Gamify! An under-considered key to motivation and productivity

Parent-Teen Conversations

Speed

I Needed to be Pushed: A short-short story

A Word With Marty: "DRIVE"

A Word With Marty: "LAZY"

A Word With Marty: "INDUSTRIOUS"

When Someone "Fails to Launch"

StuporHeroes Parables, Episode 8: StuporMan

The Laziest Person. Episode 4 of AT WORK: a series of fictional short-sh...

The Dogs Yin and Yang: A short-short story

What if Schools Didn't Give Grades? A thought experiment

"I'm Lazy" -- a Q&A

How to Become More Productive

I was interviewed last week and, off the air, the host asked, "How the hell are you so productive?" My Psychology Today article today paraphrases my answer.

The Case for Laziness

Yesterday, my post was How to Become More Productive. As a counterpoint, my Psychology Today article today makes the case for laziness, although I do ask a few doubting-Thomas questions.

Brian Tracy on Self-Discipline

Brian Tracy has written 80 self-help books, with a core interest in self-discipline. He distilled his advice on that in a video: 5 Hacks to Improve Self-Discipline This Year.

My Psychology Today article today describes those five, plus my yes-ands and yes-buts.

Motivation: What Works in the Real World

The book Atomic Habits, a #1 New York Times bestseller, has sold more than five million copies and been translated into 50 languages.

The author, James Clear, summarizes the book's advice on motivation in an article: The Scientific Guide on How to Get and Stay Motivated.   For the article's key points, I offer amplification or dissent.

We're Too Manipulated by "Medals"

 Not only are Olympians motivated to work so hard to get a medal. We all are, sometimes to our detriment. I explain in my Psychology Today article today.

Rewards and Punishments: The art of using them to motivate you

Ideally, we’d all be motivated just by intrinsics: the internal drive to do what’s right. Alas, we’re not. After all, think of how many people wouldn’t show up to work unless they received an extrinsic: pay. Think of how many students would work less hard if there were no grades. Might even some spouses make less effort if it weren't for fear of a painful, expensive divorce?

My Psychology Today article today offers thoughts on how to personalize the use of rewards and punishments to motivate you to do what you should do but are resisting.

Reluctant to Go All-In? Suggestions

Are you reluctant to go all-in, whether regarding relationship, career, whatever? I explore the issue and offer suggestions in my Psychology Today article today.