Do you struggle to stay motivated in your training?
THE HUMAN BRAIN LOVES A CHALLENGE, BUT ONLY IF IT IS WITHIN AN OPTIMAL ZONE OF DIFFICULTY.
Coined by James Clear in his book ‘Atomic Habits’, the Goldilocks Rule stipulates that we experience peak motivation when we work on goals that are right at the edge of our ability. Not too hard. Not too easy. Just right.
It’s all about finding that sweet spot of difficulty with our training to keep us striving but not so hard we give up entirely. And the Goldilocks Rule is not only great for pushing us just beyond our current capacity, but it also makes us happier. Blending peak performance and happiness puts us into what is known as ‘flow’, or ‘the zone’. It creates an intense focus that allows you to focus on the task at hand. You’ve likely experienced this at some point in your own training. It feels just the right amount of challenging and it actually makes you happy! Funny that!
To reach peak performance, you need to do 2 things:
- Work on challenges at the right degree of difficulty, and
- Measure your progress by getting immediate feedback
This feedback can come from a coach or from asking yourself in the moment whether the work is difficult enough or too difficult. Think about the Goldilocks Rule the next time you train - especially if motivation is an issue!
