Employment Opinions

How To Stay Motivated All The Time Using This One Golden Rule

Written by Faizan Patankar

I came across this interesting piece on how to stay motivated all the time. Because even the best of us sometimes get demotivated by the environment surrounding us.

To stay motivated all the time, use the Goldilocks rule. Oh yes, the Goldilocks of the children’s story “The Three Bears”.

So, what is the Goldilocks principle?

The Goldilocks principle is derived from a children’s story “The Three Bears” in which a little girl named Goldilocks finds a house owned by three bears. Each bear has its own preference of food and beds. After testing all three examples of both items, Goldilocks determines that one of them is always too much in one extreme (too hot or too large), one is too much in the opposite extreme (too cold or too small), and one is “just right”. Source: Wikipedia

… And how to stay motivated all the time using the Goldilocks rule?

It’s simple.

When you chose a challenge or set a goal, set on which is just at the edge of your capability. Don’t go too easy. And don’t go too difficult.

goldilocks rule on staying motivated

As James Clear writes on his blog

Tasks that are significantly below your current abilities are boring. Tasks that are significantly beyond your current abilities are discouraging. But tasks that are right on the border of success and failure are incredibly motivating to our human brains. We want nothing more than to master a skill just beyond our current horizon.

An example of this could be, going to gym.

At times you start gym, and in the first week you do one hour sessions and then get so tired that you never return until next January.

At other times, gym-goers will do a 30-min session at the gym for the whole year. And then wonder why there is no improvement.

It’s better to start gym with a 30-min session and then slowly push the time up as days pass. You don’t want to have an easy gym session. Neither do you want to take up a challenge that demotivates you because it is unmanageable.

Strike the right balance

Strike the right balance in which ever challenge or goal you take up. That’s the best chance you are giving yourself of staying motivated all the time.

Working on challenges of an optimal level of difficulty has been found to not only be motivating, but also to be a major source of happiness. As psychologist Gilbert Brim put it, “One of the important sources of human happiness is working on tasks at a suitable level of difficulty, neither too hard nor too easy.”

Who knew, the Goldilocks and The Three Bears story had more to do with life then just be a children’s story?

How to Stay Motivated in Life and Business via JamesClear.com

 

About the author

Faizan Patankar

I started Career Geek Blog in 2011 to share my experience in job-hunting. I now focus on careers industry and blogging is just a tool to share that info. Love hacking careers. During the day I focus on my hobby - Engineering.