Podcast #196: The Science of Self-Motivation & Productivity

We all want to be more productive. We want to do more in less time so we can spend more time doing the things we actually want to do.

So we read blog posts and books on productivity, hoping to find the “one thing” that will unlock the secret of personal efficiency. But even after all that reading, we still find ourselves just spinning our wheels, getting more done, but not making any actual progress with our goals.

Or worse yet, we can’t even muster the self-motivation to get started doing the things we know we should be doing.

If any of those situations describe you, you’re going to love this podcast.

In today’s episode, I talk to Charles Duhigg about his new book Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business. Instead of being filled with tired improvement platitudes, Smarter Faster Better highlights actual scientific research on how to live a more productive life.

On the podcast, Charles and I discuss the science of self-motivation and why being a self-starter is so important in today’s economy, how to set more effective goals, and why mental models are the key to managing your focus.