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Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation by Ayelet Fishbach

March 19, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Ayelet Fishbach

Book Review

If you are struggling to maintain your motivation levels and reach your entrepreneurial goals, then the new book from psychologist Ayelet Fishbach, Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation, is a great read. Discover a compelling framework for setting and achieving your goals from a psychologist on the cutting edge of motivational science.


A great deal of ink has been spilled on the subject of motivating and influencing others, but what happens when the person you most want to influence is you? In her book, Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation, psychologist and author, Ayelet Fishbach, shows you how to set and achieve goals for yourself—at work, at home, and in relationships. If you are finding this to be a harder process than it seems, and you are struggling to know where to start, then this is a great book to read. How do you carry on in the face of roadblocks and distractions? How do you decide which tasks and ambitions to prioritize when you’re faced with more responsibilities, needs, and desires than you can keep track of? In Get It Done, psychologist and behavioral scientist Ayelet Fishbach presents a new theoretical framework for self-motivated action, explaining how to:

  • Identify the right goals

  • Attack the “middle problem”

  • Battle temptations

  • Use the help of others around you

  • And so much more...

With fascinating research from the field of motivation science and compelling stories of people who learned to motivate themselves, Get It Done illuminates invaluable strategies for pulling yourself in whatever direction you want to go—so you can achieve your goals while staying healthy, clearheaded, and happy.

Author Quotes

In this book, I’ll make the scientific case for how you can use insights from motivation science to guide and own your desires, rather than be subject to them.

I’ll share with you the four essential ingredients in successful behaviour change. First, you need to choose a goal…Second, you need to sustain your motivation…Third, you must learn to juggle multiple goals…Finally, you’ll learn to leverage social support.

This book is an invitation to apply the principles of motivation science to yourself. You’ll learn about the goal systems we mentally create, about how different types of goals affect the way you approach them, and about where and when people get commonly stuck.

About the author

Ayelet Fishbach, PhD, is the Jeffrey Breakenridge Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and the past president of the Society for the Study of Motivation. She has been published in many psychology and business journals, including Psychological Review and  Psychological Science, and served as an Associate Editor of several journals, including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Psychological Science. Her research is regularly featured in the media, including The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Chicago Tribune, NPR and was selected to be featured in the New York Times' "Annual Year in Ideas.” She has received several international awards, including the Society of Experimental Social Psychology's Best Dissertation Award and Career Trajectory Award, and the Fulbright Educational Foundation Award, and in 2006, she received the Provost's Teaching Award from the University of Chicago.

https://www.ayeletfishbach.com


Why LoA loves it…

Motivation has always been a key driver of success when it comes to building successful businesses and entrepreneurial journeys, but staying motivated through both good and challenging times can sometimes be tough. In this great book by Ayelet Fishbach, she delves into her specialist world of motivational science to give some great advice, insights and a framework for action in keeping your motivation levels high on your business journeys. If you are feeling stuck and struggling to keep your motivation where it needs to be, then Ayelet has the advice you need. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa

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Vibrant textile design…This striking textile design by Eva Sonaike caught our eye this morning. Like the rest of the world, we love the African aesthetic which is increasingly finding its way into global interio Image of the Day / Adèle Dejak

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