The HBR Guides Collection (8 Books) (HBR Guide Series)

Get Started

14

ready come (to-date thinking) or what was left to be ac-

complished (to-go thinking).

Koo and Fishbach’s studies consistently show that

when we’re pursuing a goal and consider how far we’ve

already come, we feel a premature sense of accomplish-

ment and begin to slack off.

When we focus on progress made, we’re also more

likely to try to achieve a sense of “balance” by making

progress on other important goals. As a result, we wind

up with lots of pots on the stove, but nothing is ever ready

to eat.

If, instead, we focus on how far we have left to go

(to-go thinking), motivation is not only sustained, it’s

heightened. So when you’re assessing your progress,

stay focused on the goal and never congratulate yourself

too much on a job half-done. ...