Get It Done

Get It Done Plot Summary

Introduction

We all know what it feels like to be stuck in the mud of our own goals. Like Baron Munchausen in Rudolf Raspe's 18th-century tales, who famously pulled himself and his horse out of a swamp by his own hair, we too must find ways to pull ourselves forward when motivation wanes. Whether you're trying to advance your career, improve your health, or nurture your relationships, the challenge remains the same: how do you keep moving toward what matters when the path gets difficult? Motivation isn't just about willpower or discipline—it's a complex psychological system that can be understood and optimized. The good news is that decades of scientific research have uncovered the essential ingredients for successful behavior change. By understanding how to choose the right goals, sustain your motivation through progress monitoring, manage competing priorities, and leverage social support, you can transform your approach to achievement. This book invites you to apply these principles to your own life, designing a personalized journey that works with your unique circumstances rather than against them.

Chapter 1: Set Goals That Excite, Not Drain

Setting the right kind of goal is the first crucial step in creating lasting motivation. The difference between a goal that pulls you forward and one that feels like a chore often comes down to how you frame it in your mind. When goals feel like obligations rather than opportunities, they drain your energy instead of inspiring action. Research shows that we're more motivated by approach goals (what we want to achieve) than avoidance goals (what we want to prevent). For example, "I want to be healthy and energetic" creates more positive motivation than "I don't want to get sick." This distinction matters because approach goals trigger positive emotions like excitement and anticipation, while avoidance goals often generate anxiety and fear. In one study, participants who framed their fitness goals in terms of what they hoped to gain (strength, energy, confidence) stayed committed longer than those focused on avoiding negative outcomes like weight gain or health problems. The level of abstraction in your goals also influences motivation. Goals that are too concrete ("do 50 pushups daily") can feel like tedious chores, while goals that are too abstract ("be my best self") provide insufficient direction. The sweet spot is what motivation scientists call "optimally abstract" goals—specific enough to guide action but connected to meaningful values. For instance, rather than just "exercise more," you might frame your goal as "build strength and endurance to enjoy hiking adventures with my family." Another key insight is that we're naturally resistant to investing in means rather than ends. In an experiment conducted by Franklin Shaddy and Ayelet Fishbach, participants were willing to pay more for an autographed book alone than for the same book packaged with a tote bag. The tote bag, being merely a means to carry the book, actually decreased the perceived value of the package. This reveals why it's important to frame your goals as desirable end states rather than intermediate steps. To set goals that excite rather than drain, ask yourself what truly matters to you and why. Connect your immediate actions to your deeper values and aspirations. For example, instead of seeing tax preparation as a dreaded chore, you might reframe it as taking control of your financial future or creating security for your family. When you focus on the meaningful outcome rather than the tedious process, you transform obligation into opportunity. Remember that the most motivating goals are those that feel like they're pulling you forward rather than pushing you from behind. By framing your goals as exciting opportunities aligned with your values, you create a natural gravitational pull toward the actions that will help you succeed.

Chapter 2: Make Progress Visible and Measurable

The power of measurable progress cannot be overstated when it comes to sustaining motivation. When you can see your advancement toward a goal, you're much more likely to maintain your momentum and ultimately succeed. This principle is elegantly demonstrated by what researchers call the "goal gradient effect"—the tendency to accelerate effort as we get closer to completing a goal. In a fascinating study at a New York café, researchers Ran Kivetz, Oleg Urminsky, and Yuhuang Zheng gave customers loyalty cards that offered a free coffee after purchasing ten drinks. Some customers received cards with ten empty slots to stamp, while others received cards with twelve slots—but with two stamps already filled in as a "bonus." Although both groups needed to make exactly ten purchases to earn their reward, those who received the pre-stamped cards returned to the café more frequently and completed their cards faster. The illusion of progress—feeling like they were already 16% finished before they'd even started—significantly boosted their motivation. This phenomenon works because progress creates a psychological pull. As we move closer to our goals, each action appears to have a larger proportional impact. When you've read 90 pages of a 100-page report, reading the final 10 pages completes 100% of your remaining work—a much more satisfying proposition than when those same 10 pages would have represented only 10% completion at the beginning. To harness this principle, break larger goals into smaller, measurable units. Instead of setting a vague goal like "get in shape," establish specific metrics: "walk 10,000 steps daily" or "complete three 30-minute strength training sessions per week." The key is choosing metrics that are both meaningful and easily trackable. Interestingly, the origin of the popular 10,000-step goal wasn't based on rigorous scientific research but came from a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer called "Manpo-kei," which translates to "10,000-step meter." Despite its somewhat arbitrary origins, this specific, measurable target has proven remarkably effective at motivating physical activity. For goals that feel overwhelming, create what researchers call "subgoals"—smaller milestones that provide frequent opportunities to experience progress. If you're writing a book, celebrate completing each chapter rather than focusing solely on finishing the entire manuscript. These progress markers create multiple "finish lines" that trigger the motivational boost of the goal gradient effect throughout your journey. When monitoring progress, be strategic about where you focus your attention. Early in your journey, looking at how far you've come ("I've already saved $1,000") is more motivating than dwelling on how far you still have to go. Beyond the midpoint, however, the opposite becomes true—focusing on what remains ("Only $900 to go!") becomes more motivating. This approach, which researchers call the "small-area principle," maximizes your perception of progress at every stage. Remember that making progress visible isn't just about tracking numbers—it's about creating a feedback system that reinforces your commitment and builds momentum. By deliberately measuring and celebrating your advancement, you transform the abstract concept of "progress" into a tangible force that pulls you toward your goals.

Chapter 3: Find Your Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation—the drive to do something because it feels rewarding in itself—is the most powerful and sustainable form of motivation we possess. When you're intrinsically motivated, you don't need external rewards or pressure to keep going; the activity itself provides immediate satisfaction. In a revealing study, psychologist Mark Lepper brought Magic Markers to a nursery school and observed children during free play time. Some children were told they'd receive a "Good Player Award" with a gold star and ribbon if they chose to draw during free time. Others received no incentive, and a third group received an unexpected reward after drawing. When the researchers returned weeks later, they found that children who had been promised rewards initially spent 50% less time drawing compared to the other groups. The external reward had undermined their intrinsic enjoyment of drawing for its own sake. This phenomenon, called the "overjustification effect," shows how external incentives can actually diminish our natural enthusiasm for activities we might otherwise enjoy. The same principle applies to adults. In workplace settings, research by Adam Grant found that firefighters who were intrinsically motivated—who saw their work as meaningful and fulfilling in itself—worked longer hours and showed greater creativity than those motivated primarily by external factors like pay or recognition. The good news is that you can cultivate intrinsic motivation even for activities you don't naturally find enjoyable. Researchers Kaitlin Woolley and Ayelet Fishbach identified several effective strategies. The "make-it-fun" approach involves adding immediate enjoyable elements to otherwise boring tasks. In one study, high school students who were allowed to listen to music, eat snacks, and use colorful pens while doing math homework worked significantly longer than those who weren't. Another powerful technique is "temptation bundling"—pairing activities you need to do with ones you want to do. For example, only allowing yourself to watch your favorite TV show while exercising, or enjoying your favorite coffee only when catching up on work emails. This strategy creates an immediate reward that makes the necessary activity more intrinsically satisfying. You can also increase intrinsic motivation by choosing activities that align with your natural interests and strengths. If you need to exercise more, don't force yourself into a gym routine you hate—experiment with different activities until you find something that genuinely engages you. In one study, gym-goers who chose exercises they enjoyed completed 50% more repetitions than those who selected exercises they thought would be most effective but didn't enjoy. Perhaps most importantly, pay attention to the immediate positive experiences that already exist within activities you're trying to motivate yourself to do. When encouraging healthy eating, focusing on the delicious taste of nutritious foods works better than emphasizing their health benefits. In fact, research participants ate almost 50% more vegetables when asked to choose the tastier-looking option rather than the healthier-looking one. Remember that intrinsic motivation isn't just about having fun—it's about finding genuine value and satisfaction in the process itself. By deliberately structuring your goals and activities to maximize immediate positive experiences, you create a self-sustaining cycle of motivation that doesn't depend on willpower or external pressure.

Chapter 4: Overcome Obstacles and Temptations

Self-control—the ability to resist temptation and stay focused on long-term goals—is essential for achievement, yet it remains one of our greatest challenges. Research shows that we face temptations during roughly half our waking hours, and about half of those desires conflict with our important goals. Understanding the science of self-control can transform how we handle these inevitable conflicts. The story of Lot's wife from the Book of Genesis provides a classic illustration of temptation's power. As Lot's family fled the destruction of Sodom, they were warned not to look back. Despite this clear instruction, Lot's wife couldn't resist the urge to turn around—and was instantly transformed into a pillar of salt. While the consequences of our own lapses in self-control are rarely so dramatic, this ancient tale captures a universal human experience: the struggle between what we know we should do and what we're tempted to do instead. Modern research reveals that successful self-control involves two distinct steps: first detecting that a self-control problem exists, and then implementing strategies to overcome it. Surprisingly, the detection phase is often where we fail. In one study, Oliver Sheldon and Ayelet Fishbach found that people were much more likely to engage in questionable workplace behaviors (like calling in sick when they weren't ill) when considering just a single instance rather than multiple occurrences. When we fail to recognize how individual choices accumulate, we don't activate our self-control mechanisms. To improve detection, try mentally multiplying your actions before taking them. Before having another glass of wine, consider the health impact of drinking too much every night this year. Before skipping a workout, visualize the cumulative effect of repeatedly missing exercise sessions. This "broad decision frame" helps you recognize when self-control is needed. Once you've identified a self-control challenge, effective strategies fall into two categories: those that modify the situation and those that change how you think about it. Pre-commitment—eliminating temptation before you face it—is particularly powerful. Just as Odysseus had himself tied to the mast to resist the Sirens' song, you might delete social media apps before starting an important project or leave your credit card at home when shopping on a tight budget. Another effective approach is to distance yourself mentally from the temptation. Walter Mischel's famous "marshmallow test" with children found that those who imagined marshmallows as "white, puffy clouds" rather than delicious treats were better able to wait for a larger reward. Similarly, adults can overcome temptation by adopting what psychologist Ethan Kross calls "distanced self-talk"—referring to yourself in the third person when facing a difficult choice. Instead of asking "What do I want?", ask "What does [Your Name] want?" This simple shift creates psychological distance that improves self-control. With practice, self-control can become more automatic and less depleting. Research by Wendy Wood shows that about 40% of our daily actions are habits that require minimal conscious effort. By deliberately establishing routines that support your goals, you can gradually transform self-control from an exhausting struggle into an effortless habit. Remember that self-control isn't about perfection—it's about developing a toolkit of strategies that work for your specific challenges. By becoming more aware of temptations and implementing the right techniques at the right time, you can navigate obstacles while preserving your energy and motivation for what truly matters.

Chapter 5: Harness Social Support for Success

The people around us profoundly influence our motivation and achievement, often in ways we don't fully appreciate. Research consistently shows that social support isn't just a nice addition to our motivational toolkit—it's an essential ingredient for lasting success. When Solomon Asch conducted his famous conformity experiments in the 1950s, he demonstrated how powerfully we're influenced by those around us. In these studies, participants were asked to match the length of a line to one of three comparison lines—a seemingly simple visual task. However, when surrounded by confederates who unanimously gave the wrong answer, many participants conformed to the group's incorrect judgment rather than trusting their own perception. This classic study reveals our deep-seated tendency to align our behavior with others, even when it contradicts our own judgment. This conformity effect can work for or against our goals. On the positive side, we can deliberately surround ourselves with people who model and support the behaviors we want to adopt. In one study, college students who were assigned roommates with better study habits showed significant improvements in their own academic performance. The effect was automatic and unconscious—simply being around someone with strong work habits influenced their behavior without any direct instruction or pressure. Role models are particularly powerful motivators. When my eldest daughter was starting college as a physics major, she struggled with confidence in this male-dominated field. Fortunately, she was assigned a female physics professor as her freshman advisor—one of the few women in the department. This advisor openly discussed the challenges women face in STEM fields and regularly invited her mentees to dinner. Having this role model at a critical juncture helped my daughter build the confidence to pursue what is now a successful career in astrophysics. Beyond individual influence, we're also motivated by pursuing goals together with others. When we share objectives with friends, family, or colleagues, we create a powerful accountability system. In one study examining exercise adherence, participants who worked out with a partner exercised more consistently and for longer durations than those who exercised alone. This effect was strongest when the relationship included what researchers call "interpersonal accountability"—the sense that someone else is counting on you. However, social support must be the right kind to be effective. In a revealing experiment, researchers found that people trying to lose weight received different benefits from different types of support. Emotional support (encouragement and empathy) improved their motivation and well-being, while instrumental support (practical help like cooking healthy meals) improved their actual weight loss outcomes. The most successful participants received both types of support tailored to their specific needs. To harness social support effectively, be strategic about who you involve in your goals. Share your intentions with people who will both encourage you and hold you accountable. Consider forming or joining groups dedicated to your specific objectives, whether it's a writing circle, exercise class, or professional development community. Research shows that the most effective support groups combine encouragement with gentle accountability—celebrating successes while also noticing when you're falling short of your commitments. Remember that social support works in both directions—supporting others in their goals strengthens your own motivation and commitment. By creating a reciprocal system of encouragement and accountability, you build a sustainable motivation ecosystem that carries you through the inevitable challenges on the path to achievement.

Chapter 6: Balance Multiple Goals Effectively

In an ideal world, we might follow philosopher Søren Kierkegaard's advice that "purity of heart is to will one thing." But in reality, we all juggle multiple goals simultaneously—career ambitions, health objectives, relationship commitments, and personal interests. Learning to balance these competing priorities is essential for sustainable motivation and achievement. Catalina Köpetz and her colleagues demonstrated how multiple goals can constrain our choices in a revealing study. They surveyed people entering a food court at lunchtime, asking some to first list their goals for the rest of the day. Those who had been reminded of their multiple objectives (staying alert for afternoon meetings, finishing work on time, etc.) identified significantly fewer acceptable lunch options than those who hadn't reflected on their goals. With each additional goal, their viable choices narrowed—illustrating how our multiple aspirations can create complex decision-making challenges. When goals compete for our limited resources, we must decide whether to compromise or prioritize. Compromise involves partially satisfying multiple goals, while prioritization means fully committing to one goal at the expense of others. Research by Franklin Shaddy, Itamar Simonson, and Ayelet Fishbach found that we're more likely to prioritize when a choice reflects our identity or values. In their study, people selecting between healthy and indulgent snacks were more likely to choose consistently (all healthy or all indulgent) when asked whether they were a "health-conscious snacker" or an "indulgent, fun-loving snacker." The identity question prompted prioritization rather than compromise. The relationships between our goals also influence how we balance them. Some goals facilitate each other—like how regular exercise improves both physical health and mental clarity. Other goals inhibit each other—such as the tension between advancing your career and spending time with family. Understanding these relationships helps us make smarter choices about how to allocate our time and energy. One powerful strategy for managing multiple goals is to seek "multifinal" means—actions that serve several goals simultaneously. For example, biking to work combines exercise, environmental consciousness, and saving money. However, research shows that we sometimes undervalue multifinal activities because they seem less effective for any single goal. A laser pen that also functions as a regular pen might seem like neither a great laser pointer nor a great writing instrument, even though it objectively serves both purposes. Another effective approach is to establish clear priorities based on your core values. This doesn't mean abandoning less important goals, but rather creating a decision framework that guides you when conflicts arise. For example, you might decide that health always takes precedence over work deadlines, or that family commitments override social engagements. Having these priorities established in advance reduces decision fatigue and helps you navigate conflicts more confidently. Time management experts recommend using temporal segmentation—dedicating specific time blocks to different goals. Rather than constantly switching between competing priorities, focus fully on one goal at a time. This approach reduces the cognitive load of multitasking and allows you to make meaningful progress on each objective. Remember that balancing multiple goals isn't about achieving perfect harmony—it's about making conscious choices that reflect your values and priorities. By understanding the relationships between your goals and developing strategies to manage conflicts, you create a sustainable system that advances your most important aspirations without burning you out.

Chapter 7: Turn Setbacks into Learning Opportunities

Failure is an inevitable part of any meaningful pursuit, yet our relationship with setbacks often determines whether we ultimately succeed or give up. Tennis champion Serena Williams once observed, "I've grown most not from victories, but setbacks." This insight reflects a profound truth about achievement: our ability to learn from failure is often more important than our ability to avoid it. Despite the cultural celebration of learning from mistakes, research by Lauren Eskreis-Winkler and Ayelet Fishbach reveals that we have a surprising blind spot when it comes to failure. In one experiment, participants were asked to guess answers to binary questions (like whether "yaad" means "hand" or "foot" in Hebrew). Those who guessed incorrectly were significantly less likely to learn from their mistakes than those who guessed correctly were to remember their success. Even though negative feedback contained exactly the same information value as positive feedback, participants often tuned out after failure, missing the opportunity to learn. This tendency to ignore negative feedback has been called the "ostrich effect," after the myth that ostriches bury their heads in the sand when facing danger. We see this behavior in many contexts—investors avoid checking their portfolios during market downturns, diabetics sometimes skip monitoring their blood sugar, and many people strategically fail to track their household spending. By avoiding information we expect to be negative, we protect our emotions in the short term but sacrifice valuable learning opportunities. The psychological barriers to learning from failure are twofold. First, failure threatens our ego, causing us to disengage mentally to protect our self-image. Second, learning from failure often requires a "mental flip"—figuring out what to do by eliminating what doesn't work, which is cognitively more demanding than simply repeating a successful action. To overcome these barriers, several evidence-based strategies can help. First, adopt what psychologist Carol Dweck calls a "growth mindset"—the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. In one study, ninth-graders who received a brief growth mindset intervention showed significant improvements in their academic performance. By viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than evidence of fixed limitations, you become more receptive to negative feedback. Another powerful approach is psychological distancing—creating mental space between yourself and your failure. Research shows that we learn better from others' failures than our own because our egos aren't involved. You can create a similar effect by imagining your own setback happening to someone else or by analyzing it from a third-person perspective. Instead of asking "Why did I fail?", ask "Why did [Your Name] fail?" Perhaps most surprisingly, giving advice to others facing similar challenges can help you learn from your own failures. In research by Eskreis-Winkler, Angela Duckworth, and Fishbach, people struggling with saving money, controlling their temper, losing weight, or seeking employment showed increased motivation after giving advice to others with the same goals. The act of formulating advice forces you to reflect on what you've learned and articulate specific action plans, which in turn boosts your own confidence and motivation. It's also important to recognize that failures often contain richer and more unique information than successes. As Leo Tolstoy wrote in Anna Karenina, "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Similarly, there are usually many more ways to fail at something than to succeed. This diversity makes failure information particularly valuable—if we're willing to pay attention to it. Remember that learning from setbacks isn't about dwelling on mistakes or engaging in self-criticism. It's about approaching failure with curiosity and openness, extracting the lessons it offers, and using those insights to refine your approach. By developing this skill, you transform obstacles from discouraging dead ends into valuable stepping stones toward your goals.

Summary

Throughout this exploration of motivation science, we've discovered that achievement isn't simply about willpower or innate drive—it's about understanding and optimizing the psychological systems that govern human behavior. As Ayelet Fishbach writes, "Pulling yourself up by your own hair, even if only metaphorically, seems impossible. But we've all found ourselves in similar situations." Whether you're pulling yourself out of bed in the morning or through major life changes, the principles we've explored provide a roadmap for sustainable motivation. The journey to lasting achievement begins today with a single step: choose one area where you're struggling with motivation and apply just one principle from this book. Perhaps you'll reframe a draining goal into something more exciting, make your progress more visible, find ways to increase your intrinsic enjoyment, or enlist social support. Whatever you choose, remember that motivation isn't a fixed trait but a skill that can be developed through deliberate practice. By understanding the science behind what moves us forward, you gain the power to pull yourself—and those around you—toward the achievements that matter most.

About Author

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Ayelet Fishbach

Ayelet 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.

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