Smarter Faster Better

“Productivity is about making certain choices in certain ways – choices that anyone can learn.” What if you could master this art and stay motivated, focused, and effective, even in a world full of distractions?

1. Motivation is fueled by choices and long-term goals.

Staying motivated can be challenging, but the secret lies in making choices that connect to your sense of control and purpose. When we have the freedom to make decisions, even small ones, our brain’s motivation center becomes activated, triggering a positive response that spurs action.

For example, research by neuropsychologist Mauricio Delgado demonstrated that the brain feels rewarded by the mere act of choosing, whether it’s something as trivial as picking a colored key in a game or taking charge of a work task. This sense of personal agency can drive sustained motivation even during setbacks.

However, making choices alone is not always enough. It’s equally important to focus on how those decisions align with your broader objectives. Let’s say you’re working on a tedious assignment—reminding yourself of its relevance to a bigger goal, like a career milestone, can turn boredom into determination.

Examples

• Choosing to tackle four out of 40 emails to ease mental load.
• Writing “This will help me make the drone” on a reading task to connect it to a goal.
• Picking your own workout routine to feel more engaged.

2. Break big ambitions into manageable SMART goals.

Big dreams can seem overwhelming, but breaking them into smaller, structured goals makes them approachable and achievable. Stretch goals inspire creativity and ambition, while SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals guide progress.

Stretch goals push individuals beyond their limits, like when Motorola engineers achieved breakthroughs by adopting ambitious targets in their workflow. But while such goals motivate, they also need to be segmented to avoid frustration. That’s where the SMART framework becomes invaluable.

For instance, someone preparing to run a marathon can break the stretch goal into steps like running two miles the first week, then increasing gradually. Each milestone becomes a reward, keeping the person motivated toward the finish line without feeling daunted.

Examples

• Motorola engineers reducing product development time tenfold by setting high ambitions.
• An individual pacing marathon preparation by starting with smaller runs.
• Planning a weekly weight-loss routine to target long-term health goals.

3. Use mental models to anticipate distractions and stay on track.

Life throws curveballs, but having a mental model of how you plan to complete tasks makes you more resilient to interruptions. These models are step-by-step narratives you create in your mind, helping you visualize how you’ll tackle challenges.

For example, if you’re preparing for a creative project like writing an article, mentally outline each phase of the task. Picture yourself researching, drafting, and finalizing it. By rehearsing these steps in your mind, you're pre-arming yourself for smooth execution.

Moreover, you can anticipate potential distractions and strategize how to manage them. Whether it’s a surprise lunch invitation or a pile of unread emails, thinking about how to handle these in advance helps you stay centered without losing valuable time.

Examples

• A journalist mentally plotting out an article to improve efficiency.
• Imagining ways to quickly handle email backlogs during busy workdays.
• Planning short lunch breaks with a partner to prevent schedule disruptions.

4. Psychological safety fosters trust and teamwork.

Strong teams don’t rely solely on talent; they perform better when members trust one another and feel safe to express ideas without fear of judgment. Google’s Project Aristotle revealed that psychological safety, more than individual brilliance, determines a team’s success.

Teams that allow open dialogue, accept mistakes, and encourage vulnerability are more innovative. For instance, members of such teams share creative, unconventional solutions without hesitation. This collective trust accelerates problem-solving and boosts productivity.

Leaders play a crucial role in creating this environment. Encouraging every member to voice ideas, resolving conflicts respectfully, and showing empathy can transform the way teams work and thrive together.

Examples

• Google teams performing better in psychologically safe settings.
• A team brainstorming without fear of criticism leading to creative breakthroughs.
• Leaders ensuring everyone speaks at least once in team meetings.

5. Commitment culture drives organizational success.

In business, culture matters. Companies that foster strong emotional bonds between employees and the organization tend to perform better. Stanford professors James Baron and Michael Hannan found that firms with commitment cultures consistently outshine others.

Commitment cultures focus on trust and shared values, which lead to dedicated, self-motivated teams. These companies thrive not because they hire the best talent but because their people align with the company’s vision and values.

Such cultures also reduce dependency on middle management by empowering employees to self-manage. This streamlined structure allows specialists to directly address challenges, speeding up decision-making and innovation.

Examples

• Commitment culture firms maintaining high profitability.
• A startup achieving success by hiring people who fit its mission over just top performers.
• Employees taking ownership of projects without constant managerial oversight.

6. Creativity thrives when blending old ideas in new ways.

True innovation doesn’t always require starting from scratch. Taking existing concepts and using them in novel contexts often leads to groundbreaking work. This principle has driven fields like behavioral economics, which merges psychology and economics to explain human decision-making.

Creativity can also be analyzed scientifically. Brian Uzzi and Ben Jones discovered that 90% of the most creative academic papers were built on pre-existing concepts, framed in unique combinations. Finding new perspectives on old ideas often leads to pioneering breakthroughs.

At Disney, for example, writers drew on emotions and personal experiences to bring depth to the sibling relationships in "Frozen," creating a story that resonated with audiences worldwide.

Examples

• Behavioral economics combining psychology with financial models.
• Academic papers reframing established concepts to produce fresh research.
• Disney writers exploring emotional bonds for authentic storytelling.

7. Let emotions guide your creativity.

Feelings are powerful tools for sparking creative breakthroughs. When you allow emotions to guide decisions, it adds depth, authenticity, and relatability to your work. Creative efforts often succeed when they resonate emotionally with the audience.

For example, movie writers at Disney were encouraged to channel feelings about siblings when working on "Frozen." This emotional authenticity helped craft relatable and compelling characters, making the film a global success.

Tuning into how you feel about an idea also helps determine whether it deserves further exploration. Trusting emotions can often serve as a compass for navigating creative dilemmas.

Examples

• “Frozen” writers exploring their relationships to write believable characters.
• Artists letting intuitive emotions influence their creative direction.
• Entrepreneurs gauging audience reactions emotionally for better product development.

8. Learning deepens when teaching or writing.

Sharing knowledge is one of the best ways to internalize it. When you explain a concept to others, your brain processes it more deeply, strengthening your understanding. This is why educators and communicators often report learning the most by teaching.

You can practice this technique by writing essays, summarizing material, or discussing concepts with friends. Each time you explain or elaborate, you’re building stronger neural pathways to recall and apply the information yourself.

For instance, students who write about what they’ve read often grasp the subject better than those who only review it mentally. Teaching or writing forces the brain to focus, leading to deeper cognitive engagement.

Examples

• Students writing summaries to reinforce their understanding in school.
• Professionals explaining ideas to peers for clarity and retention.
• Scientists refining their research while preparing conference talks.

9. Small progress creates big momentum.

Progress, however tiny, can snowball into lasting motivation. Accomplishing small tasks gives a sense of achievement, which inspires you to take on more. This concept applies across personal and professional domains.

For instance, completing a mini-goal, such as exercising for just 15 minutes, often results in higher morale to continue and do even more. Breaking daunting tasks down into smaller parts ensures steady progress without getting overwhelmed.

In work settings, recognizing small wins—like solving a minor issue—can boost team morale and propel everyone toward large achievements over time.

Examples

• A runner building endurance by celebrating small milestones.
• A writer breaking a project into daily word-count goals to stay motivated.
• Teams celebrating each minor milestone in a company project.

Takeaways

1. Build motivation by giving yourself choices and connecting those choices to broader goals.
2. Break big dreams into smaller, actionable steps using the SMART framework.
3. Visualize challenges and outcomes ahead of time to mitigate distractions and stay on course.