I was intrigued to read in February's Psychologist

I was intrigued to read in February's Psychologist (vol. 25 no. 2) that prisoners whose cases come up just bore lunch have a near zero probability of getting paroled. The article showcased Roy F. Baumeister's (Professor of Psychology at Florida State University) work on self-control and willpower which I find both fascinating and valuable in the coaching context.

Baumeister's work has led him to conclude that the most important factors leading to happy and successful lives are intelligence and self-control - and by a long way. "Self-control is what people use to restrain their desires and impulses". It is essentially about change and our tendency to self-regulate our responses, emotions, thoughts and performance according to some personal standard or ideal. Baumeister's work has shown that successful self-control