The Power of Temptation Bundling for Achieving Goals

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Encouraging people to pursue goals in a fun way leads to better results. For example, instead of using a punishing Stairmaster, going to a Zumba class with a friend keeps you motivated. Making activities enjoyable helps maintain consistency and achieve long-term success. One tactic is temptation bundling, linking a chore with a source of pleasure. For instance, only listening to favorite podcasts while working out or doing household chores. This improves engagement in tasks that would otherwise feel tiresome.

"We're wired to look for the path of least resistance and efficiency, and that's normally a good thing, but it can get in the way when we want to make a change," says Wharton professor Katy Milkman. Through her research on decision making and in her recent book How to Change the Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want To Be, Milkman examines the many barriers we create for ourselves when it comes to achieving goals.

"Who you surround yourself [is important] with because we have a tendency to conform to the people around us," she says. "And if we are surrounded by people who show us our limitations, that can be a barrier."

On this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast, host Matt Abrahams sits down with Milkman to further explore her research into human behavior and decision making, motivation, and tools we can use to make real change.

More resources

For a full transcript, visit this episode's webpage.

Bob Cialdini, "Change My Mind: Using “Pre-suasion” to Influence Others"

Szu-Chi Huang, "From Dreaming to Doing: How We Set and Achieve Goals"

Jonah Berger, "Magic Words: Change What You Say to Inspire and Influence Others"