CHAPTER 1: SELF-DISCIPLINE - THE BIOLOGICAL ARGUMENT The assumption is that some people are endowed with self-discipline and others are not, but this is not the case. There is a science to self-discipline, and if you want more of it in your life, it will help you get a better understanding of its biological basis. In this chapter, you will learn about the biology of selfdiscipline and how you can target certain areas of the brain to improve it. The human brain contains an estimated 100 billion neurons, the minuscule cells responsible for our behaviors and thoughts. Neuroscientists Todd Hare and Colin Camerer conducted a in 2009 in which they used functional magnetic resonance imaging machines (f{MRIs) to record the brain activity that takes place when people are engaging in tasks that require them to use self-control and discipline. The participants were given a choice between accepting a small financial reward at the immediate conclusion of the study or a larger financial reward at a later date. The researchers induced the classic battle between delayed gratification and willpower. They discovered that there was a high level of activity in two areas of the brain called the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex when participants were making decisions based on the choices made immediately or in the future. The activity in these regions

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