Why fun is the key to self-improvement | psychology

toLike many people, I spent New Year’s Eve making a list of goals I wanted to accomplish in the coming year — a habit that never fails to piss off my boyfriend. “Why do you always have to put yourself under pressure?” Will asked, rolling his eyes. “She’s so prudish!”

And he has a point. When most of us turn our minds toward self-improvement, we assume we need to pause the fun until we reach our goal. This is evident in the motivational phrases that are circulated – “No pain, no gain”, “The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory”. If we fail, we tend to believe that it is our fault for lacking the willpower to put in the hours and commit to it, perhaps because we succumbed to some kind of short-term temptation at the expense of long-term gain.

However, the latest research suggests that this may be the worst way to achieve our personal goals. Simply put, we are more likely to succeed if the process provides immediate gratification as well as future rewards, and we should actively seek out new ways to enhance the satisfaction inherent in everything we do. Far from being an enemy of self-control, pleasure strengthens perseverance. Forget deferred gratification. It’s the instant gratification that means we keep going.

These ideas arise from self-determination theory, which specifies a type of motivational scope. On the one hand, you have intrinsic motivation, which are things you are drawn to doing for their own sake, because they are fun, attractive, or give you pleasure. On the other hand, there are extrinsic motivations – things you know you should do, often because of a long-term benefit.

For example: You might go for a run every day because you like the feeling of the wind in your hair and your feet hitting the pavement, for example. This is intrinsic motivation. Or you may begrudgingly put on your sneakers because your doctor tells you that 20 minutes of exercise a day will reduce your risk of a heart attack, and running seems to be the most effective way to achieve that goal. This is an outboard motor.

Countless experiments have shown that internal motivation is more likely to lead us to success, but most of us fail to realize this when making New Year’s resolutions. To study published In 2025, Caitlin Woolley and her colleagues surveyed 2,000 people about their goals for the coming year. In the last week of December, participants rated how “fun” or “attractive” it would be to implement the decision, which are forms of intrinsic motivation, and how “useful” or “important” it would be in the long run, which reflects extrinsic motivation. The researchers then tracked the participants’ progress over the following 12 months.

At each stage of the study, their level of intrinsic motivation was the best predictor of their staying the course, while their extrinsic motivation had no effect. It seems that it does not matter how important a goal is in the abstract if the activities themselves are not immediately rewarding.

Unfortunately, few participants seemed to realize this – as was found when their core beliefs about motivation were tested. In one survey, researchers described different types of intrinsic or extrinsic motivation and asked which would be most important in determining success. Time and again, participants assumed (mistakenly) that designing their new regimen around its extrinsic value, rather than the pleasure it brought, would lead to greater persistence – a strategy that was doomed to fail.

Internal and external motivations should not, of course, be at odds. You may initially choose to get fit because your doctor tells you to, but you can then look for the most fun ways to do so. All you have to do is think more creatively about how to build on the exercise. Maybe you find running challenging, for example, but love the thrill of snowboarding. It may not be the first thing that came to mind, but you’ll burn just as many calories, and your time at the rink will feel like a positive indulgence rather than a sad sacrifice.

Wally research He suggests that the worst thing you can do is to choose an activity simply because it seems like the quickest way to reach your goals. For example, a dieter may choose some uninteresting soup that significantly reduces their energy intake, but they are more likely to maintain their weight loss over time if they regularly choose appetizing meals that happen to be healthy. (This takes some time to research and plan, of course, but the investment will be worth it if it results in more sustainable change.)

If you’re struggling to find a way to make your new habit enjoyable, you may choose to combine it with another activity that provides more immediate gratification. Behavioral scientist Katie Milkman describes this as “temptation bundling.” In a One month trialShe gave students audiobooks to listen to while they worked out, and found that they were more likely to visit the gym, simply because it added another intrinsic motivation to their exercise regimen. You can apply the same principle to anything you want to do. If you’re studying for a course, for example, you may find that taking your homework to your favorite café turns that chore into an effortless pleasure, so that you’re now more likely to turn in your homework on time.

I take this advice seriously. In 2024 and 2025, I set myself the goal of running a marathon — and I failed. But that was before I knew the importance of instant gratification. Armed with a more realistic training schedule, the complete works of PG Wodehouse on Audible, and a slew of rewards for each accomplishment, I’m full of optimism that 2026 will be the year I finally reach the finish line.

David Robson is the author of The Laws of Communication: 13 Social Strategies That Will Change Your Life (Canongate). To support The Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery fees may apply.