Meditation requires you to tap all the self-regulation systems in your brain as well as the self-monitoring mechanism. Every time you meditate, you use two important parts of your brain: the prefrontal cortex, which helps you make smart choices, and the anterior cingulate cortex, which helps you be aware of when you make such choices and when you don’t. The more you activate these systems, the more powerful they become, so in the future it will feel easier to do the right thing. Eventually you will start to notice whenever you are doing something that is inconsistent with your goals.

How great will this be! How to get started?

Work your will: Meditate for just 1 minute every day for the next week. Here’s how to get started: Sit quietly with your eyes closed and count your breaths. When you reach 10, begin again. Whenever your mind wanders from your breath, start again at one. Work up to 5 minutes a day.