How Do You Pursue Multiple Goals at Once? Motivation Science Explained with Ayelet Fishbach | Ep. 278

episode

PLAN GOAL PLAN | Goals, Transformation for Women, Mindful Time Management, Balance, Working Moms not yet transcribed

▲ 0

Transcript

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet Upvotes decide what gets transcribed next — 0 so far. Sign in to upvote

More from PLAN GOAL PLAN | Goals, Transformation for Women, Mindful Time Management, Balance, Working Moms

Why Doesn't Achieving Your Goal Feel Like Enough? What to Do After the Big Win | Ep. 307 17 min · 11 Aug 2026

When Does Purpose Become Pressure? Escaping the Purpose Trap | Ep. 306 17 min · 04 Aug 2026

Why Doesn't Rest Work for High Achievers? 5 Recovery Mistakes to Stop Making | Ep. 305 18 min · 28 Jul 2026

Why Doesn't More Free Time Make You Feel Better? The Truth About Time Freedom | Ep. 304 27 min · 21 Jul 2026

Why Does Rest Feel So Uncomfortable? When Productivity Becomes Your Identity | Ep. 303 22 min · 14 Jul 2026

Why Am I Still Tired After Vacation? The Rest You're Actually Missing | Ep. 302 20 min · 07 Jul 2026

All episodes from PLAN GOAL PLAN | Goals, Transformation for Women, Mindful Time Management, Balance, Working Moms →

Report any issue

Source

Recorded27 Jan 2026

Publisherfeed.podbean.com ↗

Handlerec:15537540

Show notes

So many women I work with don't struggle with having goals, but they struggle with having TOO many. And trying to carry them all at once, which makes this episode absolutely perfect. I'm sitting down with Dr. Ayelet Fishbach, one of the world's leading experts on motivation and decision-making (and author of Get It Done), to unpack what actually helps people follow through on meaningful goals, even when life is banana pants. Here's what we're covering: Why ambitious goals are good (unless they paralyze you—then they're not) The buffet problem: when all your goals are amazing individually but create a terrible meal together Multi-finality: the game-changing concept of feeding many birds with one scone (goals that serve multiple purposes!) Why tracking matters more than you think (and how to use multiple data points to stay motivated) The difference between avoidance goals (lose weight) and approach goals (gain health)—and why it matters Why incentives can backfire (the coloring study that changes everything) How goals actually strengthen relationships (not just distract from them) The big insight: Your goals might all be wonderful on their own, but if they don't fit together—if they pull you in opposite directions—you'll create a mess. The key is creating HARMONY, not just adding more goals. What is multi-finality? Identifying activities that pursue several goals simultaneously. Like biking to work (exercise + commute + maybe socializing if you bike with friends). Or listening to audiobooks while walking (reading + movement). The magic is finding means that connect multiple ends. Why we resist multi-finality: We believe "pure" activities are stronger. If biking is ONLY for exercise, we feel it's more legitimate. But that's usually a mistake—if you can make biking serve multiple purposes, you'll bike MORE. On too-ambitious goals: They need to be abstract enough to be motivating (ask "why" until you find the deeper purpose) but not so abstract you lose the "how." Numbers are motivating (they make everything below feel like a loss), but too easy = boring, too hard = giving up. The incentive trap: External rewards can dilute intrinsic motivation (the kids who got paid to color were less likely to color again without payment). But adults usually know why they do things—paying artists makes them create MORE art, not less. Goals and relationships: We choose friends and partners who support our goals. Sometimes we even choose goals to MAINTAIN relationships. Goals are how we relate to each other—they're not just individual pursuits. Dr. Fishbach's challenge: Think about your goals like a buffet. Everything looks amazing, but will they work together on the same plate? Or will you end up with dessert touching the entrée in all the wrong ways? If you're a woman in a high-pressure job trying to figure out how to pursue multiple meaningful goals without losing yourself—this episode is packed with research-backed strategies that actually work. Connect with Dr. Ayelet Fishbach: Website:ayeletfishbach.com Book: Get It Done Connect with me: Email: [email protected] Facebook Group: Join Here Website: PlanGoalPlan.com LinkedIn: (I post most here!) www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-🗓️-b673334 Ready to begin? Schedule a chat about Simply Bold at plangoalplan.com

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.