Dr. Emily Balcetis is a social psychologist and associate professor at New York University whose research explores perception, motivation, and decision-making. She is the author of Clearer, Closer, Better: How Successful People See the World, where she reveals how visual strategies can shape goal achievement and behavior. Dr. Balcetis’s work has been featured in major outlets like The New York Times, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review, and she is a sought-after speaker known for translating cutting-edge psychology into practical tools for success.

In our conversation we discuss:

(00:00) — Importance of state of mind when setting goals
(01:09) — Defining a new goal for oneself
(02:23) — Trap of setting overly ambitious goals
(05:31) — Finding the right balance in goal difficulty
(05:31) — Weight loss as an example of balance in goals
(07:57) — Role of willpower and caring in success
(08:44) — Maintaining excitement for big goals with realistic timelines
(12:22) — Motivated brain versus unmotivated brain
(14:30) — Hill-climbing study and motivation through choice
(20:15) — Applying motivational frameworks beyond health and performance
(22:46) — Whether setting fewer goals is beneficial
(26:38) — Research on the sweet spot for number of goals
(31:37) — Testing personal limits for productivity and stress
(36:34) — Relationship between beliefs and reality
(41:51) — Eye-tracking studies in jury decisions and cybersecurity
(47:25) — Common cognitive biases and ways to mitigate them
(52:49) — Midpoint slump in motivation
(58:09) — Dunning–Kruger effect and origins of overconfidence
(60:24) — Role of self-compassion in motivation

Learn more about Dr. EmilyWikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Balcetis

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