography . . .
Control Yourself
Yep. Like a cold, self-control is contagious. It spreads throughout social networks, and you can catch some of it from friends, coworkers, and significant others. Being around or aware of people who practice good self-control makes it easier for you to come up with thoughts and ideas on how to control your own behavior. You don't even have to share the same goals.
Bad Influence
And the opposite end of the self-control spectrum definitely doesn't do you any favors. In other words, if you spend a lot of time with your doughnut-eating friend who'd like to lose weight but just can't, that can rub off on you as well. So surround yourself with positive influences. And maybe someday you'll be that self-control guru that other people are drawn to.
Medically reviewed in April 2019.
