Why Is It So Hard to Stick to Our Resolutions? | Ayelet Fishbach (Republish)

Happy New Year, Groovers! This week, we're taking some time-off and sharing an oldie but a goodie - our conversation with Ayelet Fishbach. 

The start of a new year often brings fresh motivation...and then we burnout. But why? In this recast, we are joined by Dr. Ayelet Fishbach to explore why willpower-driven resolutions fail and how behavioral science offers a smarter way to set goals that last. Through an examination of her research, we unpack meta-motivation, the problem with "the middle" and how you can design your goals better so that they carry momentum through January and beyond. 

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

Topics

[0:00] Motivation and Willpower - a New Perspective with Ayelet Fishbach

[3:19] The Marshmallow Test and Its Misinterpretation

[7:52] Meta Motivation and Its Implications

[14:28] The Role of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

[18:17] Problems Around Goal Achievement

[32:41] The Important of Aspirational Goals

[42:58] Strategies for Overcoming the Problem of "the Middle"

[48:33] Key Takeaways

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

Links

About Ayelet

Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation

Music Links

Best of NPR Tiny Desk