Long-term goals, like losing weight, writing a book, or buying a house, are achieved by consistently completing short-term goals, like working out, reaching a word-count, or saving money (Sharif & Woolley,1). People often start off motivated to reach their long-term goal, but after a couple of days of completing short-term tasks, especially tasks that aren’t appealing, they give up. Unfortunately, once motivation wears off, it can become quite difficult to persist working towards a long-term goal. For instance, people who want to lose weight might find that after days of exercising and eating healthy, they are no longer motivated. This lack of motivation may lead them to quit their short-term goals (exercising, eating healthy), and ultimately fail to achieve their long-term goal (losing weight).
With that being said, companies that are goal-based (weight-loss programs, budget apps, etc.) need their consumers to keep up with their short-term goals. If their consumers lose motivation to complete short-term goals, their products will no longer be needed. Consumers are unlikely to pay for programs and apps that they aren’t using (1). One way these companies might try to encourage consumers to complete their short-term goals is to offer them “small rewards for each completed goal-related action” (1). For example, a weight-loss program might give its clients a coupon for a healthy treat after every work-out.
Those who aren’t part of a program, but want to complete a long-term goal, like losing weight, might offer themselves a small reward in an attempt to motivate themselves. For example, someone who wants to lose weight at home might reward themselves with a sticker or another kind of knick-knack after every work-out.
Since companies tend to use continuous awards as a way to motivate consumers to persist with their short-term goals, researchers Marissa Sharif and Kaitlin Woolley set off to “examine when companies should start offering continuous rewards for engaging in goal-related behaviors…” (2). In the end, the researchers found that when an award was given had a significant impact on goal persistence (20).
Work-To-Receive System
The researchers compared three different award systems: work-to-unlock, work-to-receive, and goal-based lump sum to determine the best time to give an award (20). In the work-to-receive structure, individuals immediately receive a reward after completing one goal-related activity (sub-goals) (3). People in this system receive continuous rewards, meaning each time a goal-related activity is completed a reward is given (2). Completing one work-out and receiving a coupon for a healthy treat is an example of a work-to-receive system. In this system, after each work-out a coupon for a healthy treat is given.
Work-To-Unlock System
The work-to-unlock system varies in that an immediate reward isn’t given (2). Instead, those in the work-to-unlock system “receive continuous rewards only after first completing a few unrewarded goal-related actions” (2). In the work-to-unlock system, people trying to lose weight won’t receive a coupon until five work-outs are completed. Once five work-outs are completed those in the work-to-unlock system will receive a coupon after every subsequent work-out. In this system, people receive a delayed reward, rather than an immediate one (2).
Lump-Sum System
In the lump-sum system, the reward is delayed every single time (5). A set number of goal-related activities need to be achieved before a reward is given (5). For example, a budget app might throw confetti on a screen every time an app user saves 500 dollars. The app user must save an additional 500 dollars before seeing more confetti. Those trying to lose weight would need to complete five work-out before receiving a coupon for a healthy treat. In this system people would need to continue to complete five work-outs every time before receiving a coupon.
Goal Persistence
After conducting eight different studies, the researchers found that the work-to-unlock system increased goal persistence significantly more than in the work-to receive structure and the goal-based lump sum system (20). Participants in the work-to-unlock system completed more sub-goals compared to those in the work-to-receive system and the lump-sum system (20).
Overall, Study 3B best encapsulates these findings as it compares all three systems (17). In Study 3B, participants in the work-to-receive system received five points worth 2 cents and a badge after completing each work-out (17). Those in the work-to-unlock group “learned they would not receive any points/badge for the first four workouts” (17) However, the participants were informed that after the fourth workout they would receive five points worth 2 cents and a badge upon completing each subsequent work-out (17). Participants in the goal-based lump-sum system “learned that for every four workouts they completed, they would receive 20 points were 8 cents and a badge” (17). The results showed that participants in the work-to-unlock group completed more work-outs than those in work-to-receive conditions and those goal-based lump-sum condition (17).
Marissa Sharif and Kaitlyn Woolley theorize that the work-to-unlock system is more effective at motivating people to increase in their goal pursuit because it decreases people’s sense of accomplishment when it comes to reward earnings (20). Now, this may sound strange, but the reasoning behind this is that people who receive a reward right away “feel they have achieved sufficient rewards due to their work-to receive- reward structure” (5). Whereas, those who didn’t receive a reward immediately after a task, do “not feel that they have earned sufficient rewards” (5). This feeling of a lack of reward is believed to ultimately drive people to keep persisting in their sub-goals as a way to achieve more rewards (5).
Creating A Work-To-Unlock System
Although this study was conducted through the lens of helping companies, the results from this research can apply to everyone who uses rewards as a way to remain persistent. People who want to boost goal persistence should consider adopting the work-to-unlock method. Rather than giving oneself immediate continuous rewards, a delayed continuous reward system should be set into place. People can either find a company that uses the work-to-unlock system, or create their own system.
Those who want to create their own work-to-unlock system should first decide on a type of sub-goal based on their long-term goal. For example, people who want to lose weight choose to work-out five days a week. The work-out would be the sub-goal. The second step would be for people to decide how many times that sub-goal needs to be completed before unlocking the continuous rewards system. Do they want to complete four work-outs before receiving their first reward? Or, do they want to complete six work-outs before receiving their first reward? Either way, the reward needs to be delayed in a work-to-unlock system. With that being said, it’s important people don’t make the length between the work-to-unlock period too long, as it “can reduce the effectiveness of the work-to-unlock rewards” (20).
The third important component is for people to decide what kind of reward they want to give themselves. The reward can be monetary (money related) or non-monetary (not money related). Receiving a dollar per work-out would be an example of a monetary reward. An example of a non-monetary reward would be getting a sticker per work-out. Of course, in both of these examples, people need to delay giving continuous rewards. People should only give themselves a reward after completing multiple sub-goals without an award.
All these components combined will create the work-to-unlock system. Here’s an example of a hypothetical situation of what it might look like if someone followed these steps. A man named Steve has decided that he wants to lose weight. He has decided that his sub-goal is completing a work-out. Steve then decides that he will work-out five times without receiving a reward. Steve then decided to give himself a dollar every time he works out. Steve works out on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Since this is the case, he doesn’t receive his first dollar reward until the second week of Thursday. Then on Saturday, Steve receives his second one-dollar bill for working out. The next week Steve gives himself his third one- dollar bill on Tuesday, his fourth one-dollar bill on Thursday, and his fifth one-dollar bill on Saturday. In total, Steve earned five dollars in three weeks for working out.
Consider Waiting for a Reward
At the end of the day, it’s important for people to reach their goals. People can motivate themselves to persist in their long-term goal in a variety of different ways. Those who choose to motivate themselves using rewards should highly consider the work-to-unlock system. The work-to-unlock system has been shown to increase goal persistence significantly more than the work-to-receive system (20). Although an immediate reward sounds more appealing than waiting for a reward, delaying a reward can be beneficial towards goal-success (20). However, it is important to note that the work-to-unlock system boosts goal persistence relative to the work-to-receive and lump-sum reward system (1). The researchers didn’t look at persistence without rewards. Nevertheless, it is likely that a rewards system increases goal-persistence compared to not having any rewards at all since companies commonly use rewards as a way to motivate consumers to reach their goals (1).
Work Cited:
Sharif, Marissa A., and Kaitlyn Woolley. “Work-to-Unlock Rewards: Leveraging Goals in Reward Systems to Increase Consumer Persistence.” 25 Jan. 2022.