Womankind – August 2019

59

Value to be as high as possible, and

Impulsiveness and Delay to be as low

as possible. High levels of motiva-

tion are a product of embarking on

activities that are achievable and

highly desirable, coupled with re-

moving obstacles and distractions,

with outcomes achieved over a

fairly short period of time. For opti-

mum motivation, therefore, writing

a novel this year would be better

served as “write ten paragraphs of

my novel this week”.

The importance of removing ob-

stacles and distractions is key to the

WOOP strategy - “wish, outcome,

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspira-

tion, the rest of us just get up and

go to work,” is a quote attributed

to Stephen King, the prodigious

writer of horror fiction. The think-

ing of an amateur, “I’ll wait until

I am inspired,” is one reason why

amateurs lack motivation. “I’m just

not motivated at the moment,” is a

useful way of avoiding activities, or

putting them off until another day.

Psychologists Piers Steel and Corne-

lius König developed an equation to

better understand human behaviour

and procrastination.

BY ANTONIA CASE

The motivation

equation

THE MOTIVATION EQUATION

Motivation Expectancy x Value

1 + Impulsiveness x Delay

=

In this formula, Motivation, or the

desire for a particular outcome, is a

function of Expectancy, the proba-

bility of success (you will have high-

er motivation for activities that are

realistically achievable compared to

pipe dreams), and Value, the reward,

or satisfaction, from achieving the

outcome. On the underside of the

equation sits Impulsiveness, or sensi-

tivity to delay, which one may call

procrastination, and Delay, or time

to realisation. For high motivation,

therefore, you need Expectancy and

obstacle, plan” - defined by professor

of psychology Gabriele Oettingen’s.

While experimenting on students,

Oettingen discovered that the key

to any goal-setting plan is consid-

ering the obstacles, setbacks, and

all things likely to get in the way of

achievement. Called ‘mental con-

trasting’, Oettingen recommends

listing the reasons why any goal is

fraught with failure, and then plan-

ning for ways to overcome these

limitations. In other words, by pre-

paring ourselves for Impulsiveness,

we are better prepared for setbacks

along the way.

Flourish

Illustration by Monica Barengo

59

Valuetobeashighaspossible,and

ImpulsivenessandDelaytobeaslow

aspossible.High levels ofmotiva-

tionarea productofembarkingon

activities that are achievable and

highly desirable, coupled with re-

moving obstacles and distractions,

with outcomes achieved over a

fairlyshortperiodoftime.Foropti-

mummotivation,therefore,writing

a novel this year would be better

served as “write ten paragraphs of

mynovelthisweek”.

Theimportanceofremovingob-

staclesanddistractionsis keytothe

WOOP strategy - “wish, outcome,

“Amateurs sitand wait for inspira-
tion, therest ofus justgetupand
go to work,” is a quote attributed
to Stephen King, the prodigious
writerofhorrorfiction.Thethink-
ing of an amateur, “I’ll wait until
I am inspired,” is one reason why
amateurslackmotivation.“I’m just
notmotivatedatthemoment,”is a
usefulwayofavoidingactivities,or
puttingthemoff untilanotherday.
PsychologistsPiersSteelandCorne-
liusKönigdevelopedanequationto
betterunderstandhumanbehaviour
andprocrastination.

BYANTONIACASE

The motivation

equation

THEMOTIVATIONEQUATION

Motivation Expectancyx Value
1 +Impulsivenessx Delay

=

In this formula, Motivation, or the

desire for a particular outcome, is a

function of Expectancy, the proba-

bility of success (you will have high-

er motivation for activities that are

realistically achievable compared to

pipe dreams), and Value, the reward,

or satisfaction, from achieving the

outcome. On the underside of the

equation sits Impulsiveness, or sensi-

tivity to delay, which one may call

procrastination, and Delay, or time

to realisation. For high motivation,

therefore, you need Expectancy and

obstacle, plan” - defined by professor

of psychology Gabriele Oettingen’s.

While experimenting on students,

Oettingen discovered that the key

to any goal-setting plan is consid-

ering the obstacles, setbacks, and

all things likely to get in the way of

achievement. Called ‘mental con-

trasting’, Oettingen recommends

listing the reasons why any goal is

fraught with failure, and then plan-

ning for ways to overcome these

limitations. In other words, by pre-

paring ourselves for Impulsiveness,

we are better prepared for setbacks

along the way.

Flourish

Illustration by Monica Barengo