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Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation
Discover a "compelling" framework for setting and achieving your goals (Carol Dweck, author of Mindset ), from a psychologist on the cutting edge of motivational science. A great deal of ink has been spilled on the subject of motivating and influencing others, but what happens when the person you most want to influence is you? Setting and achieving goals for yourself—at work, at home, and in relationships—is harder than it seems. How do you know where to start? How do you carry on in the face of roadblocks and distractions? How do you decide which tasks and ambitions to prioritize when you’re faced with more responsibilities, needs, and desires than you can keep track of?
In Get It Done , psychologist and behavioral scientist Ayelet Fishbach presents a new theoretical framework for self-motivated action, explaining how With fascinating research from the field of motivation science and compelling stories of people who learned to motivate themselves, Get It Done illuminates invaluable strategies for pulling yourself in whatever direction you want to go—so you can achieve your goals while staying healthy, clearheaded, and happy.
In Get It Done , psychologist and behavioral scientist Ayelet Fishbach presents a new theoretical framework for self-motivated action, explaining how With fascinating research from the field of motivation science and compelling stories of people who learned to motivate themselves, Get It Done illuminates invaluable strategies for pulling yourself in whatever direction you want to go—so you can achieve your goals while staying healthy, clearheaded, and happy.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published January 4, 2022
About the author
Ayelet Fishbach
6 books25 followersAyelet Fishbach, PhD, is an award-winning psychologist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and the past president of the Society for the Study of Motivation. Dr. Fishbach has published over one hundred scientific articles in many psychology and business journals. Her groundbreaking research on human motivation has won the Society of Experimental Social Psychology's Best Dissertation Award and Career Trajectory Award, and the Fulbright Educational Foundation Award.
Dr. Fishbach’s scientific findings are regularly featured in the media, including the New York Time, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and NPR.
Dr. Fishbach’s scientific findings are regularly featured in the media, including the New York Time, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and NPR.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
August 1, 2022
This is one of the best business/coaching/self-help books I've read.
Fishbach's personal story is inspirational. Better, she distills studies to useful illustrations in issue after issue of, yes "getting things done." These range from "the middle problem," to intrinsic motivation to goal juggling. While I hesitate to simplify her suggestions as "hacks," Fishbach clearly outlines problems that stand in our way of completing what we want to do--and then, better, she discusses how to address and fix, or work around, those problems.
If you read only one self-help book this year, this is the one to read.
Fishbach's personal story is inspirational. Better, she distills studies to useful illustrations in issue after issue of, yes "getting things done." These range from "the middle problem," to intrinsic motivation to goal juggling. While I hesitate to simplify her suggestions as "hacks," Fishbach clearly outlines problems that stand in our way of completing what we want to do--and then, better, she discusses how to address and fix, or work around, those problems.
If you read only one self-help book this year, this is the one to read.
September 26, 2022
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
― Maya Angelou
“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
Many, many books have been written about goal setting and productivity- more than I can count. It's a popular topic because in our hyper-productive world we all are trying to get more done in less time. It's the sacred cow of productivity that people from housewives to CEO's aspire to, and I have no problem with it as long as there's still room for family, fun, and balance. We waste a lot of our lives pursuing things half-heartedly or giving up before reaching our goals, so books like Get It Done can be very helpful in cutting through the BS and helping us focus on what matters.
Why do we have so much trouble reaching some of our goals? Why do we make New Year's Resolutions about losing weight, making more money, finding new people, and all sorts of other things that we think will make our lives better? These resolutions come from an inner voice that we need to listen to and act upon. But by February, many of us give up on them. Attaining substantial goals is hard, and the bigger they are, the more they intimidate us.
Ayelet Fishbach is a professor at the University of Chicago. She has devoted much of her research into the psychology of motivation and has published many papers on the subject in scientific and business journals. Many of the writers of productivity books come from the world of business, but this author tackles things more from the perspective of science, which is refreshing. Get It Done is her take on the topic using her extensive background.
Setting a goal and getting it done involves a very basic process:
- Come up with a goal
- Put it into action
- Get feedback and revise the first two steps until you get there
- Reap the rewards.
The first step is key and trickier than it looks. Come up with a specific, measurable goal that motivates you without setting you up for likely failure. A goal should challenge you to the edge of your abilities, but not beyond, which can be hard to do if you're not living in reality. Most of us cannot set a goal to be a rock star, but we certainly could set a goal to learn an instrument and play in a band for money. Goals must be positive and not avoidance goals. Losing weight is a common problem because we don't like to lose or avoid things. A better goal is healthier bodies and lifestyles, which can be pictured in the mind's eye more vividly.
Coming up with the goal is the easy part. The hard part comes with putting the goal into action and sustaining motivation during the slow or hard parts. To get over the agonizing middle when most goals fall flat, the author recommends these strategies:
- Break the goal down into smaller chunks and find milestones that are rewarding and motivating. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. And after the first 100 miles, maybe reward yourself with a ice cream cone or something to celebrate your progress.
- Find ways to make the activity fun. If something is more enjoyable, it becomes intrinsically rewarding and much easier to accomplish. For instance, finding exercise and foods that you enjoy that help you towards fitness goals. If you don't enjoy something intrinsically, you will eventually avoid it and give up on it. Even the most dreary tasks can be livened up somehow.
- The small area principle helps people know what to focus on when motivation lags in the middle. Emphasizing what you've already accomplished works best when you're in the early part of your journey. Looking ahead to the unfinished business ahead can be demotivating. But once you get closer to the goal, looking ahead can switch over to become very motivating. Think of the long distance runner who knows the finish line is just minute away- they get energized by the proximity of it! But earlier in the race is not the time to focus on that finish line.
- Negative feedback is inevitable during any substantial journey, and many of us sabotage ourselves by either tuning out the critics or by performing mental gymnastics to discount their feedback. Processing negative feedback correctly is essential to getting back on track. Most of our goals are not set in reality, which is complex and constantly changing. When reality forces a course correction, we need to accept it and move on. Growth mindsets keep us humble and motivated.
- Juggling multiple goals can dilute and slow down motivation. But in a complex life, multiple goals are often a necessity, so a hierarchy of goals is essential. When dealing with multiple goals, we need to either find a compromise that gets them both done, or prioritize the main goal over all the others, at least temporarily.
- Use other people to help with motivation and to keep you honest. Sharing your goals with others, (or just saying them out loud), can feel like more of a commitment. Talking to others about your progress or asking their opinions about setbacks can use the wisdom of the crowd to add valuable inputs into your process. Just be careful about who you rely on for support in your goals, as some may not have your best interests at heart or could even sabotage you.
In an age of constant distractions, getting things done seems to get harder and harder. It forces us to make difficult choices and exercise super-human levels of self-control. To make real progress on our most cherished goals, we need to eliminate as many roadblocks and distractions as possible. In the famous story of Ulysses, he blindfolded himself and chained himself to his ship in order to resist the deadly songs of the beautiful sirens that he had to sail past. The Ulysses Pact is named after this feat, and it involves a radical pre-commitment to avoid the temptations that you know will be waiting for you. That could involve drastic measure like removing food from the house, putting a timer on the internet box, locking up cell phones, or avoiding people entirely.
This book was a good review of the science behind motivation, as well as an honest look at the difficulties that come when life intrudes on our goals. Dr. Fishbach cover a lot of ground here and I recommend this book for those who want to accomplish more with their lives.
October 22, 2022
Foarte faină și cu adevărat utilă.
Cartea vine cu multe lămuriri și propune și câteva întrebări cu scopul de a a te ajuta să identifici singur rezolvarea anumitor situații.
Cartea este tradusă la Editura Publica cu titlul "Termină ce ai început".
Cartea vine cu multe lămuriri și propune și câteva întrebări cu scopul de a a te ajuta să identifici singur rezolvarea anumitor situații.
Cartea este tradusă la Editura Publica cu titlul "Termină ce ai început".
September 5, 2023
It was ok. It just went on and on about some things and then it's like ok. I feel like this book could be shorter
Read
January 4, 2023In the spirit of the new year and the "New Year, New You!" vibes that inevitably come along with the flipping of the calendar to January, it seemed like a good time to read a book about motivation. And Ayelet Fishbach seemed like the right person to consult on the topic. She's a psychologist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and has been well recognized for her research on human motivation.
Personally, I didn't end up loving the book. Fishbach goes heavy on the science and uses a lot of scientific terms to the point where I sometimes felt like I was reading a textbook. I thought a lot of the studies highlighted were overly simplistic (polling people in a lunch line or putting out baskets of food to see who grabs what), and there were a few conclusions from her studies that I felt could have been interpreted in a different way. Also, this book sometimes felt like a Goldilocks and the Three Bears of motivation science - you should do this to improve motivation, but don’t do too much of it or else you'll decrease motivation…you need to make sure how you apply the principle is just right!
Despite my critiques, I did walk away from the book with a few good reminders and a couple new ideas to ponder about motivation, which I guess is what I was really looking for. As an example, there's a chapter dedicated to the "middle problem" where motivation, focus and even ethical standards tend to decrease in that ordinary uninteresting period between the beginnings and endings of goals. It was a good reminder that long "middles" can be detrimental to success, and it got me rethinking the timeline and scope of some of my upcoming goals.
Overall, I don't think it would be fair to rate this book since I think any reader's enjoyment of it is going to be heavily influenced by what they're looking for from the book. If you're looking for a simple and actionable framework to jumpstart your motivation, this is probably not the book for you (lots of science and theory but light on the simple actionable nuggets for the reader). If you already consider yourself well-read and/or pretty knowledgeable about the basic psychology and popular tactics to improve motivation, you'll probably find a few good reminders in here but this most likely won't be a standout read for you. But if you're just starting your quest of better understanding motivation or you're generally really fascinated by the science of motivation, you might want to give this book a try.
Personally, I didn't end up loving the book. Fishbach goes heavy on the science and uses a lot of scientific terms to the point where I sometimes felt like I was reading a textbook. I thought a lot of the studies highlighted were overly simplistic (polling people in a lunch line or putting out baskets of food to see who grabs what), and there were a few conclusions from her studies that I felt could have been interpreted in a different way. Also, this book sometimes felt like a Goldilocks and the Three Bears of motivation science - you should do this to improve motivation, but don’t do too much of it or else you'll decrease motivation…you need to make sure how you apply the principle is just right!
Despite my critiques, I did walk away from the book with a few good reminders and a couple new ideas to ponder about motivation, which I guess is what I was really looking for. As an example, there's a chapter dedicated to the "middle problem" where motivation, focus and even ethical standards tend to decrease in that ordinary uninteresting period between the beginnings and endings of goals. It was a good reminder that long "middles" can be detrimental to success, and it got me rethinking the timeline and scope of some of my upcoming goals.
Overall, I don't think it would be fair to rate this book since I think any reader's enjoyment of it is going to be heavily influenced by what they're looking for from the book. If you're looking for a simple and actionable framework to jumpstart your motivation, this is probably not the book for you (lots of science and theory but light on the simple actionable nuggets for the reader). If you already consider yourself well-read and/or pretty knowledgeable about the basic psychology and popular tactics to improve motivation, you'll probably find a few good reminders in here but this most likely won't be a standout read for you. But if you're just starting your quest of better understanding motivation or you're generally really fascinated by the science of motivation, you might want to give this book a try.
May 23, 2022
If you want to know how self-motivation works, this book is highly recommended.
February 15, 2023
There are many problems with this book. The short review is that if you’d like a long lecture from a dishonest, uncreative, Liberal, Jewish-Puritan, this is the book for you.
Behavioral economists, including this author, are like many lawyers. They’ll tell any lie if it advances their cause and does not cost them money or get them punched in the nose. The author describes a dozen experiments that involve lying to people in order to perform experiments on them. Often these are children who have not volunteered to be experimented on. She is blind to her own immorality. In one experiment, some children are given prizes for drawing, other children draw but do not get prizes. The children are not told why some are favored and others are not. The result, many children stop drawing or drew less. AH! ANSWERS! What if one of the children would have been the next Charles Schultz, but now he or she has lost a motivation to draw, because of this experiment? Because the behavioral economist can’t observe the destruction, she lies to herself and the reader pretending no damage could have been done.
People are like quarks. When observed their motion changes. When the observations stop, quarks and people continue on the newly established track. I call this the “Seven Up Effect,” after the British TV show “Seven Up!” This show was meant to give the audience insight into average kids growing up in the UK. Instead, the observation caused the kids to become a group of messed up adults. We see this effect in most reality television programming. This author doesn’t see herself or her colleagues as affecting the subjects once the experiment ends. She is wrong.
The author is uncreative in that she and most behavioral economists understand human behavior changes when the stakes are large, but fail to see how the behavior also changes when the stakes are minimal. She breathlessly describes an experiment in which here optimized answer is to flip exactly 2 of 5 cards to solve a logic problem. The correct answer, when stakes are low, is to flip all 5 cards. Why? In this experiment people are not paid to be correct. The subjects probably got $10 for their time. There is no reward for giving the best possible answer. Therefore, the “cost” of looking at all 5 cards is exactly the same as looking at 2 cards. The “rewards” of looking at all 5 cards are a) it’s easier to solve the logic problem, b) we see both sides of all the cards satisfying our curiosity. Maybe there’s a $20 bill taped to one of the cards. Maybe there will be another question asked, and it could be easily answered with the information provided by looking at all 5 cards. When the stakes are low, satisfying curiosity dominates the decisions of creative thinkers. This author puts too low a value on the importance of curiosity. This failing leads to the misinterpretation of several experiments.
The word “we” suffers intense abuse in this book. The author writes “we do abc”; “we like def”; and “we avoid xyz.” But in her use of “we” she really means most people. She should write “most people.” I hate zucchini. I mean I really hate it. If 99% of people love zucchini, this author would write “we love zucchini.” The hell we do. I’m not a part of the group called “we” when it comes to zucchini. When using the word “we,” all authors should use this Zucchini Test. Any idea failing this test calls for the use of a few more words, “most of us” or “most people,” etc. This test is especially important when we think of cultural differences. The author writes as though all people act as the educated class does in the U.S. and Europe. This generality is carried throughout the book.
Behavioral economics’ basic argument is that people do not really maximize their utility. This book is written as though we are failing if we do not maximize our utility. Does the author write 15 or 30 times we should eat healthy? I lost count. But remember, cookies are bad. Donuts are bad. Drinking alcohol is bad. Not maximizing one’s output is bad. Not exercising is bad. Not eating healthy, still bad. This is why I write the author is a Jewish-Puritan. She writes about goals as though only goals which increase our economic utility are good. What if my goal is take more vacation? Relax by drinking too much wine on Saturday? Eat the best tasting donuts? Try the best cookie in every coffee shop? From the author’s point of view, these are all such alien options, separated by light years from her optimal utility path, she can’t bring herself recognize them as possibilities. Her demand that people maximize their utility, although the word utility is not used, really gets old one-third of the way through the book.
When I first studied behavioral economics 30 years ago, I often thought, “This is just economists trying to figure out what we already know in advertising.” Today, I think behavioral economists have gotten further away from understanding people how think. Economists have become a lot like mathematicians studying string theory. They spend more and more of their time talking about things that only matter to their academic colleagues, with little application to the real world, and with experiments that don’t prove a thing but are only interpretive events, a sort of intellectual dancing.
The author’s Liberal leanings really come through strongly in the last third of the book. Too bad. It destroys her credibility. In the aggregate, Liberals have recently lost their minds. This is the reason Chicago has become so bleak. There’s a strange mental schism in which Liberals continue to believe their party and their ideas are virtuous, no matter how crappy the observable results from their ideas being put into practice by their party.
A few small corrections and clarifications: Making bicycle helmets mandatory leads to fewer years of healthy life when we aggregate the results across all people. This makes bicycle helmets a terrible first example, as it is in this book. No, it does not take a village. I understand Liberals want to teach other people’s children their many crazy ideas; hands off. Perhaps when the U.S. gets a Margaret Thatcher to come up through the ranks, we will have a well-qualified woman elected President. I do not see the author celebrating such an achievement. While the author pines for a woman to be elected, she really means Hillary. Finally, the WSJ’s book reviewer did not adequately do his job in this case.
Behavioral economists, including this author, are like many lawyers. They’ll tell any lie if it advances their cause and does not cost them money or get them punched in the nose. The author describes a dozen experiments that involve lying to people in order to perform experiments on them. Often these are children who have not volunteered to be experimented on. She is blind to her own immorality. In one experiment, some children are given prizes for drawing, other children draw but do not get prizes. The children are not told why some are favored and others are not. The result, many children stop drawing or drew less. AH! ANSWERS! What if one of the children would have been the next Charles Schultz, but now he or she has lost a motivation to draw, because of this experiment? Because the behavioral economist can’t observe the destruction, she lies to herself and the reader pretending no damage could have been done.
People are like quarks. When observed their motion changes. When the observations stop, quarks and people continue on the newly established track. I call this the “Seven Up Effect,” after the British TV show “Seven Up!” This show was meant to give the audience insight into average kids growing up in the UK. Instead, the observation caused the kids to become a group of messed up adults. We see this effect in most reality television programming. This author doesn’t see herself or her colleagues as affecting the subjects once the experiment ends. She is wrong.
The author is uncreative in that she and most behavioral economists understand human behavior changes when the stakes are large, but fail to see how the behavior also changes when the stakes are minimal. She breathlessly describes an experiment in which here optimized answer is to flip exactly 2 of 5 cards to solve a logic problem. The correct answer, when stakes are low, is to flip all 5 cards. Why? In this experiment people are not paid to be correct. The subjects probably got $10 for their time. There is no reward for giving the best possible answer. Therefore, the “cost” of looking at all 5 cards is exactly the same as looking at 2 cards. The “rewards” of looking at all 5 cards are a) it’s easier to solve the logic problem, b) we see both sides of all the cards satisfying our curiosity. Maybe there’s a $20 bill taped to one of the cards. Maybe there will be another question asked, and it could be easily answered with the information provided by looking at all 5 cards. When the stakes are low, satisfying curiosity dominates the decisions of creative thinkers. This author puts too low a value on the importance of curiosity. This failing leads to the misinterpretation of several experiments.
The word “we” suffers intense abuse in this book. The author writes “we do abc”; “we like def”; and “we avoid xyz.” But in her use of “we” she really means most people. She should write “most people.” I hate zucchini. I mean I really hate it. If 99% of people love zucchini, this author would write “we love zucchini.” The hell we do. I’m not a part of the group called “we” when it comes to zucchini. When using the word “we,” all authors should use this Zucchini Test. Any idea failing this test calls for the use of a few more words, “most of us” or “most people,” etc. This test is especially important when we think of cultural differences. The author writes as though all people act as the educated class does in the U.S. and Europe. This generality is carried throughout the book.
Behavioral economics’ basic argument is that people do not really maximize their utility. This book is written as though we are failing if we do not maximize our utility. Does the author write 15 or 30 times we should eat healthy? I lost count. But remember, cookies are bad. Donuts are bad. Drinking alcohol is bad. Not maximizing one’s output is bad. Not exercising is bad. Not eating healthy, still bad. This is why I write the author is a Jewish-Puritan. She writes about goals as though only goals which increase our economic utility are good. What if my goal is take more vacation? Relax by drinking too much wine on Saturday? Eat the best tasting donuts? Try the best cookie in every coffee shop? From the author’s point of view, these are all such alien options, separated by light years from her optimal utility path, she can’t bring herself recognize them as possibilities. Her demand that people maximize their utility, although the word utility is not used, really gets old one-third of the way through the book.
When I first studied behavioral economics 30 years ago, I often thought, “This is just economists trying to figure out what we already know in advertising.” Today, I think behavioral economists have gotten further away from understanding people how think. Economists have become a lot like mathematicians studying string theory. They spend more and more of their time talking about things that only matter to their academic colleagues, with little application to the real world, and with experiments that don’t prove a thing but are only interpretive events, a sort of intellectual dancing.
The author’s Liberal leanings really come through strongly in the last third of the book. Too bad. It destroys her credibility. In the aggregate, Liberals have recently lost their minds. This is the reason Chicago has become so bleak. There’s a strange mental schism in which Liberals continue to believe their party and their ideas are virtuous, no matter how crappy the observable results from their ideas being put into practice by their party.
A few small corrections and clarifications: Making bicycle helmets mandatory leads to fewer years of healthy life when we aggregate the results across all people. This makes bicycle helmets a terrible first example, as it is in this book. No, it does not take a village. I understand Liberals want to teach other people’s children their many crazy ideas; hands off. Perhaps when the U.S. gets a Margaret Thatcher to come up through the ranks, we will have a well-qualified woman elected President. I do not see the author celebrating such an achievement. While the author pines for a woman to be elected, she really means Hillary. Finally, the WSJ’s book reviewer did not adequately do his job in this case.
Read
June 21, 2022Get it Done (Ayelet Fishbach)
summary: If it is easy and fun, you will get it done. If it’s a boring chore, you will ignore it.
intro
-Baron Munchausen pulls himself and his horse out of a bog by his own hair
-you modify your own behavior by modifying the situation in which it occurs
-if you eat whatever you see when you’re hungry, fill your fridge with fruits and vegetables
-change the mental meaning of a doughnut from “delicious” to “detrimental”
-four ingredients to behavioral change:
-1. choosing a goal (set a clear destination)
-2. sustaining desire (monitor progress by soliciting feedback)
-3. learn to juggle multiple goals (set priorities, balance them)
-4. leverage social support (let others help you)
Choose Your Goal
-great goals: are not proxies/means to other goals, are specific, have potential to fail, great incentives, intrinsic
-goals are powerful tools and, as such, they should be handled with care; powerful goals pull you to new heights
-1. exciting (not a chore): a powerful goal is a desirable state, not the means to get there;
-paying for parking, shipping, etc. is annoying because it is a means, not the desired product
-set abstract goals: (ex: “exploring job opportunities,” instead of “reading job listings”)
-fantasizing is fun but doesn’t generate action; fantasies about outcomes are largely ineffective tools for growth
-set positive goals, as opposed to “do not do” goals; avoidance goals are chores that lead to thought suppression
-ask if you can define your goals in terms of approaching a state of mental comfort instead of avoiding discomfort
-2. quantifiable: how much and how soon; targets make you care deeply about the numbers; loss-aversion
-good targets are: challenging, measurable, actionable, and self-set
-3. incentive structures: if the reward is incorrect, the outcome will be; adding incentives mainly dilutes the goal
-uncertain incentives (ex: gambling) are more helpful; incentives that modify the goal are unhelpful
-4. intrinsic motivation: when the goal is fun, you will do it;
-satisfying curiosity through exploration is intrinsically motivating
-me: exercising and working are intrinsically motivating when you do them right; activities can be curious, fun, exciting
-immediate benefits are stronger motivations (energy from exercising)
-people underestimate how much people care about intrinsic motivation (ex: job interviews)
-the lack of empathy for future self makes you underestimate how much you will care to be motivated in the future
-ask how you can make a goal immediately rewarding and fun
Keep Pulling
-sustain the ease (intrinsic motivation) by monitoring progress
-1. progress: the more progress you make, the more you want to keep going (goal gradient effect)
-each additional action has a larger perceived impact on the progress (0-1/10=10%, 6-7/10=25% of remaining)
-all-or-nothing goals, accumulative goals (diminishing marginal value)
-goals must be valuable and within reach (be on the right side of sunk-cost fallacy); action increases commitment
-2. glass-half-full/empty: aspiration and ambition changes goal-motivation; looking back and looking ahead can help
-3. the middle problem: compare your next action to whichever is smaller: previous progress or future progress
-pay attention and make the middle moments memorable when you want to give up; set subgoals; create landmarks
-4. negative feedback: “try again; fail again; fail better,” let go of self-esteem and listen; learned helplessness
-gaining experience makes one more accepting of negative feedback; failures often provide better data than success
-ask yourself why you are committed and confident in your goal; grow your abilities, rather than proving them
Competing Goals
-1. create a system: maximize attainment; goals relate to each other; make clear priorities;
-2. recognize roadblocks: be intentional about recognizing temptations; (I prefer habit-building over this section)
-3. juggling: control patience through distractions, making decisions in advance, addressing the root cause;
-be patient for the sake of others; it is much easier to accomplish things when they are for someone else
Social Support
-1. around others: you will conform without your knowledge; identify desirable and undesirable behavior
-2. with others: make shared tasks clear; make contributions identifiable; make it personal
-3. relationships: understand the aspirations of people around you; make your desires known; share interests
I took less notes as it went on because I prefer other systems for: optimizing growth (habits over motivation; James Clear), organizing goals (track your time and make your priorities crystal clear; Peter F. Drucker), and social dynamics (be interested, not interesting; Dale Carnegie). Overall, it was a nice read; the studies and anecdotes were interesting throughout. Perhaps the most relatable and interesting parts of the book for me were the moments when I noticed patterns I developed through trial-and-error. Fishbach points out that goals need to be exciting and immediately gratifying, easy to quantify, independent of diluting incentives, and well organized.
summary: If it is easy and fun, you will get it done. If it’s a boring chore, you will ignore it.
intro
-Baron Munchausen pulls himself and his horse out of a bog by his own hair
-you modify your own behavior by modifying the situation in which it occurs
-if you eat whatever you see when you’re hungry, fill your fridge with fruits and vegetables
-change the mental meaning of a doughnut from “delicious” to “detrimental”
-four ingredients to behavioral change:
-1. choosing a goal (set a clear destination)
-2. sustaining desire (monitor progress by soliciting feedback)
-3. learn to juggle multiple goals (set priorities, balance them)
-4. leverage social support (let others help you)
Choose Your Goal
-great goals: are not proxies/means to other goals, are specific, have potential to fail, great incentives, intrinsic
-goals are powerful tools and, as such, they should be handled with care; powerful goals pull you to new heights
-1. exciting (not a chore): a powerful goal is a desirable state, not the means to get there;
-paying for parking, shipping, etc. is annoying because it is a means, not the desired product
-set abstract goals: (ex: “exploring job opportunities,” instead of “reading job listings”)
-fantasizing is fun but doesn’t generate action; fantasies about outcomes are largely ineffective tools for growth
-set positive goals, as opposed to “do not do” goals; avoidance goals are chores that lead to thought suppression
-ask if you can define your goals in terms of approaching a state of mental comfort instead of avoiding discomfort
-2. quantifiable: how much and how soon; targets make you care deeply about the numbers; loss-aversion
-good targets are: challenging, measurable, actionable, and self-set
-3. incentive structures: if the reward is incorrect, the outcome will be; adding incentives mainly dilutes the goal
-uncertain incentives (ex: gambling) are more helpful; incentives that modify the goal are unhelpful
-4. intrinsic motivation: when the goal is fun, you will do it;
-satisfying curiosity through exploration is intrinsically motivating
-me: exercising and working are intrinsically motivating when you do them right; activities can be curious, fun, exciting
-immediate benefits are stronger motivations (energy from exercising)
-people underestimate how much people care about intrinsic motivation (ex: job interviews)
-the lack of empathy for future self makes you underestimate how much you will care to be motivated in the future
-ask how you can make a goal immediately rewarding and fun
Keep Pulling
-sustain the ease (intrinsic motivation) by monitoring progress
-1. progress: the more progress you make, the more you want to keep going (goal gradient effect)
-each additional action has a larger perceived impact on the progress (0-1/10=10%, 6-7/10=25% of remaining)
-all-or-nothing goals, accumulative goals (diminishing marginal value)
-goals must be valuable and within reach (be on the right side of sunk-cost fallacy); action increases commitment
-2. glass-half-full/empty: aspiration and ambition changes goal-motivation; looking back and looking ahead can help
-3. the middle problem: compare your next action to whichever is smaller: previous progress or future progress
-pay attention and make the middle moments memorable when you want to give up; set subgoals; create landmarks
-4. negative feedback: “try again; fail again; fail better,” let go of self-esteem and listen; learned helplessness
-gaining experience makes one more accepting of negative feedback; failures often provide better data than success
-ask yourself why you are committed and confident in your goal; grow your abilities, rather than proving them
Competing Goals
-1. create a system: maximize attainment; goals relate to each other; make clear priorities;
-2. recognize roadblocks: be intentional about recognizing temptations; (I prefer habit-building over this section)
-3. juggling: control patience through distractions, making decisions in advance, addressing the root cause;
-be patient for the sake of others; it is much easier to accomplish things when they are for someone else
Social Support
-1. around others: you will conform without your knowledge; identify desirable and undesirable behavior
-2. with others: make shared tasks clear; make contributions identifiable; make it personal
-3. relationships: understand the aspirations of people around you; make your desires known; share interests
I took less notes as it went on because I prefer other systems for: optimizing growth (habits over motivation; James Clear), organizing goals (track your time and make your priorities crystal clear; Peter F. Drucker), and social dynamics (be interested, not interesting; Dale Carnegie). Overall, it was a nice read; the studies and anecdotes were interesting throughout. Perhaps the most relatable and interesting parts of the book for me were the moments when I noticed patterns I developed through trial-and-error. Fishbach points out that goals need to be exciting and immediately gratifying, easy to quantify, independent of diluting incentives, and well organized.
May 3, 2022
Good book on how to build intrinsic motivation in order to reach your personal goals. Nice alternation between personal tips from the author and scientifically based tips.
April 21, 2023
Helaas heeft het onderwerp van dit boek me niet gemotiveerd om het vlug uit te lezen.
July 23, 2023
This book is frustrating to read for good reason: it is nuanced and comprehensive in explaining the specific conditions in which incentives undermine or promote motivation. Should one make important decisions after a delay or in advance? Should one publicly celebrate one's efforts if it could lead to more inspiration or social loafing? Is it a good thing to have biases that sometimes lead us to compromise or prioritize goals? While I found some sections of the book to be haphazard in its referencing of scientific studies, I thought that the author effectively walked through their framework to guide one through these key questions instead of prescribing a one-size-fits-all model for how to develop habits. By far, my favorite chapters were the ones on social influence since these were the concepts that I did not find as much in other books.
February 4, 2022
I knew I was going to like this book from the very first pages, with Professor Fishbach likening self-motivation to the character Baron Munchausen rescuing himself from a bog by pulling himself out of the muck by his own pigtail. And throughout GET IT DONE, Fishbach demonstrates an unusual ability to convey cutting edge science in a way that is original and evocative.
This is the type of book a lot of readers will pick up in the interests of improving themselves rather than for the sake of enjoyment. But Fishbach has offered something that requires no tradeoff: yes, you’ll learn valuable insights from motivation science to change your behavior, but you’ll also be amused, awed, and entertained as you read along.
The section that particularly resonated for me was Part III on competing goals, but I think the great thing about the book is that different chapters are going to stand out for different people. If motivation is what you are after, let Fishbach be your guide.
This is the type of book a lot of readers will pick up in the interests of improving themselves rather than for the sake of enjoyment. But Fishbach has offered something that requires no tradeoff: yes, you’ll learn valuable insights from motivation science to change your behavior, but you’ll also be amused, awed, and entertained as you read along.
The section that particularly resonated for me was Part III on competing goals, but I think the great thing about the book is that different chapters are going to stand out for different people. If motivation is what you are after, let Fishbach be your guide.
March 19, 2023
Some interesting ideas about topics like setting goals, but I had a hard time finishing this one and I'm not sure how much I retained.
April 18, 2022
A refreshing read and reminder of ways to get things done. Start with motivational methods and incorporate adequate support. “Trying to stay motivated and make serious progress in whatever you’re trying to achieve in life can sometimes feel like an impossible task. But it doesn’t have to be. There’s a simple fix – and it just so happens to be in your control. It all starts with changing your circumstances. Most importantly, you need to define your goals. You need to pay attention to maintaining momentum, stay focused when you’ve got a billion other things on your plate and get your friends and family involved. And when you make your behavior and environment work for rather than against you, your goal of getting that raise, or that strong healthy body, or that tax return form sorted, or that new language learned, will be yours in no time!
And here’s some more actionable advice:
Try to get rid of the middle problem with the “fresh start effect.”
So, people tend to work harder immediately after a temporal landmark – basically a day in your calendar like a Monday, a birthday, or new year. You can use this fact to your advantage if you want to get through the dreadful middle slump. This is the trick: You can frame that present moment as a memorable fresh start. So, if you want to start working out on June 23, let that be a new kind of birthday for you. And when you do that, you’ll be more motivated to keep pursuing your goals. Getting over the middle problem could be as easy as telling yourself that today marks the first day of the rest of your life.”
And here’s some more actionable advice:
Try to get rid of the middle problem with the “fresh start effect.”
So, people tend to work harder immediately after a temporal landmark – basically a day in your calendar like a Monday, a birthday, or new year. You can use this fact to your advantage if you want to get through the dreadful middle slump. This is the trick: You can frame that present moment as a memorable fresh start. So, if you want to start working out on June 23, let that be a new kind of birthday for you. And when you do that, you’ll be more motivated to keep pursuing your goals. Getting over the middle problem could be as easy as telling yourself that today marks the first day of the rest of your life.”
Read
August 2, 2022DNF @ 44%. I just couldn’t take it anymore
January 11, 2022
This was a fairly good productivity book.
It had some great points and great research, but unfortunately a lot of the case studies and pieces I have already read about - specifically in other books such as from authors like Adam Grant.
Great book though, if new to reading books about getting things done. I think I have just been saturated by the sheer amount of similar books, not a lot of information was new to me, but others I am sure will find this a great book.
3.1/5
It had some great points and great research, but unfortunately a lot of the case studies and pieces I have already read about - specifically in other books such as from authors like Adam Grant.
Great book though, if new to reading books about getting things done. I think I have just been saturated by the sheer amount of similar books, not a lot of information was new to me, but others I am sure will find this a great book.
3.1/5
March 23, 2024
DNF. I did not get it done.
January 23, 2022
Pretty academic, so not really a step by step guide, but food for thought. It sparked a few discussions at home, so overall a good book.
February 2, 2022
Ayelet Fishbach is a justifiably acclaimed motivation researcher. This book is insightful, evidence based, and a good read.
January 19, 2022
This book was an intriguing hidden gem for me. Ayelet discusses goals and motivation in great detail, with a heavy emphasis on the psychology of both. Through her own career, she has numerous studies to add to the data that was very insightful and collaborated other research findings. Many of her conclusions were enlightening in understanding both one's actions and thought process and how they affect accomplishing goals, but also in understanding others. Truly, so many factor affect our goals and our ability to accomplish them. The only disadvantage to this book, for me, was the excessive amount of repetition. It was especially incessant in the beginning half. I'm guessing the author was just trying to drive home the points she was making, but it made it hard to maintain interest once I had just read the same thing, basically verbatim. Overall, I thought this book was fantastic and a very worthwhile read! Ayelet has learned a lot on the subject through her life, career, and research, and I appreciate her condensing it into a more concise format for the reader.
January 15, 2022
Written by an acclaimed motivation researcher, the research in this book is rock solid, while still managing to be fascinating and surprising. The writing is engaging and accessible, and I particularly loved the "questions to ask yourself" at the end of each chapter that don't simply offer tips (although they also do that), but also get you thinking more deeply about how the advice from each chapter applies to your individual situation.
May 12, 2022
(3.5 out of 5)
This book looks at how how our we tend to look at goals, where the pitfalls are in pursuing a goal, and how we can best keep momentum towards our goal depending on our current progress and commitment levels. The way we sustain our motivation changes as we change. A really good reminder that "long middles" are dangerous--we are excited at the beginning and end, but it is very easy to lose momentum in the middle.
Gems:
P8 “Achieving a goal is exciting, completing the means is a chore.”
P10 approach vs. avoidance goals
P14 under most circumstances, we should approach goals
P26 self-set targets
“Another risk with letting others set your goal targets is that you might feel the urge to rebel.” Psychological reactance is when a request or order feels like a threat to your sense of freedom. “The result of reactance is that you might act against your best interests because someone else is demanding that you do what’s best for you. The goal is rejected only because it didn’t come from within.” “Self-selecting your goals and setting your own targets means you aren’t reverting to situations where others called the shots.” When consulting the expert, ask for a set of options to choose from.”
P27 malicious goal targets i.e. Wells Fargo incentivizing opening fake accounts
P29 “Realizing that the goal target is somewhat arbitrary is often the key to a healthy relationship with our goals…[don’t let] small discrepancies discourage you from sticking with your goal.”
P37 “The overjustification effect happens when adding a justification (or an incentive) to an action and then removing it undermines motivation.”Moving from self-expression only, to self-expression plus receiving a prize, then back to only self-expression leads to bad results.
P40 “According to the dilution principle,” the more goals, including incentives, a single activity serves, the more weakly we associate the activity with our central goal and the less instrumental the activity seems for this goal.”
P57 “If you only feel calm through meditation, you might struggle to keep your cool when you can’t fit meditation into your busy schedule. Flexibility, such as having more than one way to feel calm, can be important in reaching your goals.”
P61 direct your attention to the immediate positive experience–the fun that already exists
P62 “Do you think that you care about how interesting your work is much more than the average person, but that you care about how much you’re paid only somewhat more than the average person? Turns out, that’s generally the case. The tendency for almost everyone to see themselves as above average is more pronounced for intrinsic than extrinsic motivation.”
P65 “One way to increase your empathy for your future self is to set goals while you’re in a state similar to the state you’ll be in when executing them.”
P74 loyalty stamp cards with freebies are successful because they give the illusion of progress.
P74 “all-or-nothing goals” i.e. a college degree vs. accumulative goals” i.e. working out 5x per week or reading 20 books this year
P78 cognitive dissonance helps explain why we abandon goals that are a mismatch for our past actions
P88 dynamics of “commitment promotes consistency” i.e. Alcoholics Anonymous vs. “progress promotes balancing” i.e. most dieting programs
P94 “So when thinking about which dynamic of goal motivation will work best for you, examine your current commitment. If you already feel firmly committed to your goal, completed actions won’t change this. Focusing on the progress you’ve already made might even make you feel you’ve done enough and encourage you to take a break. Similarly, if you’re very uncertain about your commitment and are contemplating the point of doing something, missing actions won’t motivate you to move forward. Focusing on a lack of progress might even signal lack of commitment, which will lead you to quit.”
P96 "as your identity shifts, so will the way you sustain your motivation”
P100 “While most people are enthusiastic and conscientious at the beginning and at the end of goal pursuit, in the middle, both the motivation to get it done and the motivation to do it right tend to suffer.”
P108 ”Frame your goals so that you won’t stay in the middle for too long.”
P123 “It’s easier to tolerate negative feedback when we have experience or expertise.”
P132 Positive reviews tend to be similar (good food!) while negative reviews are more specific and offer a wider range.
P149 our draw to “middle options” as compromises can be exploited by adding artificially expensive options.
P165 “Being reminded of your future self puts you in a very broad decision frame. Whatever decision you make today, you should be able to envision making it again and again over many years. So instead of asking yourself whether it’s okay to procrastinate, cheat, smoke, or drink today, you should ask yourself whether it’s okay to do so for the rest of your life. Multiplying a small temptation by the number of times you would succumb to it in the course of your life will surely make it too large to ignore.”
P170 “It’s important…that you correctly judge the strength of the temptations you’ll face. As long as your expectations are well calibrated, you’ll be prepared to fight temptation off.”
P211 “As with all others in your life, your role model’s stated goals for themselves and others are going to motivated you even more than their actions. So you’ll want to choose a role model who doesn’t only do well, but also expects themselves and others to do well.”
P224 “friendly taking” - In close relationships, people focus on how much ‘we’ (their team) get in total, rather than who gets more.
P229 “Committed people are looking to address neglected aspects of the shared goal and preserve their resources for when they’re most needed.”
This book looks at how how our we tend to look at goals, where the pitfalls are in pursuing a goal, and how we can best keep momentum towards our goal depending on our current progress and commitment levels. The way we sustain our motivation changes as we change. A really good reminder that "long middles" are dangerous--we are excited at the beginning and end, but it is very easy to lose momentum in the middle.
Gems:
P8 “Achieving a goal is exciting, completing the means is a chore.”
P10 approach vs. avoidance goals
P14 under most circumstances, we should approach goals
P26 self-set targets
“Another risk with letting others set your goal targets is that you might feel the urge to rebel.” Psychological reactance is when a request or order feels like a threat to your sense of freedom. “The result of reactance is that you might act against your best interests because someone else is demanding that you do what’s best for you. The goal is rejected only because it didn’t come from within.” “Self-selecting your goals and setting your own targets means you aren’t reverting to situations where others called the shots.” When consulting the expert, ask for a set of options to choose from.”
P27 malicious goal targets i.e. Wells Fargo incentivizing opening fake accounts
P29 “Realizing that the goal target is somewhat arbitrary is often the key to a healthy relationship with our goals…[don’t let] small discrepancies discourage you from sticking with your goal.”
P37 “The overjustification effect happens when adding a justification (or an incentive) to an action and then removing it undermines motivation.”Moving from self-expression only, to self-expression plus receiving a prize, then back to only self-expression leads to bad results.
P40 “According to the dilution principle,” the more goals, including incentives, a single activity serves, the more weakly we associate the activity with our central goal and the less instrumental the activity seems for this goal.”
P57 “If you only feel calm through meditation, you might struggle to keep your cool when you can’t fit meditation into your busy schedule. Flexibility, such as having more than one way to feel calm, can be important in reaching your goals.”
P61 direct your attention to the immediate positive experience–the fun that already exists
P62 “Do you think that you care about how interesting your work is much more than the average person, but that you care about how much you’re paid only somewhat more than the average person? Turns out, that’s generally the case. The tendency for almost everyone to see themselves as above average is more pronounced for intrinsic than extrinsic motivation.”
P65 “One way to increase your empathy for your future self is to set goals while you’re in a state similar to the state you’ll be in when executing them.”
P74 loyalty stamp cards with freebies are successful because they give the illusion of progress.
P74 “all-or-nothing goals” i.e. a college degree vs. accumulative goals” i.e. working out 5x per week or reading 20 books this year
P78 cognitive dissonance helps explain why we abandon goals that are a mismatch for our past actions
P88 dynamics of “commitment promotes consistency” i.e. Alcoholics Anonymous vs. “progress promotes balancing” i.e. most dieting programs
P94 “So when thinking about which dynamic of goal motivation will work best for you, examine your current commitment. If you already feel firmly committed to your goal, completed actions won’t change this. Focusing on the progress you’ve already made might even make you feel you’ve done enough and encourage you to take a break. Similarly, if you’re very uncertain about your commitment and are contemplating the point of doing something, missing actions won’t motivate you to move forward. Focusing on a lack of progress might even signal lack of commitment, which will lead you to quit.”
P96 "as your identity shifts, so will the way you sustain your motivation”
P100 “While most people are enthusiastic and conscientious at the beginning and at the end of goal pursuit, in the middle, both the motivation to get it done and the motivation to do it right tend to suffer.”
P108 ”Frame your goals so that you won’t stay in the middle for too long.”
P123 “It’s easier to tolerate negative feedback when we have experience or expertise.”
P132 Positive reviews tend to be similar (good food!) while negative reviews are more specific and offer a wider range.
P149 our draw to “middle options” as compromises can be exploited by adding artificially expensive options.
P165 “Being reminded of your future self puts you in a very broad decision frame. Whatever decision you make today, you should be able to envision making it again and again over many years. So instead of asking yourself whether it’s okay to procrastinate, cheat, smoke, or drink today, you should ask yourself whether it’s okay to do so for the rest of your life. Multiplying a small temptation by the number of times you would succumb to it in the course of your life will surely make it too large to ignore.”
P170 “It’s important…that you correctly judge the strength of the temptations you’ll face. As long as your expectations are well calibrated, you’ll be prepared to fight temptation off.”
P211 “As with all others in your life, your role model’s stated goals for themselves and others are going to motivated you even more than their actions. So you’ll want to choose a role model who doesn’t only do well, but also expects themselves and others to do well.”
P224 “friendly taking” - In close relationships, people focus on how much ‘we’ (their team) get in total, rather than who gets more.
P229 “Committed people are looking to address neglected aspects of the shared goal and preserve their resources for when they’re most needed.”
January 20, 2022
Ayelet Fishbach knows her research. And she tells you the science behind getting things done. I signed up to listen to this as it was recommended by the amazing Carol Dweck (author of the highly quoted book, "Mindset").
The challenge is that I was a wee bit bored. A lot of the concepts and case studies I've read in other works on the topic of motivation, goal-setting and productivity. Maybe it was the timing and my mood? Maybe I'm not into science as much as I am storytelling? Maybe it would have been better as a print book vs. audio so I could take notes? Not sure. What I do know is that I didn't especially care for the narration. It took me a few weeks to get through, which is usually not a great sign.
Special thanks to Recorded Books for the opportunity to listen to an advanced listener copy via the NetGalley app.
The challenge is that I was a wee bit bored. A lot of the concepts and case studies I've read in other works on the topic of motivation, goal-setting and productivity. Maybe it was the timing and my mood? Maybe I'm not into science as much as I am storytelling? Maybe it would have been better as a print book vs. audio so I could take notes? Not sure. What I do know is that I didn't especially care for the narration. It took me a few weeks to get through, which is usually not a great sign.
Special thanks to Recorded Books for the opportunity to listen to an advanced listener copy via the NetGalley app.
July 2, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book. Learned a lot about the science of motivation and Professor Fishbach's writting is not peppered with excessive case studies and anecdotes. The book has a good balance with the science agumented with just enough examples. I also liked the questions at the end of the chapters. The mini summary just ahead of the questions give enough impetus to engage and think about the questions critically. I decided to read the book after hearing Ayelet's talk with Wendy Woods.
April 11, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this transformative eARC.
"Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation" by Ayelet Fishbach, narrated by Andrea Gallo, is a compelling exploration into the intricate world of self-motivation and goal achievement. Fishbach, a renowned psychologist and behavioral scientist, delves into the psychological underpinnings that drive us towards our goals and provides a framework for understanding and harnessing our inner motivations.
The book is structured around a four-step process that guides readers through the journey of setting and achieving personal milestones. Fishbach's approach is both scientific and practical, making it accessible to a wide audience. She emphasizes the importance of selecting goals that resonate with our values and purpose, thereby ensuring that our pursuits are meaningful and aligned with our deeper aspirations.
One of the book's strengths is its focus on the sustainability of motivation. Fishbach doesn't just offer a one-time solution; she equips readers with strategies to maintain their drive in the face of obstacles and distractions. This is particularly useful for those who find themselves struggling to stay the course over the long term.
The narration by Andrea Gallo adds an additional layer of engagement to the audiobook. Gallo's clear and articulate delivery makes the complex concepts easy to grasp, and her tone conveys the right mix of encouragement and authority, which is fitting for a book that aims to empower its listeners to take action.
"Get It Done" is not just about achieving goals; it's about transforming the way we approach our ambitions. Fishbach's insights are backed by extensive research, yet they are presented in a manner that is both informative and relatable. The anecdotes and real-life examples sprinkled throughout the book bring the science to life, illustrating how the principles can be applied in various aspects of daily living.
In summary, "Get It Done" is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to understand the science of motivation and seeking practical advice on how to apply it to their own lives. Whether you're a professional aiming for the next career milestone, a student tackling academic challenges, or simply someone who wants to improve their personal habits, this book offers a roadmap to success that is both scientifically sound and profoundly human.
"Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation" by Ayelet Fishbach, narrated by Andrea Gallo, is a compelling exploration into the intricate world of self-motivation and goal achievement. Fishbach, a renowned psychologist and behavioral scientist, delves into the psychological underpinnings that drive us towards our goals and provides a framework for understanding and harnessing our inner motivations.
The book is structured around a four-step process that guides readers through the journey of setting and achieving personal milestones. Fishbach's approach is both scientific and practical, making it accessible to a wide audience. She emphasizes the importance of selecting goals that resonate with our values and purpose, thereby ensuring that our pursuits are meaningful and aligned with our deeper aspirations.
One of the book's strengths is its focus on the sustainability of motivation. Fishbach doesn't just offer a one-time solution; she equips readers with strategies to maintain their drive in the face of obstacles and distractions. This is particularly useful for those who find themselves struggling to stay the course over the long term.
The narration by Andrea Gallo adds an additional layer of engagement to the audiobook. Gallo's clear and articulate delivery makes the complex concepts easy to grasp, and her tone conveys the right mix of encouragement and authority, which is fitting for a book that aims to empower its listeners to take action.
"Get It Done" is not just about achieving goals; it's about transforming the way we approach our ambitions. Fishbach's insights are backed by extensive research, yet they are presented in a manner that is both informative and relatable. The anecdotes and real-life examples sprinkled throughout the book bring the science to life, illustrating how the principles can be applied in various aspects of daily living.
In summary, "Get It Done" is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to understand the science of motivation and seeking practical advice on how to apply it to their own lives. Whether you're a professional aiming for the next career milestone, a student tackling academic challenges, or simply someone who wants to improve their personal habits, this book offers a roadmap to success that is both scientifically sound and profoundly human.
January 30, 2024
Borderline 2 stars. I rounded up.
There are some very excellent nuggets in this book, but the real problem is that it devolves into tedium. The author discusses so many different aspects of goals and motivation (incentives) that it becomes somewhat confusing. The combination of repetitive as well as contradictory discussions around the main theme had me going, "Huh?", and having to reread portions.
To me, the gem of behavioral economics (and behavior in general) are the studies and stories where people act contrary to their needs or desires due to different biases and thought processes. It is thee thought processes that help us realize what we are doing wrong, IF WE TAKE THE TIME TO THINK HOW WE THINK. Ms. Fishbach blends all of these together without really tackling the issue of cognitive dissonance.
There needs to me more of a breakdown and explanation for the reader of what comprises motivation, and why. Further, she talks SO MUCH about goals, but not addresses the fact that the average person has no thought out goals, but bounces from stimuli to stimuli and never pumps the brakes to try to determine why things are going as they are.
It is as if she assumes, like a lot of economic models, that we all are rational beings who plot out thoughtful goals, understand our incentives, yet after all of this, we fail miserably at achieving anything due to our lack of goals and understanding of our incentives (if that makes sense). So, I found it very tiring.
Further, it is just too damn long. I know only 300 pages, but it literally could have been 180. After all the books I have read on behavior, motivation, and finding ways to understand how/why we think and react the way we do (as a peoples), this one was really not valuable. Look for other options.
There are some very excellent nuggets in this book, but the real problem is that it devolves into tedium. The author discusses so many different aspects of goals and motivation (incentives) that it becomes somewhat confusing. The combination of repetitive as well as contradictory discussions around the main theme had me going, "Huh?", and having to reread portions.
To me, the gem of behavioral economics (and behavior in general) are the studies and stories where people act contrary to their needs or desires due to different biases and thought processes. It is thee thought processes that help us realize what we are doing wrong, IF WE TAKE THE TIME TO THINK HOW WE THINK. Ms. Fishbach blends all of these together without really tackling the issue of cognitive dissonance.
There needs to me more of a breakdown and explanation for the reader of what comprises motivation, and why. Further, she talks SO MUCH about goals, but not addresses the fact that the average person has no thought out goals, but bounces from stimuli to stimuli and never pumps the brakes to try to determine why things are going as they are.
It is as if she assumes, like a lot of economic models, that we all are rational beings who plot out thoughtful goals, understand our incentives, yet after all of this, we fail miserably at achieving anything due to our lack of goals and understanding of our incentives (if that makes sense). So, I found it very tiring.
Further, it is just too damn long. I know only 300 pages, but it literally could have been 180. After all the books I have read on behavior, motivation, and finding ways to understand how/why we think and react the way we do (as a peoples), this one was really not valuable. Look for other options.
November 10, 2022
It started well enough, reasonably paced. Plenty of examples and anecdotes and breakdown of the theory behind it all.
Annnnd then it turned into another college textbook. It just had so many theories, definitions, and the study behind it to prove it. It just gave me major flashbacks of when I had to study for my Psychology exams. Learning the theory behind stuff, what study proved it and what it proved, what is the definition, how is it called, who came up with it, and when. And the lucky few - WHO LATER DISPRUVED THAT THEORY. Jeez.
I want to say I learned something from this book but it was just so heavy-handed with the numerous theories in the end that I doubt I will remember hardly anything coming month or two. And few pearls of wisdom I decided to commit to memory were pushed out by the heavy-handed serving of superfluous information later on. So I think if this book aimed to teach long-term it missed the goal on this.
I mean it wasn't as heavy on the theory part, but towards the end, there was a lot more examples of this type of motivation than this other one and they just became like a numeration and not quite a manual on how to get motivated.
As it stands not sure on which side this book falls, is it a how-to, is it a self-help book, or just a lightly developed guide into a new type of science. But it just ended up having a strong class material feel to it towards the end and I just could not get into all the theories that the author would fly by. So I lost interest in finding them interesting or paying attention to them and just waited for the end of the book to come.
Annnnd then it turned into another college textbook. It just had so many theories, definitions, and the study behind it to prove it. It just gave me major flashbacks of when I had to study for my Psychology exams. Learning the theory behind stuff, what study proved it and what it proved, what is the definition, how is it called, who came up with it, and when. And the lucky few - WHO LATER DISPRUVED THAT THEORY. Jeez.
I want to say I learned something from this book but it was just so heavy-handed with the numerous theories in the end that I doubt I will remember hardly anything coming month or two. And few pearls of wisdom I decided to commit to memory were pushed out by the heavy-handed serving of superfluous information later on. So I think if this book aimed to teach long-term it missed the goal on this.
I mean it wasn't as heavy on the theory part, but towards the end, there was a lot more examples of this type of motivation than this other one and they just became like a numeration and not quite a manual on how to get motivated.
As it stands not sure on which side this book falls, is it a how-to, is it a self-help book, or just a lightly developed guide into a new type of science. But it just ended up having a strong class material feel to it towards the end and I just could not get into all the theories that the author would fly by. So I lost interest in finding them interesting or paying attention to them and just waited for the end of the book to come.
March 14, 2024
Get It Done by Ayelet Fishbach explores an interesting concept--the psychology behind motivation. However, this audio book did not need to be 9 discs long.
Fishbach supports her claims with plenty of reseach. She sites many experiments, several she participated in as a motivation scientist. I'm a curious enough individual to stick with the book clear to the end even though it became a bit monotonous.
Here's what I mean by monotonous. After about disc 5, I began to notice a pattern in what the experiements revealed. Some experiments revealed that many people are motivated by one thing, but other experiements revealed that many people are motivated by the opposite thing.
For example, many people are motivated by tracking how far they have come in moving toward a goal. Other people are motivated by tracking how far they are away from the goal. Some people are motivated by a close connection to the goal. Others are motivated by a close connection to the team working toward the goal.
One little nugget I will take with me is the idea of motivation being strongest at the beginning and ends of working toward a goal. In order to make that work for you, make the middle shorter. Chuck goals into small bits so that you don't have time to lose too much motivation. Good tip.
I really wanted to stop listening to this one at about disc 7. Ironically, when how close I was to my goal of finishing the book, I was motivated to stick with it.
If you like books about the psychology behind everday behaviors, the book is worth a read. You might try chunking into small bits, though, so you don't lose the motivation to complete the task.
Fishbach supports her claims with plenty of reseach. She sites many experiments, several she participated in as a motivation scientist. I'm a curious enough individual to stick with the book clear to the end even though it became a bit monotonous.
Here's what I mean by monotonous. After about disc 5, I began to notice a pattern in what the experiements revealed. Some experiments revealed that many people are motivated by one thing, but other experiements revealed that many people are motivated by the opposite thing.
For example, many people are motivated by tracking how far they have come in moving toward a goal. Other people are motivated by tracking how far they are away from the goal. Some people are motivated by a close connection to the goal. Others are motivated by a close connection to the team working toward the goal.
One little nugget I will take with me is the idea of motivation being strongest at the beginning and ends of working toward a goal. In order to make that work for you, make the middle shorter. Chuck goals into small bits so that you don't have time to lose too much motivation. Good tip.
I really wanted to stop listening to this one at about disc 7. Ironically, when how close I was to my goal of finishing the book, I was motivated to stick with it.
If you like books about the psychology behind everday behaviors, the book is worth a read. You might try chunking into small bits, though, so you don't lose the motivation to complete the task.
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April 19, 2022Trying to stay motivated and make serious progress in whatever you’re trying to achieve in life can sometimes feel like an impossible task. But it doesn’t have to be. There’s a simple fix – and it just so happens to be in your control. It all starts with changing your circumstances. Most importantly, you need to define your goals. You need to pay attention to maintaining momentum, stay focused when you’ve got a billion other things on your plate and get your friends and family involved. And when you make your behavior and environment work for rather than against you, your goal of getting that raise, or that strong healthy body, or that tax return form sorted, or that new language learned, will be yours in no time!
And here’s some more actionable advice:
Try to get rid of the middle problem with the “fresh start effect.”
So, people tend to work harder immediately after a temporal landmark – basically a day in your calendar like a Monday, a birthday, or new year. You can use this fact to your advantage if you want to get through the dreadful middle slump. This is the trick: You can frame that present moment as a memorable fresh start. So, if you want to start working out on June 23, let that be a new kind of birthday for you. And when you do that, you’ll be more motivated to keep pursuing your goals. Getting over the middle problem could be as easy as telling yourself that today marks the first day of the rest of your life.
And here’s some more actionable advice:
Try to get rid of the middle problem with the “fresh start effect.”
So, people tend to work harder immediately after a temporal landmark – basically a day in your calendar like a Monday, a birthday, or new year. You can use this fact to your advantage if you want to get through the dreadful middle slump. This is the trick: You can frame that present moment as a memorable fresh start. So, if you want to start working out on June 23, let that be a new kind of birthday for you. And when you do that, you’ll be more motivated to keep pursuing your goals. Getting over the middle problem could be as easy as telling yourself that today marks the first day of the rest of your life.
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