If I Know what's good for me, why am I sabotaging myself?

[gosenx]

If in my brain and body lives only one person, how can I desire great things for myself while also actually sabotaging myself in the way?

Ex: I want to read a book, I know it that's a good thing, but I procrastinate and end up not reading anything while also being fully aware that that's bad?

This is not a question about proscrationation, rather about the different selfs (mind, brain, heart, inner voice, whatever) and how to deal with them.

Scientific material and studies much appreciated.

[throwaway3093]

You're talking about ego-dsytonic behaviors.

https://richardbjoelsondsw.com/articles/syntonic-dystonic/

[throwaway3093]

Also, neurologically you are not one person. You are two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfYbgdo8e-8

It's not hard to imagine the nearly constant competition that erupts between neural sub-networks in your brain -- their collective output signals vying to be the dominant signal. Just stand in front of a bowl of ice cream and try to predict whether you will or won't actually eat it. (Impulse control, etc)

Sensory awareness is helpful towards guiding these competitions and impulses into a direction (and a longer term habit) that is more aligned with your longer-term values.

Also helpful: engineering your environment. https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits