Think Small summary

We all think we know what will make us happy. We set ourselves goals and assume we’ll be happier when we’ve achieved them. Maybe your goal is to buy a house or attract a million views on YouTube – but one thing is for sure: there’s a good chance the goal is the wrong one. It’s either unrealistic or won’t really make us happy.

That’s why setting the right goals is the first step to nudging your behavior in the right direction.

Imagine you’re on a strict diet. You’re constantly googling where avocados sit on the glycemic index, noting down the calories in your chicken salad (no dressing) and adding up your daily intake. Well, you’d be making a common mistake – because your diet would be far too complex.

Humans love simplicity, which is why many people on complex diets eventually say, “Screw it!” and go back to bingeing on ice cream. In fact, researchers have found that “rule complexity” is the main thing that leads people to drop a diet.

Ever made a commitment for the future – say, to train for a marathon – only to find that, when the time comes, you’d rather watch TV than go running in the rain? Here’s a good trick to keep you committed: we’re more likely to follow through on things that we’ve publicly committed to doing.

Humans are very aware of the expectations of others. Commit privately to running a marathon, and no one can judge you for that Saturday spent on the sofa. Commit publicly, and social expectations come into play.

Most of us incentivize certain behaviors by promising rewards. Parents, for instance, may allow their children a certain amount of TV time as a reward for finished homework. But how can you tell whether your incentives will actually work?

It’s certainly the case that certain rewards, particularly financial rewards, can backfire. In fact, if you’re already motivated to achieve something, the introduction of a financial reward might even weaken your resolve.

We often keep our goals private. After all, they’re personal. But, as the adage goes, “a problem shared is a problem halved,” and the same goes for the burden of attaining your goals.

Asking for help is a simple but powerful tool. People are often more willing to help than we’d think, even if there’s not much in it for them.

If you’ve ever worked toward a big goal, you’ve probably felt a little lost at some point. Should you have improved your running times by now? Have you written enough job applications?

The best way to track your progress is through clear feedback. Feedback not only keeps you motivated; it lets you know where you are in relation to your goal.

When we’re striving to achieve something, we often fall into the same old routines, such as intending, but regularly failing, to go to the gym after work. We could all be a little more critical about which approaches actually work.

Studies show that successful people commonly engage in focused practice.