Why do so many of us find ourselves struggling to stay motivated, even when we have a strong desire to achieve our goals?
Motivation is crucial as it drives us toward achieving what we desire and need. However, maintaining motivation, particularly for long-term goals that require ongoing effort, often proves challenging.
This difficulty typically arises from several factors:
- the delayed gratification associated with long-term rewards,
- the overwhelming stress that can diminish our enthusiasm, or
- uncertainty about our ability to succeed.
Recognizing and using your own sources of motivation is vital. It gives you clear objectives, enhances your problem-solving skills, helps in changing ingrained habits and equips you to handle both challenging situations and new opportunities.
The concept of the progress loop
Research conducted by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer at Harvard Business School provides significant insights into the workings of motivation.
Their study, which involved 238 employees across various companies, unveiled a compelling factor for enhancing motivation: making even minor progress in meaningful tasks.
This discovery led to the formulation of the “progress loop.” This loop is a cyclical process where small accomplishments in meaningful work increase motivation, which in turn boosts creativity and productivity, so progress and motivation fuel each other in an upward spiral.
The science behind the progress loop 
When you complete a task, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and reward.
This dopamine surge not only lifts your spirits but also primes you for future successes.
So consider organizing your daily activities into a series of manageable tasks. Each task completed triggers a dopamine release, maintaining a positive mood and high productivity throughout the day, a phenomenon often referred to as the “dopamine drip.”
Starting on a task also activates the brain”s central executive network (CEN). While the brain hosts multiple networks, the default mode network (DMN) and the CEN are particularly crucial for task management. The DMN is active during rest, aiding in creativity and planning, whereas the CEN is essential for executing tasks and maintaining focus.
These networks do not function simultaneously, so starting a task that transitions you from the DMN to the CEN can greatly enhance productivity. This is why beginning your day with a small but meaningful task can be highly effective.
Strategies to engage the progress loop
- Start small: Kick off your day with a simple yet meaningful task. This could range from revising a document to organizing your work area. Early victories set a positive tone and build momentum, making it easier to tackle more significant tasks later.
- Address procrastination and anxiety: Procrastination always stems from a desire to avoid the anxiety associated with daunting tasks. By breaking these tasks into smaller, more manageable parts, you can reduce anxiety and increase the likelihood of getting started. Techniques like the “five-second rule,” where you count down from five to one and then take action, can help shift your focus from procrastination to engagement. Why this works is that once you get to “one,” there’s no place to go but GO!
- Forgive yourself: Acknowledge and forgive yourself for past procrastination. This approach not only reduces guilt but also reduces the likelihood of procrastinating in the future.
- Visualize your future self: Thinking about the long-term impact of your actions can help you align your current efforts with your future goals. For instance, when people are shown digitally aged photographs of themselves, they tend to become more motivated to save for retirement.
- Plan for obstacles: Obstacles are a normal part of working toward any goal. Expecting and planning for potential obstacles can prevent them from derailing your progress. Developing strategies in advance to deal with possible challenges helps you maintain your momentum. Make sure you have everything you need at hand before you start on that project; otherwise, your brain will decide that you don’t need to start today after all. If you want to avoid the unhealthy food at a party, for example, eat a snack before you leave home.
- Optimize your environment: The environment you operate in significantly influences your productivity. Arrange your surroundings to support your goals—for example, by minimizing distractions and ensuring necessary resources are easily accessible. If you want to lose weight, avoid keeping tempting foods at home to reduce the chance of eating them.
- Allow flexibility: Setting high goals is commendable, but it’s also important to recognize the risk of failure. Allowing yourself some flexibility, like “skip days” for exercise or simpler tasks on days when you’re not feeling your best, can keep you motivated without the pressure to be perfect.
- Implement the Tiny Habits method: According to behaviour scientist BJ Fogg, most behaviours that we aim to adopt are essentially habits. The Tiny Habits method focuses on establishing small, easy-to-manage habits that lead to your desired outcomes. Start with a very small action that you already know how to do, such as flossing one tooth, and gradually expand the habit to include more comprehensive routines.
- Just get started: Often, the hardest part is simply beginning. Overcome this hurdle by taking even the smallest step forward, which can shift your mental state from planning to executing.
Wrap-up
Ultimately, mastering motivation is about taking advantage of the progress loop. When you use the progress loop, you don’t have to use willpower, which is finite and energy demanding.
Although this discussion primarily focuses on workplace motivation, these principles are universally applicable, from saving for a home purchase to launching a business venture.
By breaking tasks into smaller segments, celebrating each success and cultivating habits that promote continued progress, you can create a positive feedback loop in your brain. This not only sustains your motivation but also leads to greater achievements over time.
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Contributing Author:
Dr. Irena O’Brien, PhD, is a neuroscientist and neuroscience educator. She has been studying neuroscience and psychology for over 20 years following a successful career as a chartered accountant. She is passionate about neuroscience and sharing it with others. She reads and writes about the latest research in neuroscience and psychology in a way that is designed to offer us practical tools and strategies to better our own lives and the lives of our clients.
She founded The Neuroscience School in 2017. Her mission is to create self-awareness on the planet and she does that by teaching coaches and helping professionals learn about neuroscience and how they can apply what they learn to help their clients. She is known for her ability to simplify neuroscience research into what’s essential and practical for coaches to use in their work with clients. Her neuroscience program for coaches is currently certified by the ICF for continuing coach education units. You can find her at neuroscienceschool.com.
Image of Woman sat at desk looking at computer, lacking motivation via Shutterstock