The Neuroscience of Resilience: How to Increase Your Willpower and Persistence
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When we think about improving our health, it’s easy to focus on big goals: running a marathon, cutting out junk food completely, or overhauling our sleep routine overnight. But big changes often feel overwhelming. The enormity of the task can make us freeze, procrastinate, or give up before we even start.
On the flip side, we all know people who seem to have this superhuman ability to persist through even the toughest of struggles. Even when the task seems insurmountable or the odds are stacked against them, they find a way to make it work. While these people are, of course, incredibly impressive, resilience is not an ability we either do or do not have. It can be developed over time, which means we all have the ability deep down to be one of these superhumans.
At GOOD IDEA we often talk about small wins. While this may seem like a trivial thing to highlight, there is scientific research showing that our brains have a resilience circuit. This circuit can be trained and has the ability to make massive changes. The power comes from stacking small wins. Here’s how it works.
The Neuroscience of Persistence: Your Brain Has a Resilience Circuit
There’s a part of your brain (called the anterior midcingulate cortex) that plays a central role in how you respond to setbacks. This brain region helps you decide whether to keep going or to give up when things feel hard. Previous research has referred to this region as your brain’s “tenacity hub.”
Here’s the good news: this area of the brain is highly plastic. That means it adapts based on your behavior. The more you practice sticking with a challenge (no matter how small) the stronger this circuit becomes. That’s right: resilience isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you train, just like a muscle.
Every time you follow through on a small task you are teaching your brain that it can overcome challenges. It doesn’t matter if the task is as simple as going for a 10-minute walk after a meal. By completing a small task you are connecting an effort with success with a reward and that creates stronger neural wiring.
Why Small Wins Aren’t So Small
Small wins signal to your brain: I’m making progress.
Let’s say you set a goal to walk 10 minutes a day. That may not sound impressive, but completing that walk (even on a day you didn’t feel like it) sends powerful signals to your resilience circuit. It tells your brain, “I take action even when things are uncomfortable.” And when your brain gets used to persistence being safe and normal, you’re more likely to bounce back from future challenges.
Research backs this up. A study published in 2020 found that the anterior midcingulate cortex is essential for weighing effort versus reward and deciding to keep going.
On the flip side, avoidance sends the opposite signal. When we habitually avoid discomfort, we weaken this resilience circuit. It becomes harder to start, harder to stick with things, and easier to spiral into stress or self-doubt.
Small Goals, Big Impact
If you’ve ever felt stuck or struggled to recover from a setback, it doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means your brain hasn’t had enough repetitions yet.
That’s where small, structured goals come in. Whether it’s:
- Swapping soda for a GOOD IDEA at lunch
- Turning your phone off 30 minutes before bed
- Adding a protein source to breakfast
- Taking a five-minute breathing break in the afternoon
…these micro-changes create momentum. They train your bounce-back system.
Each completed goal is a signal to your brain: We’re moving forward. And the more you stack those small wins, the more resilient, motivated, and confident you become.
The Takeaway: Start Smaller Than You Think
If the big picture feels too big, zoom in.
Pick one small challenge today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today. Complete it. That’s how the rewiring starts.
Your resilience isn’t fixed. It’s flexible, trainable, and highly responsive to how you show up. Choose a small win, and start building the foundation for long-term health… one decision at a time.
Author: Dr. Colleen Gulick, Ph.D. (ExPhys), MS (ExPhys), BS (BioE), EIT (ME), CSCS
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