When it comes to getting motivated, there are a lot of different tips and tricks that people swear by. But what if none of them actually work? According to science, a lot of the most popular motivational tips don’t have any real effect on people’s productivity or motivation. In this blog post, we will debunk some of the most popular motivational myths and explain why they don’t work! One of the most popular motivational tips is to set yourself small, achievable goals. This advice comes from the idea that people are more likely to achieve their goals if they break them down into smaller pieces. However, a study by Locke and Latham found that this isn’t necessarily true. In fact, they found that people are just as likely to achieve their goals if they set larger, more challenging goals for themselves. Another popular motivational tip is to reward yourself for completing tasks. This advice comes from the theory of positive reinforcement, which states that people are more likely to repeat behaviours that are followed by rewards. However, a study by Frederick and Loewenstein found that this doesn’t always work. In fact, they found that people are more likely to be motivated by a sense of pride or satisfaction than they are by external rewards. What about the idea that goal setting works? There’s always that post attributed to Harvard Graduates setting goals and in 10 years being far more successful. The problem? The study doesn’t seem to exist. Numerous people have tried to find the source and have come up with nothing. In fact goal setting has been shown to be detrimental in many cases, with the example of Everest. On May 29th, 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people to summit Mt. Everest. But many people have died trying to achieve the goal – going against logic and advise to head off in the right conditions. Just because it’s a goal, it doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Another motivational classic is positive affirmations. In fact science suggests that positive affirmations can actually make you feel worse. In a study by Joanne Wood and John Lee, participants were divided into two groups. One group was asked to repeat the affirmation “I am a lovable person” every day for six weeks, while the other group was not given any affirmations to repeat. At the end of the six weeks, the researchers found that participants in the affirmation group actually had lower self-esteem than those in the control group. It seems like a lot of popular motivational tips are actually based on myths and misconceptions. So next time you’re struggling to get motivated, don’t waste your time with these ineffective techniques! Instead, try something that has been proven to work by science! One of the best ways to motivate yourself is to focus on your intrinsic motivation. This means focusing on the things that you enjoy doing and finding ways to make them more enjoyable. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, focus on the health benefits of exercise instead of the number on the scale. If you’re trying to quit smoking, focus on the positive effects it will have on your health. By focusing on your intrinsic motivation, you’ll be more likely to stick with your goals and achieve success. Examples of intrinsic motivation: – Doing something because you enjoy it – Doing something because it’s challenging – Doing something because it makes you happy If you want to be more productive, and you need goals and rewards, try setting goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This type of goal setting is known as SMART goal setting, and it has been proven to be an effective way to achieve success. By setting SMART goals, you’ll have a clear plan of action and you’ll be more likely to stay motivated and on track. Post navigation How to Get Motivated When You Can’t Be Bothered To Work
