--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Willpower is just another name for the…" description: "\"“Willpower is just another name for the idea of choosing long-term outcomes rather than short-term ones.”\" — António R. Damásio" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/ant-nio-r-dam-sio-40559_choices-and-conseque_willpower-is-just-another-name-for-the-i_1863720.jpg" --- # Willpower is just another name for the idea of choosing… ![“Willpower is just another name for the idea of choosing long-term outcomes rather than short-term ones.” quote by António R. Damásio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/ant-nio-r-dam-sio-40559_choices-and-conseque_willpower-is-just-another-name-for-the-i_1863720.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/ant-nio-r-dam-sio-40559_choices-and-conseque_willpower-is-just-another-name-for-the-i_1863720.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/ant-nio-r-dam-sio-40559_choices-and-conseque_willpower-is-just-another-name-for-the-i_1863720.jpg) > ““Willpower is just another name for the idea of choosing long-term outcomes rather than short-term ones.”” [António R. Damásio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-nio-r-dam-sio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Willpower is essentially choosing long‑term benefits over immediate gratification. **In simple terms:** Willpower = choosing future over now. Key Takeaway Prioritize long‑term goals. Themes psychology self‑control decision making Mood motivational analytical Type self‑help scientific When to use this quote - financial planning - health habits - career development - education Key Concepts neuroscience temporal discounting Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help sustain long‑term focus? - How does brain chemistry affect willpower? A Different Perspective Short‑term temptations are strong. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices-and-consequences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-and-consequences/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Short term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-term/) [Willpower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willpower/) ## Related quotes > [“Willpower is more than just a metaphor; self-control is a finite resource. 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Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [It's easy to just give everything up, but it takes a lot of strength and a lot of willpower to just make yourself stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandy-norwood/it-s-easy-to-just-give-everything-up-but-it-takes-a-lot-of-strength/) [Brandy Norwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandy-norwood/) > [We know what willpower is, but by some misguided conception, many of us believe we have to be a certain type of person, strong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-altea/we-know-what-willpower-is-but-by-some-misguided-conception-many-of-us/) [Rosemary Altea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-altea/) > [“Baumeister says that people who succeed don't have more willpower than you: they just develop better daily routines and habits, which after a while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pape/baumeister-says-that-people-who-succeed-don-t-have-more-willpower/) [Scott Pape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pape/) > [“Willpower is more than just a metaphor; self-control is a finite resource.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/willpower-is-more-than-just-a-metaphor-self-control-is-a-finite/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [“We have choice,” she insisted. “This is it. 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This willpower works in a short term, not durational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/we-performers-work-on-willpower-this-willpower-works-in-a-short-term/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Willpower can produce short-term change, but it creates constant internal stress because you haven't dealt with the root cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/willpower-can-produce-short-term-change-but-it-creates-constant/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“Having choice is nothing but a big illusion created by those who have power to make choices and make another if it goes wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crestless-wave/having-choice-is-nothing-but-a-big-illusion-created-by-those-who-have/) Crestless Wave > [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [“Was there ever in anyone's life span a point free in time, devoid of memory, a point when choice was any more than sum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/was-there-ever-in-anyone-s-life-span-a-point-free-in-time-devoid-of/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“Everyone have the free willing to chose which kind of life he wanna live, to be remembered or forgotten”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-hachemi-sabi/everyone-have-the-free-willing-to-chose-which-kind-of-life-he-wanna/) El hachemi Sabi > [“You made a choice—a single choice. 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Damásio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-nio-r-dam-sio/) > [“WE ALMOST NEVER think of the present, and when we do, it is only to see what light it throws on our plans for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-nio-r-dam-sio/we-almost-never-think-of-the-present-and-when-we-do-it-is-only-to-see/) [Antonio R. Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-nio-r-dam-sio/) > [“The neural basis for the self, as I see it, resides with the continuous reactivation of at least two sets of representations. One set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-nio-r-dam-sio/the-neural-basis-for-the-self-as-i-see-it-resides-with-the-continuous/) [António R. Damásio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-nio-r-dam-sio/) > [“We use our minds not to discover facts but to hide them. One of things the screen hides most effectively is the body, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-nio-r-dam-sio/we-use-our-minds-not-to-discover-facts-but-to-hide-them-one-of-things/) [Antonio R. 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Few words that talk much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-choose-to-choose-few-words-each-day-yes-few-words-that-count-few/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [“Why are we asked to make the most important decisions of our lives when we are so young, and so prone to mistakes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-park/why-are-we-asked-to-make-the-most-important-decisions-of-our-lives/) [Samuel Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-park/) > [“How could he know this new dawn's light would change his life forever? Set sail to sea, but pulled off course by the light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metallica/how-could-he-know-this-new-dawn-s-light-would-change-his-life-forever/) [Metallica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metallica/) > [“Have no regrets in life because of the choices you make. Good or bad, they are a learning experience, to help you grow. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hauenstein/have-no-regrets-in-life-because-of-the-choices-you-make-good-or-bad/) [James Hauenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hauenstein/) > [“Your life is determined by the sum of the choices that YOU make.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/your-life-is-determined-by-the-sum-of-the-choices-that-you-make/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [“Because I don’t even know if this life is right for me anymore. I don’t know what I want to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-i-don-t-even-know-if-this-life-is-right-for-me-anymore-i-don/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Choices made, whether bad or good, follow you forever and affect everyone in their path one way or another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-e-b-spredemann/choices-made-whether-bad-or-good-follow-you-forever-and-affect/) [J.E.B. Spredemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-e-b-spredemann/) > [“And so everything depends on you, Bertie. Bishop or rook. Your life or mine. Do what you believe you have to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lix-j-palma/and-so-everything-depends-on-you-bertie-bishop-or-rook-your-life-or/) [Félix J. Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lix-j-palma/) > [“I've spent all the years since full of guilt and misery, even though I didn't remember it. I've let it run my thoughts, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/i-ve-spent-all-the-years-since-full-of-guilt-and-misery-even-though-i/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) [Browse all 123 Choices-and-consequences quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-and-consequences/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Willpower is just another name for the idea of choosing long-term outcomes rather than short-term ones.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "António R. 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