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Piers Steel

Piers Steel

Researcher, professor, speaker, and author.

Piers Steel likes to think he is among the world’s foremost researchers and speakers on the science of motivation and procrastination. Well, he is a Distinguished Research Chair at the University of Calgary, where he teaches human resources and organizational dynamics at the Haskayne School of Business. His research has appeared in several outlets around the world, ranging from Psychology Today and New Scientist to Good Housekeeping and The New Yorker.

PhilosophersNotes on Piers Steel's Books All PhilosophersNotes

The Procrastination Equation

How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done

by Piers Steel

Did you know there’s an equation for Procrastination? Yep. Expectancy x Value / Impulsiveness x Delay = Motivation. Thank you, Piers Steel. In this great book, Piers (a leading researcher on the science of motivation/procrastination) walks us thru the power of that equation. Big Ideas we explore include: Mental Contrasting (and why it beats creative visualization), goal setting (3 scientific keys) and how to add a month of productivity to your year.

Packs:

Conquering Procrastination & Productivity

Deep Work Modern Classic Work

+1s Inspired by Piers Steel All +1s

Handy Dandy Motivational Calculator
#7

The Science of Solving the Procrastination Equation

Piers Steele is a leading research scientist. After analyzing hundreds of studies on motivation, he came up with a little equation to capture the essence of motivation. It’s a little abstract on first blush but worth internalizing and using as one of our tools. I recommend keeping this ready at hand an...

+1 inspired by Note: The Procrastination Equation

Packs:

Conquering Procrastination & Productivity

baby steps Deep Work focus Motivation tool unmotivated Work

Motivation = ENERGY x (Value x Expectancy / Impulsivity x Delay)
#8

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A Modified Look at the Science of Motivation

Yesterday we talked about our motivation equation. You know: Motivation = Value x Expectancy / Impulsivity x Delay Quick re-cap: Our motivation will always be driven by how fired up we are about getting something (Value) and how confident we are that we can have it (Expectancy). To the extent we REALLY R...

+1 inspired by Note: The Procrastination Equation

Packs:

Conquering Procrastination & Peak Performance

baby steps Energy focus Fundamentals Motivation tool unmotivated Work

How to Add a Month to Your Year
#177

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In One Simple Step

Let’s go back to our Motivation Equation for Today’s +1. You may recall that Motivation = Expectation x Value divided by Impulsivity x Delay Again, in short: You will be able to sustain high levels of Motivation to the extent you have a strong Expectation of achieving a goal you highly Value but only...

+1 inspired by Note: The Procrastination Equation

Pack:

focus Motivation science technology tool Work

Eliminate Delay
#178

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To Increase Motivation and Jumbo Crushing

In our last +1, we revisited the Motivation Equation. Have you gotten that tattooed on your forehead (or at least in your brain!) yet?! I repeat it because Piers Steele won the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in psychology coming up with that equation after doing a meta analysis of thousands of studies don...

+1 inspired by Note: The Procrastination Equation

Packs:

Conquering Procrastination & Productivity

baby steps Motivation science tool Work

Motivation Equation (Yet Again!)
#419

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It’s Hammer Time

So, I’m currently working on a big project that I’m kinda fired up about. As such, I’m pulling out all my motivational tools from the ol’ toolshed. Today, I’d like to review our Handy Dandy Motivational Calculator. Let’s dust it off and apply it to whatever big project YOU are working on thes...

+1 inspired by Note: The Procrastination Equation

Packs:

Conquering Procrastination & Goals

Conquering Procrastination goals Hustle Motivation productivity Strategy tool Work

Railroad Spikes
#436

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Are Good for Pounding

A few +1s ago we talked about pounding the bliss out of our #1 goals. We might have wrapped up that chat with a few dozen hammer emoticons. 🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨�...

+1 inspired by Note: The Procrastination Equation

Packs:

Goals & Willpower

commitment Hustle Inspiration Motivation productivity Work

Interviews with Piers Steel All Interviews