Ayelet Fishbach

Eric J. Gleacher Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the University of Chicago, motivation scientist, author of GET IT DONE.

[Chicago Booth Review @chicagoboothrev]

@abbysussman5 @zingales @QuentinVandewe2 @jprollert #3: WFH or RTO? (@ayeletfishbach)
https://t.co/SqpKEXKxh5

[Lynn Thoman @LynnThoman]

🚀New 3 Takeaways episode🚀
Most people quit their New Year's resolutions by March. The reason why might surprise you.

University of Chicago professor @ayeletfishbach has spent decades studying why we fail at goals.

Her finding: willpower is overrated. What matters is something entirely different.

Fishbach reveals what actually separates those who succeed from those who quit and the strategies that make goals stick.

For more,
👉Read her book Get It Done https://t.co/3Sz387ZbgA
👉Listen on 3 Takeaways, the global top 1% podcast https://t.co/mEDEyMdjBK

💬 What's your biggest challenge with sticking to goals?

#Motivation #Goals #NewYearsResolutions #Psychology #SelfImprovement #3Takeaways #podcast

[Lynn Thoman @LynnThoman]

It's New Year's. You want to get in shape. Here's exactly what to do, according to science.

@ayeletfishbach, a University of Chicago professor who's spent decades studying motivation, walks through the step-by-step strategy that actually works on 3 Takeaways podcast:

**STEP 1: Set a specific, exciting goal**
→ Not "get in shape" but "what exactly do you mean?"
→ How much? How soon?
→ Make it exciting so you can't wait to start
→ Numbers motivate us - set a target such as 3x/week

**STEP 2: Plan how you'll monitor progress**
→ How will you know you're moving ahead?
→ Short sub-goals combat the midpoint slump
→ Before midpoint: celebrate what you've accomplished
→ After midpoint: focus on what's left to do

**STEP 3: Build in social support**
→ Who's helping you?
→ Who's doing it with you?
→ Share with close friends and keep them updated
→ Social support helps us achieve our goals

**STEP 4: Set up your environment**
→ Lay out gym clothes the night before
→ Put healthy food in front, unhealthy food hidden
→ Remove obstacles in advance
→ Plan for the situation so you'll respond in ways that advance your goals, if you slip

**STEP 5: Make it fit with your life**
→ How does this goal fit with your other goals?
→ You want to be healthy AND a good family member AND advance your career
→ Some goals need to be donated- like cleaning out your closet
→ Keep goals that connect to each other and make you fulfilled

The secret? "Motivation is knowledge more than willpower. You don't own your motivation. It's not something that you can lose. It's a tool. It's knowledge. It's something that we practice and constantly adjust."

Be curious. Experiment. If something works, repeat it. If it doesn't, learn and adjust.

You're a work in progress. And that's exactly how it should be.

✅Read Get It Done by Ayelet Fishbach https://t.co/3Sz387ZbgA

✅Listen on 3 Takeaways podcast and subscribe to the newsletter so you don't miss new episodes https://t.co/6P72I5Mqgs

🎙️ Follow 3 Takeaways - a top 1% podcast - wherever you get your podcasts.

💬Which step resonates most with you? What's your strategy for 2026?

👍 if you learned something, and sign up for the 3 Takeaways newsletter on our website so you don't miss new episodes! :)

#Goals #NewYear #Motivation #Strategy #Success #PersonalDevelopment #Science

[Chicago Booth Review @chicagoboothrev]

“For me, what is interesting is that intrinsic motivation predicts persistence on goals that are clearly extrinsic,” says @ayeletfishbach. “No one sets a resolution because they enjoy doing it. By the fact that you set a resolution, I can pretty much guarantee that you don’t enjoy it.” https://t.co/dsTSlQOKwB

[Chicago Booth Review @chicagoboothrev]

Research by @Jiabi__Wang, a PhD student at Chicago Booth, and Booth’s @ayeletfishbach suggests one way to better reach your goals: make them complement each other. https://t.co/dRC1ilzNzr

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

@42Courses Get it done 🙏🏻

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

Great piece. Thanks for writing it 🙏🏻

[Elon musk news page @abmarkman]

You probably set goals based on how important they are, but that isn't necessarily what is going to help you achieve them. My latest for Psychology Today. With a shout-out to research by @ayeletfishbach and @Kaitlin_Woolley.

https://t.co/Sxdm8v6Ljo

[YCCI @ Yale SOM @YaleCCI]

YCCI explores Professor @ayeletfishbach 's work on how to stay driven by harnessing intrinsic motivation:

✅Set goals that excite you
✅Focus on what you want to achieve—not just what you want to avoid
✅Treat motivation as a practice, not a one-time fix

https://t.co/Za6z4aZ0J6

[Koenfucius 🔍 @koenfucius]

Year-long longitudinal study by @kaitlyn_woolley et al suggests intrinsic motivation (more than extrinsic motivation) both predicted, and causally increased, goal adherence for professional, financial, and health goals:

https://t.co/DOupkcYvBt
via coauthor @ayeletfishbach

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

Intrinsic motivation predicts adherence to extrinsic goals.

[Behavior Change for Good Initiative @BehaviorChange]

Check out a new @PsychScience article by @ayeletfishbach and collaborators: People were more likely to stick with goals framed as enjoyable—not just important. People used a health app more when told it was “a fun game” rather than “a useful tool.”

https://t.co/0DDxopG7lG

[Koenfucius 🔍 @koenfucius]

Goal harmony—goals complement or facilitate each other—boosts motivation.

It is associated with collectivistic national cultures and can be improved through mental integration (eg linking health/financial goals), research by Wang & @ayeletfishbach finds:

https://t.co/l9iii19Hpm

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

@koenfucius Goal harmony boosts motivation and wellbeing. Your goals shouldn’t be in dissonance. They can create a symphony 🎶

[Behavior Change for Good Initiative @BehaviorChange]

In a new article by Jiabi Wang & Team Scientist @ayeletfishbach, they find helping people connect their goals can increase motivation. When people linked a health goal (like exercising more) to a financial one, they expressed more motivation to pursue it. https://t.co/QHJxDhrq4U

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

Just published a paper on New Year’s resolutions… in July! 🎉 We found: Intrinsic motivation > extrinsic motivation. Not your typical time to set resolutions, but that makes it a perfect time! @Kaitlin_Woolley @lauramgiurge. https://t.co/Rk6NP8a4bK

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

@elgusster 1. Not sure. French and Dutch publishers moved faster 📚 2. Why not 4? Set goals, monitor progress, manage multiple goals and seek social support 🧗‍♀️

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

SCIENCE SAYS: You should be more motivated. 🚀
Reality: You’re reading this tweet instead of getting things done.
Good news: Get It Done is 50% OFF—because procrastinators deserve a discount. 🎉

📚 Grab it now before you forget

https://t.co/zrM1vusutd

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

Big news in social psych!
The 2025 version is open-access. No paywalls. No barriers. Just decades of wisdom, ready to be read, downloaded, and shared.

https://t.co/kMeuvxWxoc

[Daniel Gilbert @DanTGilbert]

Since 1954, "The Handbook of Social Psychology" has been the field’s most authoritative reference work, and today is the launch of the all-new 6th edition. Best news? The HSP is now an open-access public resource—free to read, download, and share. https://t.co/uI3xJPcXgV

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

@Shige_Oishi just dropped by my office with his new book Life in Three Dimensions—I’m excited to dive in!
He's been challenging us to think beyond the pursuit of happiness. What about meaning and psychologically rich life? Turns out, there’s more to life than just feeling good.

[Roman Family Center for Decision Research @CDR_Booth]

“When people work from home, they miss out on personal connection, which can increase feelings of loneliness and social isolation.” – @ayeletfishbach (@ChicagoBooth)

Read more: https://t.co/bZ5FvjSTDn @chicagoboothrev

#BehavioralScience #WFH

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

RFK Jr. wants measles deaths so common they won’t upset. Dark humor—but also how people think.
We finds that the bigger the problem, the less people worry. https://t.co/D43H24mSn8

https://t.co/aHgJBoybOb

[Ayelet Fishbach @ayeletfishbach]

@AnshumanMagzine Thanks for spreading the word. In March 2025, many feel unmotivated. It’s a good idea to learn some from motivation research.