Self-control is our ability to control all the emotions, impulses, stress, negative thoughts, generated by our desire to achieve our goals successfully and that take us away from them.
Self-control requires the use of a set of techniques that allow us to modify behaviour in the absence of environmental constraints, by free choice, in order to achieve the desired goal more surely.
Starting with behaviours and negative emotions, impulses or thoughts, the following techniques are used:
- Self observation or awareness.
- Self-assessment or analysis.
- Awareness of situations where one is at risk of losing control.
- Development of alternative behaviours to eliminate an undesirable behaviour and replace it with a more acceptable one, to which a positive value is attributed.
- Positive reinforcement which involves rewarding oneself when able to control the problematic behaviour.
Cognitive and behavioural therapy helps with these techniques.