The Secret to Fulfilled New Year's Resolutions Revealed: Enjoy the Journey
Embracing the Joy of Pursuit
According to a groundbreaking study from Cornell University, the secret to sticking with New Year’s resolutions might lie in shifting our focus from the end results to the pleasure of the pursuit itself. This research reveals that the journey of fulfilling goals should be more about what brings us joy, rather than solely the achievement of the outcome.
A New Perspective
Kaitlin Woolley, a professor at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management and co-author of the study, highlights the importance of intrinsic motivation—doing something purely because it is enjoyable. The research, published in Psychological Science, concluded that intrinsic motivation leads to immediate gratification and proves to be a stronger predictor of long-term success than external motivators, such as rewards and recognition.
Cultural Universality of Motivation
The study extended beyond the United States, including insight from Chinese participants. The findings consistently showed, despite cultural differences in goal-setting, that intrinsic enjoyment was a more significant motivator in adhering to objectives over the long haul.
Intrinsic Motivation in Action
The researchers conducted an intriguing experiment with a health app, wherein participants who focused on the fun aspect of using the app were found to scan products 25% more frequently in a day compared to those motivated by utility. This underscores the power of enjoyment as a driver for commitment in various activities.
Challenging Conventional Beliefs
“We learned that people often predict that extrinsic motivation would be more useful in goal setting,” Woolley explained. However, this assumption might be a barrier to success, as goals perceived as chores are less likely to be pursued passionately, regardless of the desired result.
As stated in Mirage News, these insights from Cornell University provide a fresh perspective on motivation and goal achievement, challenging us to embrace the joy in our pursuits.
Conclusion: An Invitation to Rethink
The implications of this study invite us to rethink how we set and pursue goals. By embracing activities that engage us and bring us joy, we turn resolutions into fulfilling journeys rather than burdensome tasks, ensuring a path filled with motivation and success.
