How to Keep Your New Year's Resolution | Adithya Chakravarthy | TEDxYouth@UTS

Summary

In this engaging reflection on motivation and procrastination, the speaker shares a personal experience of struggling with a last-minute paper and how procrastination can lead to cycles of guilt and self-loathing. They explore the challenges of maintaining resolutions and highlight the importance of starting small to build lasting habits. Drawing from a study on intrinsic motivation, the speaker explains that true motivation comes from enjoying the process, not just the outcome. They conclude by encouraging viewers to find ways to make tasks more enjoyable, turning motivation into a learned skill for lasting success.

Takeaways

• 😀 Motivation is finite, and when you set high goals too quickly, it's easy to run out of energy and abandon your plans.
• 😀 Starting small with achievable goals is a better strategy for long-term success. Gradually increase difficulty once a habit is formed.
• 😀 Procrastination is often driven by an imbalance between motivation and the desire to avoid discomfort, leading to cycles of guilt and anxiety.
• 😀 A study from MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and the University of Chicago revealed that people perform better when they do things for their own sake, not for external rewards.
• 😀 Enjoying the process of an activity, rather than focusing solely on the outcome, is key to sustaining motivation over time.
• 😀 Motivation is a skill that can be developed. It's about finding ways to make tasks enjoyable and less tiresome.
• 😀 People who are truly motivated don't need to force themselves to act. They are emotionally invested in the process and enjoy the work itself.
• 😀 If you're struggling with motivation, try changing your environment or approach to the task (e.g., doing homework with friends or exercising outdoors).
• 😀 Self-motivation can transform your approach to daily tasks, allowing you to engage fully in what you're doing and achieve more effortlessly.
• 😀 The key to building motivation is starting small, cultivating positive habits, and finding ways to make the process enjoyable.
• 😀 Carl Jung's quote highlights the importance of internal motivation: 'He who looks outside dreams; he who looks inside awakens.'

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial reaction when they realized they had a paper due the next morning?

The speaker initially panicked and rushed home, where they sat at their desk and stared blankly at the screen, wishing they could be anywhere but there, doing anything but writing the paper.

How did the speaker end up wasting time instead of working on the paper?

The speaker decided to take a 'short 5-minute break,' but this quickly turned into watching a full 20-minute Netflix episode, illustrating the classic procrastination cycle.

What does the speaker believe is the root cause of procrastination?

The speaker believes that procrastination is a trade-off between motivation and avoidance. People procrastinate until they reach a breaking point, where they realize their actions and intentions don't align.

What is the cycle of procrastination described by the speaker?

The cycle involves making resolutions to change, sticking to them for a short while, then relapsing into old habits. This repeats with feelings of guilt, anxiety, and self-loathing, as individuals swing between their current self and the person they want to become.

What is the simple answer to why people struggle with motivation, according to the speaker?

The simple answer is that motivation is finite. When goals are set too high, people run out of motivation too quickly. Starting with smaller, more manageable tasks helps build lasting habits.

What is the speaker's personal example of setting unrealistic goals?

The speaker shares an example of setting an unrealistic goal to wake up at 4:00 a.m. and exercise for 45 minutes daily. While this might work for a few days, the motivation quickly fades.

How does the speaker suggest overcoming the problem of dwindling motivation?

The speaker suggests starting small—such as waking up at 5:00 a.m. and exercising for just 10 minutes each day—and gradually increasing the effort once the habit is formed.

What is the not-so-simple answer to why people struggle with motivation?

The not-so-simple answer is that intrinsic motivation plays a key role. A study showed that people perform tasks best when they do them for their own sake, rather than for external rewards. Enjoying the process is crucial for sustaining motivation.

How can one make a task more enjoyable to improve motivation?

The speaker suggests changing aspects of the task to make it more enjoyable. For example, if exercising feels monotonous, try running outside instead of using a treadmill. Similarly, studying in a different location or with friends can make homework less tiresome.

What is the key message about motivation in the speech?

The key message is that motivation is a skill that can be learned and developed. By enjoying the process, rather than focusing solely on the outcome, people can sustain their motivation and make meaningful progress.