Did you know that if something is difficult, we’ll often think it’s important for reaching our goals? This can actually make it harder to get what we want in life.
Recent research done at the University of Chicago shows why.
Sixty-two college students participated in the study. Half were primed for the goal of becoming a kinder person and half were not.
Of those primed for the goal of becoming kinder, half were given materials on a non-profit organization called Kids In Danger that were easy to read and another half given materials that were difficult to read. All participants were asked to donate money to the charity.
Those who had the goal of becoming kinder donated more money when the materials were difficult to read than when they were easy to read. Also those who did not have the goal of becoming kinder did not donate more money when the materials were hard to read.
Why?
The researchers noted that past studies show that people associate effort with things that will help them achieve their goals. And they also do the reverse: If something takes effort they think it must be helpful in achieving their goals.
So participants who wanted to become kinder people thought that Kids In Danger would be more helpful in achieving that goal when the information they were given was harder to read.
Why is this important to know?
Because without realizing it, we often think that a hard path to achieving our goals is the most fruitful. This is not always the case.
A recent example of this is a friend of mine who spends many hours at the gym yet isn’t getting the results he’s looking for. I told him of a fitness program that may get him better results in much less time.
He told me “It can’t be that easy.” And dismissed the idea totally.
While I can’t say that this other fitness program would guarantee him the results he wants, I do know that just because it takes less time (and less effort) doesn’t mean it won’t produce better results.
What examples do you have of people (yourself included) who’ve taken a hard road to achieving their goals when an easier approach was available?
I’d love to hear your answers and any other comments you have below.
Reference to study above:
Psychological Science 2009 Jan;20(1):127-34.
The “instrumentality” heuristic: why metacognitive difficulty is desirable during goal pursuit. Labroo AA, Kim S.
5 replies to "An Illusion That Can Prevent You From Achieving Your Goals"
Rodney
This reminds me of people who want to achieve that fit & toned look but think they have to go to the gym & pump lots of iron when many people have achieved the same results with yoga or pilates.
Vernon,
Good point. People will assume that you have to do massive work to get massive results. Sometimes that is true but not always.
Thanks for commenting.
Rodney
Rodney:
Your data is amazing. It’s a whole new perspective in what to do and what motivates us!! Thanks for sharing and I will review other entries on your blog.
Saludos.
Gonzalo.
#Blog30 Challenge
Rodney,
Thank you for sharing such amazing facts, even i had such notion’s that difficult your path, you are better equipped with dealing such situations,
and i will vouch your word that if you have an easier solution for your problems then why not opt for it.
The logic that i understand is to be flexible enough to accept rather being adamant on your point.
Tarun,
Thanks for leaving a comment. You’re right. The point is to be flexible. And since we automatically think that difficult techniques and strategies are more effective, we just have to remind ourselves that this may not be the case so we can find easier solutions.
Rodney