微小的胜利：保持动力的秘诀

I recently read a book called The Progress Principle by Professors Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer. It makes a few interesting discoveries. First of all, the authors find that the number one driver of a positive inner work life, and the key to motivated, engaged, and productive employees, is making progress on meaningful work, even if that progress is a small win. Think about what is says. First, it says work must be meaningful. Are you doing meaningful work? If you are a leader, are you communicating with your employees that what the team is doing is meaningful? Secondly, do you have a plan to ensure that you are constantly moving closer to the goal? It may mean that you divide your project into multiple pieces that are easier to achieve. It may mean that you allocate five hours each week working on your business plan. It may mean that you devote yourself thirty minutes each morning to reading one chapter of the Bible.  Whatever it is, the key is: Be persistent and keep at it.

The second major finding of their study is about how. In order to best achieve those small wins and leverage the progress principle, the authors advocate keeping a work diary. Having a diary can achieve multiple purposes. It allows one to capture and celebrate those small wins; It facilitates looking back at past achievements as well as setbacks and planning for future steps; It can even help the diary owner identify her strength and weakness, or even get ideas and inspirations.

To get us all started, the authors offer a host of practical advice. They even recommend an app for that: iDoneThis. You can watch a talk by Professor Amabile here, talking in greater detail about the progress principle.

Let’s celebrate our small wins and keep making progress.

Justin Ren is the President of CEA. He is a professor at Boston University teaching operations management and business analytics.