Day after day an overbearing colleague grates on your nerves. It’s a battle to keep your irritation under wraps. Suddenly, during a particularly long encounter, you snap—you lose your temper and give your shocked co-worker a piece of your mind.

Most of us blame our­selves for such lapses in willpower, but new research suggests that willpower may not be available in an unlimited supply. Scientists have discovered that a single, brief act of self-control expends some of the body’s fuel, which undermines the brain’s ability to exert further self-discipline.

This article was originally published with the title Fuel for Thought.

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