Reaching Our Goals Requires Joy and Grit
Delayed gratification is not the primary reason we pursue goals.
- Delayed gratification is not the primary reason we pursue goals.
- Goal enjoyment seems to be a better predictor of attainment than how important it is to us.
- The more immediate joy in our long-term goals the more likely we are to pursue them.
- Reflect on the immediate benefits of goal pursuit. This act increases goal persistence.
New goals often make us think of trade-offs. If we want to achieve something difficult, we’ll have to give up something; time, money, effort, or a mix of the three. We can’t lose weight without giving up junk food or making time to go to the gym. Nor can we expect a promotion without working harder or furthering our education. Long-term goals like these are best seen as delayed gratification. We seek and desire them because we know they’ll be an asset in the future.
We hope that committing to these goals and understanding the benefits helps us stick to them. But, immediate rewards, or positive, in-the-moment experiences, are more likely to instill us with gritty behaviors and attitudes.
Immediate rewards promote goal attainment because they’re more visceral and attractive. Studying feels better and holds more value when you’re actually doing it than before or after it occurs. In addition, gratifying behavior makes up the sum total of our positive experiences. When you acknowledge their existence you increase your intrinsic motivation.
It’s difficult for delayed rewards to elicit this response. We expect them, yet we can’t recognize any benefits until the very moment they’re achieved. Because of this, immediate rewards prompt stronger reactions to certain actions and behaviors. This is a crucial distinction in the way talk about motivation. It’s important we understand our desired state and what behaviors we enjoy that take us there.
These visceral actions have a compounding effect. If enjoyment increases grit for each task, we can expect greater gains over time. Whereas, if we’re focused on delayed gratification we may reach our goal, but at a slower, ineffective pace.
To test this theory Kaitlin Woolley and Ayelet Fishbach led a series of five experiments. Each tested a component of immediate gratification and its relation to goal-directed behaviors.
Research on Immediate Reward and Delayed Gratification
In the first study, 96 workers expressed their commitment to a New Year’s resolution. They asked each worker whether delayed gains or enjoyment would drive their behavior. The participants believed that delayed gratification would determine their motivation and achievement. Yet, the researchers found that only enjoyment acts as a predictor for perseverance.
In the second experiment, college students measured their time on task at the library. They also rated their enjoyment while studying. Again, the results show immediate rewards as a better predictor of time spent on the task. Yet, 70% of participants indicated long-term outcomes were their primary reason for studying. If delayed benefits were the main motivator, they’d serve as a better predictor. But, components of studying, like competence and subject interest, better correlate with perseverance.
Study 3 examined whether immediate rewards temper attendance and time at a gym. Gym-goers spent more time exercising the more enjoyable they found it. But, this metric failed to account for daily attendance. Instead, delayed reward predicted attendance. This is a crucial finding for anyone hoping to make long-term exercise changes.
Both of the final two studies had similar results. Immediate rewards are a better predictor of long-term, goal-aligned behavior than delayed rewards. After all the studies concluded the authors conducted a meta-analysis of their findings. Their work demonstrated a modest effect for the benefit of immediate rewards. Less than they had predicted.
Expanding on Immediate Rewards
In another set of experiments, Fischbach and Woolley tested the effects of immediate rewards on grit. This paper provided additional support for their theory that goal-immediacy increases intrinsic motivation. They used timing and internal/external rewards to mediate participants' goal attainment. Internal benefits are things like, “becoming more informed from watching the news.” While external awards are incentives for unrelated tasks like cash for completing puzzles.
Immediate rewards add a positive incentive to each of our experiences. Even though, traditionally, we view extrinsic motivation as something that undermines performance. Especially in parenting and education. To the point that we tell parents and educators to steer clear of extrinsic motivators. The primary worry is that children will learn to expect rewards in exchange for work. Whereas, we want everyone to act on their own volition because of the nature of the work.
It’s possible, like many areas of social science, that this lesson has expanded beyond its scope. Or, that the initial research wasn’t all-encompassing. Woolley and Fishbach found several cases where immediate rewards increase enjoyment and time-on-task. For activities like work, Woolley says, immediate rewards can actually increase intrinsic motivation. So, while rewards may weaken developing behaviors, coupling them with habits improves achievement.
Research on Delayed Gratification and Immediate Rewards
To test this effect Woolley created two groups whose task was to spot the difference between two images. One group earned an instant bonus, the other needed to wait a month. Individuals presented with the immediate reward increased their persistence by almost 20%.
On top of this, intrinsic motivation varies with the size and timing of rewards. And, instant gratification matters more than the size of a reward. In one studies, participants earning an immediate reward persevered 35% longer. Even after removing the reward this effect persisted. In contrast, a larger reward increased grit by only 19%.
This suggests that reward timing, more than size, is what matters. Taken together, intrinsic motivation increases when rewards are more salient. And, this is true for external and internal awards
Improving Goal Behavior with Immediate Rewards
Fishbach and Woolley gave some suggestions for applying their research to our lives. They first recommend accounting for how much you enjoy the activity you’re using to reach your goal. If you’re trying to get into better shape, you should choose an exercise routine or class based on what you enjoy. Even if the option you choose doesn’t maximize physical benefits, you’ll be more likely to stick to it. If you want to study more, choose an environment that matches what you enjoy. A library may seem like the right place, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best one for you.
Self-Reflection
Second, reflect on the immediate benefits of working towards your goal. When we talk about our goals we think of them in the long-term. We’re more likely to tell someone we can’t go out to eat because we’re saving for a down payment. Instead, we should reflect on how good it feels to resist temptation and work towards our goal in the short term. In one experiment, participants ate 50% more ‘healthy’ food when they focused on the taste rather than the benefits. While we normally associate healthy eating with diet and the delayed gratification of a diet, simply focusing on taste may prove more useful.
You should also use progress monitoring as part of your reflection process. It’s important to understand how close you are to meeting your aim and what you might need to change. Taking heed of your accomplishments allows you to focus on them and keep your goals in mind. And, it has the added benefit of accumulating your long-term effort into an easy to analyze space. Which allows you to take pride in your progress. Another way to positively associate your hard work with your intentions.
Goal Adjustment
Third, weave immediate benefits into your long-term goals. While you’re working queue up a podcast or listen to music, and have snacks available. These little rewards can make difficult tasks seem a bit more like fun or relaxing activities. This increased enjoyment helps us relate positive emotions to our goals. And those positive associations increase goal striving.
Our long-term goals shouldn’t be entirely about sacrificing for the greater good. Our brain evolved to desire immediate rewards. Exactly what we associate with temptation and desire. When we take stock of the pleasure associated with our goals we form positive links to our work. And, the more enjoyment we get out of our resolutions, the more likely we are to stick to them.
Originally published at reedrawlings.com on October 7, 2018.
