481. The Neuroscience of Self Control

Do You F*cking Mind?

Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa - Neuroscientist and Mindset Coach

Education, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness, Mental Health

4.9 • 914 Ratings

🗓️ 8 March 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Why do we have incredible self-control in some areas of life… and absolutely none in others?

In this neuroscience episode, we break down what self-control actually is in the brain, and why it can disappear the moment stress, distraction, or emotional conflict enters the picture.

We start with a quick brain fact explaining the difference between adrenaline and noradrenaline (also known as epinephrine and norepinephrine) and how these stress chemicals activate the sympathetic nervous system and the fight-or-flight response.

Then we dive into the neuroscience of self-control:

• What self-control actually means from a brain perspective

• Why self-control is a diminishing mental resource

• How stress chemicals weaken the brain’s control systems

• The push-pull relationship between the prefrontal cortex (your control centre) and the limbic system (your emotional and impulse system)

• Why stress and anxiety can shut down the brain circuits responsible for conscious self-control

• The role of the anterior cingulate cortex in monitoring internal conflict and willpower

I also explore why self-control isn’t about learning new skills, it’s about directing yourself to do things you are already capable of doing.

Finally, we look at evidence-based ways to strengthen self-control in everyday life:

• Regulating emotions instead of suppressing them

• Re-internalising awareness and paying attention to internal conflict

• Why meditation improves self-control by strengthening attention and self-awareness

• The role of delayed gratification in reducing procrastination

• How small daily actions can train the brain to make better decisions

If you’ve ever wondered why motivation fluctuates, why stress makes discipline disappear, or how to build stronger habits, this episode explains the neuroscience behind it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, beautiful beans and welcome to the podcast episode of today.
0:17.6	So this is a first of, I really hope many, and it is a neuroscience of dot,
0:25.0	dot, dot series that I want to do. My aim is to do this every second Monday. It might not be exactly
0:30.7	every second Monday, but that's really what I want to aim at. The reason I want to do this is because
0:36.1	I obviously love neuroscience so much. The last few
0:40.9	months, especially after the twins and everything, I haven't done as many of these episodes
0:45.9	like going deeper into the science purely because it does take a bit longer to flesh out
0:51.0	these episodes. And it also requires a lot more kind of rehashing things
0:56.5	that I have learnt and then I'm kind of like refreshing my knowledge on those things, a lot of
1:01.9	reading, a lot of diving deep and I was a bit time poor. Now I am getting a bit better with my time
1:06.8	management with the kids and all of that. So I really wanted to do more of these neuroscience
1:10.2	episodes because they are some of my favorite to do. I love my psychology episodes, but I really need to kind of scratch this each of the neuroscience episodes. Another reason why is because I was diving into my most successful episodes and one of the most, if not the most successful episode, other than the first episode I ever did because a lot of people people when they find my podcast, go back and listen to the first one as well, is one that I released last year called the neuroscience of determination that blew up. Everyone loved it. So I'm like, we need to do more of these specific neuroscience ones where I'm talking about the brain. I'm talking about different regions of the brain. I'm talking about all of the above. So that is what this episode is going to be about. I'm also bringing
1:48.5	in a relevant brain fact. Brain fact. Love. So I'm thriving on this episode. I really hope you guys
1:54.6	love it as much as I do. And I just feel like it's a very sciencey but very practical very information dense but
2:04.3	graspable if that's a word to as many people as possible I think when I when I can put
2:10.2	this information together and relay it in a way that makes sense to everyone that can
2:13.8	be applied by everyone then it's something that's going to be that you can listen to again and again and really have like, what am I trying to say? Like you've got like actionable steps that are measurable, that are tangible that you can apply to your life as of today to actually help increase your levels of self-control. So this is why I think it's, it's going to be an episode that hits home to a lot of people.
2:35.0	Now, before I start the brain fact, before I do anything, you are listening to this episode
2:39.4	on the, it's a Monday, it's the 9th. I am recording this episode the Wednesday prior and I'm so
2:46.1	excited as my life update to tell you that I'm going to Melbourne for the Formula One. I'm going there be there on the Saturday. I'm going to be in Melbourne for Friday, Saturday. But I'm going to be there on the Saturday. And I'm there for Quali. And I'm so fucking excited. I have no words. I am pumped. And something that I am going to announce, I can announce it on this episode because hopefully I've got my shit together and we've already done it, but I'm starting a second podcast and it is so not relevant to what I do here. It is purely a hobby passion project, but I'm starting it with my friend Bella and we are doing a Formula One podcast. I'm so happy to announce that. I can't wait to do it. It's just going to be something fun. It's going to be a hobby. It's a passion project. It's something that I've wanted to do seriously since I went to the Formula One last year in Melbourne in Melbourne in Albert Park. And it was just, yeah, I've spoken about it for literally a year. And I was just looking for someone who I could vibe off who I could do this podcast with that actually liked Formula One. because there's many people, many of my friends that I vibe up, they're just not into Formula One, so it wouldn't work. Anyway, Bella and I, we've met before, but then we really hit it off at Lucy Nicky's Live Show, and this is where it all like blew up and we're like we're doing it. We are doing a podcast on Formula One. Anyway, so that's going to happen.
3:57.5	If not, hopefully, we've already released that episode. But I'm going to be a qualifying. So as
4:03.0	you listen to this, you will know that I've probably just had one of the best weekends of my life.
	...

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