Get It Done

Why does it take so much effort to start something new or to actually finish a project? By adjusting our mindset and actions, we can overcome these hurdles and get things done.

1. Setting Goals That Excite You

The first step to accomplishing anything is picking the right goal. Goals work best when they’re not just tasks to check off, but something that feels meaningful. Framing a goal as the ultimate outcome rather than a step towards another goal makes it more compelling. For example, aiming to "get fit" is more engaging than saying you'll "do 25 push-ups daily."

A good goal is also specific without being too vague. Broad aims, like "be happy," lack direction, but something like "improve mental health through therapy" is actionable. Define what success looks like, and ensure your goal is symbolic of progress you want to truly achieve. This will help guide your choices and provide clarity on your next actions.

Lastly, goals anchored in positivity, or "do" goals, are better motivators than "don't" goals. Aiming for "being healthy" is more effective than focusing on avoiding sickness. It fosters a proactive mindset that keeps you moving forward rather than holding back.

Examples

• Frame "finding a new job" instead of just "applying for jobs."
• Set specific actions like "write one personal pitch for a project a month" instead of general improvement.
• Choose a fitness goal like "run the next marathon" over avoiding a sedentary lifestyle.

2. Rewards Fuel Progress

Incentives are a proven tool for driving behavior. By pairing action with either small rewards or penalties, you create immediate gratification within your long-term goals. Rewards, like treating yourself to a coffee for completing a task, build motivation one step at a time.

The key, though, is aligning incentives with appropriate actions. It's important to avoid the “cobra effect,” where bad incentives result in unintended behaviors. For example, rewarding time spent at the office doesn’t necessarily lead to productive work. Incentivizing meaningful work outcomes ensures that progress aligns with larger goals.

Occasionally pausing on rewards also keeps motivation intrinsic. By reminding yourself of the inherent value of what you're doing, you avoid relying too much on external factors and maintain excitement for the long term.

Examples

• Treat yourself to a small reward like dinner out after hitting a milestone.
• Incentivize tasks that contribute directly, like completing a project report.
• Pair something fun, like watching your favorite show, with a challenging habit like exercising.

3. Make It Fun

Engagement is at its highest when tasks feel enjoyable. Mark Twain observed that "work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do." Adding elements of playfulness ensures you're motivated by the activity itself.

Build fun into your goals by temptation bundling. For example, only listen to your favorite podcast while jogging. Alternatively, start noticing the enjoyable moments in your task. Running, for instance, might offer a thrill when your rhythm aligns, or satisfaction when the world around you is peaceful.

Fun isn't limited to inherently enjoyable tasks—if an unpleasant task brings a long-term relief or positive outcome, you can find motivation in its future benefits.

Examples

• Make cleaning more fun by blasting your favorite playlist.
• Bundle a good book with time on the exercise bike for a mix of leisure and effort.
• Think ahead to how you'll feel once a stressful email is sent.

4. Track Your Progress

Tracking progress helps anchor your efforts. The act of measurement, whether counting how much you've done or how much still needs doing, keeps your brain invested. This dual perspective boosts motivation by tying your commitment to visible results.

Using a “goal gradient effect” approach, focus on the progress already achieved as it grows. This way, the more you see, the more you're drawn to keep going. Alternatively, sometimes focusing on what’s left can give necessary urgency. Context and how you feel emotionally can help determine which approach will work.

Whether it's through visual tools like charts, or simply celebrating how far you've come, tracking creates a sense of accomplishment that keeps forward momentum strong.

Examples

• Complete loyalty stamp cards to track repetitive goals and make them rewarding.
• Notice instances of consistency, like attending weekly meetings without fail.
• Use apps or visual planners to monitor long-term projects like fitness.

5. The Middle Problem

Motivation peaks at the start and finish of a goal, but the middle stretch often drags. Without visible milestones, it feels like progress is at a standstill. Breaking middle sections into smaller, time-based goals helps shrink the daunting in-between.

Reframing time can also keep midpoints motivating. Think of moments after lunch as the “start” of your afternoon rather than a midway slump. Similarly, use small rewards or fresh deadlines to give a sense of urgency or closure to middle phases.

To maintain motivation, view every step as either the starting foundation or climax of your efforts. Resist categorizing them blindly as just the middle.

Examples

• Set weekly goals like gym attendance metrics rather than long-term steps.
• Use Mondays or memorable events as “fresh starts.”
• Reframe middays into beginnings like "post-lunch energy bursts."

6. Learning from Failure

Failure isn’t the end—it's a source of growth. Building resilience through setbacks involves adjusting how you view mistakes and using them strategically. Every letdown is a lesson pointing to areas to improve.

Fostering a growth mindset encourages focusing on skills as learnable, not fixed traits. View failure as feedback rather than personal flaws to increase adaptability. Positive stories of perseverance across various fields highlight how success often grows from trials.

Embrace advice and evaluate past failures scientifically, even if uncomfortable. This reflection serves as a personal learning blueprint.

Examples

• Serena Williams grew through setbacks, improving from struggles rather than triumphs.
• Samuel Beckett encouraged failure as a way of recalibrating: "Try again. Fail better."
• Reflect formally on actions that haven’t worked to avoid repeating them.

7. Give and Take Advice

Giving advice may feel unnatural, especially when you're learning, but articulating wisdom clarifies priorities. Conversely, finding mentors or figures to emulate builds structured guidelines for actions. They challenge new perspectives through accountability.

Anti-role models also guide progress by offering what not to emulate. Whether defying family patterns you object to or choosing alternative behaviors, negative role models add urgency to shaping goals effectively.

Social motivation is key—whether through role models' direct encouragement or proximity to accountability cues. Being part of visible activities energizes behaviors in public.

Examples

• Share savings tips even while mastering personal finance.
• Look for role models in professors or colleagues for shared accountability.
• Work in group settings or “café” culture zones where visible energy fuels work.

8. Tap into the Fresh Start Effect

Temporal markers—birthdays, Mondays, anniversaries—instinctively motivate new beginnings. By treating moments as fresh starts, you energize goals. Midway struggles vanish when reframed as starting points.

This psychological reboot eliminates barriers by offering mental resets. Choose meaningful or arbitrary calendar dates and commit to heightened productivity for clear breaks.

Even creating mini landmarks, like themed months or weeks, can turn ordinary moments into memorable resets.

Examples

• Embrace June 23 as a "custom birthday" for new habits.
• Plan spring or summer projects that tie to intuitive seasonal transitions.
• Use arbitrary markers that aren't special holidays but feel fresh personally.

9. Leverage Social Presence

Being watched—even subtly—improves performance. Cyclists racing peers outperform those racing logs. Social facilitation taps into instincts that nudge us to impress others or compete.

Physical presence magnifies this, but even proxy cues (like photos or text reminders) nudge actions. Humanity thrives on visible connectivity during trials.

Every workplace café-goer attempting solo projects reflects the social nudge's enduring impact.

Examples

• Race against gym members near similar exercise machines.
• Keep motivational cues, like inspiring images, nearby.
• Work publicly in shared spaces that subtly hold responsibility.

Takeaways

1. Define your goals in specific, exciting ways. Make them meaningful and measurable, focusing on intrinsic benefits.
2. Break larger tasks into smaller parts, treating middles as starting points or ends to keep motivation strong.
3. Surround yourself with support—mentors, observers, or even images—as accountability is an energetic tool.