Kelly Mcgonigal, PhD

I’m frequently asked questions about how to get started meditating, what is the best meditation for beginners, what is the best meditation for reducing stress (or training willpower, or cultivating self-compassion, or developing focus, etc.). Below is my favorite meditation for all these intentions. You can listen to (or download) a version of these instructions […]

For the first time ever, I taught one of my 6-week courses live online this year. The videos from this course, along with all supportive class materials (e.g. guided practice MP3s, worksheets/homework exercises), are available for you to guide yourself through the course at your own pace. See below for all the course details, and […]

About two years ago, some participants in my Science of Willpower course started to name “technology addiction” as their main willpower challenge. It’s only accelerated since then, as we’ve fallen more fully in love with our devices. Last week I stopped by the Toronto studios of the CBC to give the following 3-min advice about how […]

In this 1-hour webisode of the tv show “Dr. Kiki’s Science Hour“, Dr. Kirsten Sanford and Dr. Kelly McGonigal discuss the science of self-control, why and how to become a “willpower scientist” in your own life, and what the latest research says about parenting strategies, behavior change, and motivation. Watch via the link below, or […]

It was a blast to be on The Today Show! Check out the interview discussing my new book The Willpower Instinct,  and my Stanford Continuing Studies class “The Science of Willpower.” Click to watch: The Today Show Willpower Tips Interview by Matt Lauer. Original broadcast: 1/3/2012.

Whatever your New Year’s Resolution, there’s a science-help book for you.  You’ll get great advice mixed in with the funniest, most fascinating stories and studies science can provide. I put together my favorite science-help books for every possible New Year’s Resolution. Check out the slide show on the Huffington Post’s Books Section. [Excerpted Below] The […]

Earlier this summer I had fun contributing to a special episode of “Strange Animal,” a weekly radio show on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that is a bit like National Public Radio’s fantastic “Radio Lab” show. The show asks the question: “Why do we lack willpower?” and talks to three psychologists: myself, procrastination researcher Tim Pychyl, […]

Registration for The Science of Willpower (Jan-Mar 2012) through Stanford Continuing Studies is now open. From STANFORD Magazine October 2011 By Marina Krakovsky Early in Kelly McGonigal’s eight-week Continuing Studies course on the science of willpower, a middle-aged woman sitting in the large auditorium raised her hand and questioned whether the willpower challenges the instructor […]

Below are the resources I prepared for my sessions/intensives at the 2012 Toronto Yoga Conference. Enjoy! PDFs of Slide Shows: Strengthening the Heart with Compassion Intensive  Slide Show: CompassionIntensiveSLIDES  (for the full text PDFs of studies mentioned in this slideshow, see http://ccare.stanford.edu/publications/articles) The Science of Willpower Slide Show: WillpowerIntensiveSLIDES The Science of Meditation Slide Show: […]