It is a mistake to frame motivation as a muscle, according to today’s guest, Dr. Ayalet Fischbach. If you set your goals well, they will pull you like a magnet. In this conversation, we cover why numerical goals can backfire, the best practices for choosing a goal, how to monitor progress and cope with setbacks, and why social support is critical.More About Ayelet: Ayelet Fishbach, PhD, is the Jeffrey Breakenridge Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, and the author of GET IT DONE: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation. She is the past president of the Society for the Science of Motivation and the International Social Cognition Network. She is an expert on motivation and decision making.

🌟 3 Key Takeaways

A powerful goal defines an aspirational state, not the means to get there.

It’s a mistake to frame motivation as a muscle: If you set the goal right, it will pull you; it shouldn’t feel like a chore.

There are three traps to watch out for: framing it as a means to another goal instead of the end goal itself; setting a goal that is too specific or concrete instead of an abstract goal; and setting a goal in terms of something to avoid rather than something you wish to approach.

✅ Try This Next

Set one aspirational goal for the year ahead, emphasizing your ideal state (rather than the outcome, or what you’re trying to avoid).

🔗 Resources Mentioned

Ayelet on the web, IG, Twitter, LinkedIn

Articles: Ayelet’s OpEds

Video: TED—4 Proven Ways to Kick Your Procrastination Habit

📚 Books Mentioned

Get it Done by Ayelet Fishbach

How to Change by Katy Milkman

Ruff Love by Susan Garrett

The Messy Middle by Scott Belsky

Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business

Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One

Life After College

🎧 Related Episodes

Ten Percent Happier: The Science of Motivation | Ayelet Fishbach

The Tim Ferriss Show: Susan Garrett -- Master Dog (and Human) Trainer

Pivot: 320: Sustainable Ambition with Kathy Oneto

327: 🐺The Wolf You Feed — On Addiction, Recovery & Codependency — and What We Get Wrong About All Three with Eric Zimmer

154: Two-Month Report from the Puppy (and People!) Training Trenches

60: How Emotionally Agile Are You? Strategies for Setbacks with Susan David

Free Time: 181: Be Irreplaceable with My Creative Coach Jay Acunzo

190: 🐍 How the Cobra Effect Creates Perverse Incentives and Metrics Tyranny

❤️ Enjoying the show? I'd be grateful for a rating and/or review! Even better? Share this episode with a friend :)💌 Get my curated weekly(ish) PivotList newsletter💻 Check out Jenny’s Pivot courses on LinkedIn Learning: Figuring Out Your Next Move, Holding 1:1 Career Conversations With Your Team, Managing Introverts, Coaching New Hires, and Coaching New Managers💬 I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey☎️ Submit a question or comment for future episodes🎧 Make sure you’re subscribed wherever you listen to ‘casts📝 Check out full show notes at http://pivotmethod.com/352Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices