Think Small

To achieve big, you will need to think small

• Create an actionable plan

One of the most surprising pieces of advice to come out of the wellbeing literature perhaps is the importance of developing your curiosity. At the simplest level, this is about actively seeking to ‘take notice’ of the sights, sounds and sensations around you and to savour these moments.

We usually assume that when we set ourselves a goal we will probably pursue it with focus and attention, drawing heavily on our slower, reflective system.

It’s a curious and wonderful thing about the human condition that we are often a mystery to ourselves

Think Small is not a checklist.

trengthening your social relationships;

getting healthy and active;

learning something new;

being more curious; and

giving to others.

Collecting money for charity has an intrinsic motivation for people, so the introduction of a small monetary reward displaced this with an extrinsic reward, which was far less powerful than the pull of helping out a good cause.

They were being offered money to add to their underlying motivations. But while over 50 per cent of the respondents said yes without any cash incentive, when the compensation was offered, the acceptance levels plummeted. Suddenly only a quarter of respondents were prepared to accept the facilities. And just as interestingly, the amount of money – whether it was just over $2,000 or more than $6,000 – didn’t have any bearing on people’s views.

In short, putting up a monetary reward for your goal, which you should have intrinsic motivation to achieve anyway, may not always be a good idea and could even undermine your efforts if not designed carefully.