Posted on Sun 22 June 2014

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s4/sh/...

First pick your goals, then figure out which motivation hacks to use on the subtasks that lead to those goals.

$Motivation=\frac{Expectancy\times Value}{Impulsiveness\times Delay}$

List of Motivation Techniques

• Expectancy: Success Spirals, surround with motivated people, Mental Contrasting, guard against excessive optimism
• Value: make it enjoyable, find meaning (connect with life goals), optimize energy (sleep, food), rewards
• Impulsiveness: Precommitment, Burnt Ships, Goal Reminders, Timeboxing, Habits
• Delay: break down goals, plan too optimistic

Sucess Spiral: start with tiny achievable goal, track success, never weasel out, increase goals Precommitment: choose now to limit options later - e.g. publicly announce goal, beeminder

Choosing Goals

It doesn’t make sense to run faster if you are running in the wrong direction.

• Imagine ideal day. What would you do, whom talk to, where go? Pick goals that bring that day closer
• Make a list of crazy goal; rate on excitement, probability of success, time effort; pick most efficient ones
• What would a different person in the same life do? (ignore sunk costs)

Mistakes

Planning Fallacy, too little motivation, unambitious goals

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