Goals and motivation

A person pushing a bike through a muddy landfill with debris under an overcast sky, distant hills and houses.
DIFFICULT EMOTIONS

Despair can help us mourn lost futures and chart new paths

Hope is indispensable. But when false hope blinds us to reality, a short bout of despair might be the antidote we need

by Juliette Vazard

Photo of a boxing match with a standing boxer in the ring and an opponent kneeling behind, lit by overhead lights.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

Motivation is good, but discipline is better

The Ukrainian boxing champion Usyk’s recent claim that ‘discipline is better than motivation’ was psychologically astute

by Christian Jarrett

Photo of uniformed men standing outside portable toilets, one gestures invitingly.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION

Does progress seem slower when you constantly check on it?

Research on how we perceive the rate of change shows how you can be strategic about goal tracking and boost your motivation

by André Vaz

Illustration of two stylised people running on a boardwalk near the sea with telegraph poles and wires in the background.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How increasing short-term pleasure can help you achieve your long-term goals

Video by TED-Ed

A man with white hair in a suit sitting at the head of an empty boardroom table, facing forward, back toward the camera. Dozens of empty chairs line the outer edges of the room; windows at the rear of the room show trees outside.
WORK AND VOCATION

Don’t fall victim to the Peter Principle

You mustn’t assume that the skills that served you well in the past will be enough for any new challenges that lie ahead

by Christian Jarrett

A smiling runner in a yellow shirt high-fiving a cheering crowd on a street lined with buildings and trees.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

What runners call the ‘pain cave’

Widely discussed in running circles, there’s a place you go when your body gives up and there’s only mental strength left

by Richard Fisher

A woman on a laptop in a modern café with wall art, a large cactus and pendant lights above.
WORRY AND RUMINATION

What if your worry problem is really a planning problem?

Clinicians have long recognised the link between worry and planning. New research asks what this means for managing anxiety

by Paul B Sharp

Photo of an athlete in a white jacket with a gold medal, smiling with hands on face against an Olympic rings backdrop.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

Here’s how to use your imagination to prepare for any task

From sport to public speaking, the link between mental imagery and actual performance is undeniable – and you can harness it

by Jonathan Rhodes

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THE SELF

What makes some of us crave self-insight more than others?

Some people have a powerful desire to understand themselves, but their path to self-knowledge is rarely straightforward

by Christoph Heine

A Nigerian ballerina in a white tutu dancing atop yellow minibuses in a crowded urban setting.
DANCE

Nigeria’s first ballet school brings tutus and joy to the streets of Lagos

Directed by Jacob Krupnick

Illustration of the solar system with planets in order of distance from the Sun on a dark background.
LEARNING AND EDUCATION

The ‘secret strategy’ that could boost your ability to learn

It may sound illogical, but growing evidence shows the benefits of testing yourself before you start learning new material

by Ajdina Halilovic

Photo of a cafe interior with a person working on a laptop by a window, open door and street view with bicycle outside.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How temptation works, and why it nearly stopped me writing this

Temptation can be sneaky – a rationalising voice that subtly undermines your resolve. But there are ways to outsmart it

by John Schwenkler

Black and white photo of two men in overalls standing before large industrial gears, each scratching his head.
FREEDOM AND CHOICE

Why Charlie Chaplin was an ‘angel of peace’ for Walter Benjamin

Though a tramp and a misfit, Chaplin’s world fit him like a glove. His life of contingency appealed to the émigré Benjamin

by Eli Friedlander

Photo of a stone wall beside a sandy beach with calm sea under a cloudy sky sun peeking through a ship on the horizon.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How to do mental time travel

Feeling overwhelmed by the present moment? Find a connection to the longer view and a wiser perspective on what matters

by Richard Fisher

Photo of a woman jogging along a riverside path in an urban area with tall buildings under a partly cloudy sky.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

So-called ‘SMART goals’ are a case of style over substance

From fitness to finance, the SMART goal-setting method is ubiquitous, but often detrimental. There are better approaches

by Christian Swann

A woman in a pink shirt seen through a reflective window with a cityscape in the background, evoking a contemplative mood.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

Eight ways to give yourself a pep talk when you feel stuck

All of us could do with more words of encouragement and perspective, and they don’t need to come from another person

by Rachel Goldsmith Turow