November 13th, 2023

Dear Chattanooga State Community,

When you think about willpower, I would imagine the very last thing you think about is marshmallows. Marshmallows? Yes, marshmallows. But the puffy poufs of sugar were part of a study in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Children were given a marshmallow but told if they could wait 20 minutes to eat it, they would get two instead of just one. The kids who were able to delay gratification were found, even decades later, to perform better in many areas of life.

The good news is willpower is something we can learn. Today, I want to present some strategies to help you develop your own willpower as a skill that will help you succeed in your education and life.

  • Delay Gratification

The ability to wait for a reward is something our society doesn’t often encourage. Consider anything in your current life, from food to shopping to communication. Do you want dinner in 30 seconds? Just pop it into the microwave. Do you want something shipped to you from another continent? Order it from Amazon; it could be here in as little as two days. Want to know something about a friend? Send them a text and you’ll probably hear back from them in seconds.

Learning to wait for the rewards, like the young children in the marshmallow study, is like training your willpower muscle not to expect immediate gratification. This training helps when it comes time to decide to have a few minutes of free time now or to finish your studies so you can have a whole weekend free later.

  • Pre-commit

Committing to a plan before it's time to act on it keeps you from having to make a decision when the pressure is on because you already know what you are going to do. For instance, you might use an app that blocks social media on your phone during your planned study time, so you don’t have to worry about making that decision when you are in the midst of studying something difficult.

  • Set Clear, Specific Goals

Goals that are too broad can be difficult to meet because you can’t measure them well. For instance, a goal like “I want to do well in school” can be difficult to determine when you have met your goal or are on the right track. But if your goal is more specific, like, “I’m going to work on my math homework this Tuesday for two hours,” you’ll have a better understanding of whether you've met your goal or not and whether that is moving you closer to your goal of doing well in math.

These strategies (delaying gratification, pre-committing, and setting clear goals) are not just tools; they are steps towards a disciplined and goal-oriented life. By practicing them, you are not just working towards good grades but also embracing a mindset that can lead to lifelong success and fulfillment.

Next, we will build upon these strategies by examining the role habits play in strengthening willpower. Our habits can either serve as support for our willpower, or they can be the obstacles we need to overcome to utilize our willpower effectively.

 

Late Night at the Library

The Kolwyck Library will host Late Night at the Library on Tuesday, November 14 from 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm! Pancakes with sausage and bacon will be served, sponsored by Student Experience, and we will have snacks and beverages as well. We’ll also have therapy dogs! We motivate and encourage students with a goal-setting board (complete with cheers from library staff), our prize wheel, research help from librarians, and tutors from the Writing Center. Everything is free! We can't wait to see you there!

 

2024–2025 Scholarship Application Is Now Open

The 2024-2025 Scholarship Application is now open for Fall 2024 scholarship awards! ChattState and the Chattanooga State Foundation will award over $1 million in scholarships next year, but students must apply to be considered. The priority deadline for scholarship awards is March 1, 2024.

The 2024-2025 Scholarship Application will only be reviewed for scholarship awards beginning with the Fall 2024 semester.

 

Upcoming Events

  • November 14, 9.00 a.m.–5:30 p.m., OMN 124
    Grad Finale
     
  • November 15, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Student Center
    Friendsgiving
     
  • November 15, 5:30 p.m., Gym
    Women’s Basketball vs Cleveland State
     
  • November 15, 7:30 p.m., Gym
    Men’s Basketball vs Cleveland State
     
  • November 17, 7:30 p.m., Humanities Theatre
    The Importance of Being Earnest
     
  • November 18, 7:30 p.m., Humanities Theatre
    The Importance of Being Earnest
     
  • November 19, 2:30 p.m., Humanities Theatre
    The Importance of Being Earnest
     
  • November 20–26
    Thanksgiving Break
     

Sincerely,
Rebecca Ashford, Ed.D.
President