The formula for motivation and why small steps often lead to the greatest progress

From Bilbao to Santander: 126 km on foot. Even Google Maps says that’s impossible to do in a single day. But in 5 or 8 days, it suddenly becomes possible.

In preparation for the ABC Wehr self-help group on the topic of motivation, I took a deeper look at the subject again. In doing so, I also reminded myself of the formula for motivation. It comes from Heinz Heckhausen’s self-assessment model of performance motivation:

Motivation (cognitive shift) = belief in the goal × attractiveness of the goal

It is simple, but it explains a lot. Because whether in private everyday life, in a personal crisis, or in a corporate context, motivation always arises from the interaction of two factors:

• How much I really want the goal.
• And how much I believe that I can achieve it.

An example from my own history:
During my acute burnout phase, my energy levels were so low at one point that even “going for a walk” seemed like an unattainable goal.
I knew that exercise would do me good, but I simply didn’t believe that I could do it. Today, I know that small steps would have helped, such as simply going out onto the terrace for 5 minutes a day and looking at nature.

In literature, especially on depression, you often read that the first step is to make your bed in the morning. And when you succeed, you experience a small moment of self-efficacy. A feeling of: I can do something.

I can imagine that without having experienced it, it’s hard to imagine that something as mundane as making your bed can be a goal, but in a state of complete exhaustion or depression, it’s a huge milestone.

It is good and important to have the big vision in mind. But it is necessary to break down the path to it into small, achievable steps in order to (re)build confidence in your own abilities. That is not always easy. We often lack the creativity or the idea of how to break down the big goal into small, tangible stages.

A little nudge: If you can’t think of anything, ask yourself: What would be a step today that is so small that you can really do it and that would do you good?
Sometimes that’s enough to get you back on track.

Nowadays, I rarely set myself overly ambitious goals, but when I do, I usually recognize it by the fact that I don’t start walking.
Then I begin to reflect:

• Is the goal too far away?
• Do I lack the belief that I can achieve it?
• Or is the next step simply not clear enough?

These moments are not a sign of weakness, but of mindfulness. Because motivation doesn’t just disappear, it gets blocked when belief and goal are not in balance.

Perhaps this is where a change of perspective is worthwhile:
If you notice that you or your team are not making progress, don’t ask about motivation first, but about belief.
Do we really believe we can do this, as it is formulated? Often, it doesn’t take more energy, but smaller, clearer steps to regain confidence in the path.

But how exactly can this be achieved, you may be wondering. Let’s stick with the example of going for an hour’s walk every day when your energy level is at 1 out of 10.

The appeal of the goal: regular exercise that has a positive effect on your body and mind. You can already picture yourself going through life feeling satisfied and a few pounds lighter. The fresh air is good for you, as is the exercise.

So the question is not whether the goal is wrong, it’s right. Instead, ask yourself, do I believe I can achieve this? You may have external voices in your head telling you that you can’t do it, but you may also have an inner voice telling you that you’ll never stick with it.

Now it’s important to think about what small sub-goals you see on the way to an hour’s walk and make a plan. The first sub-goal should feel achievable. For example, week 1: look out of the window for 5 minutes; week 2: put on your shoes and go outside; week 3: walk outside for 5 minutes; and so on. At the beginning of each week, check whether the goal feels achievable. And if you don’t manage it one day, look at what you’ve already achieved and start the week afresh.

This can also work in a team. For example, if the team is stuck in a project and can’t move forward, write down in a workshop what everyone thinks about achieving goals and what factors they consider critical. Then formulate sub-goals that also address the critical factors.

And so the formula we can use in a private context suddenly becomes a tool that works just as well in the working world.

In conversations with friends, colleagues, and clients, I hear similar topics coming up in organizations, especially those undergoing change processes.
There is a lot of talk about goals: “We want to become more agile,” “We are creating a new culture,” “We are transforming our leadership.”
The vision is attractive, no question about it. Everyone can immediately say what would be better once the goal is achieved.

However, if employees and managers feel that the goal seems unattainable with the existing resources, structures, or culture, then implementation will not happen.

Then, in the truest sense of the word, there will be a lot of talk but little action.

Perhaps the reason lies precisely in this formula. If there is no belief that the goal is achievable, even the most attractive goal loses its effect.
Sometimes it helps to start small, make initial successes visible, and experience them together: something is happening. Perhaps targeted training courses can also help to increase belief in the ability to achieve the goal.

The insights from the motivation formula can also be incorporated into goal-setting meetings, feedback rounds, or workshops. Whenever it comes to formulating goals, you should not only ask about the attractiveness of the goal, but also ask whether we can achieve it at the present time and what may still be missing.

In your next workshop, where you have worked out a common goal, ask the participants to briefly reflect on the following:

1. What is particularly attractive about the goal for you?

2. Do you believe that we can achieve this together and why (not)?

This often opens up new avenues for motivation and the ability to change.

Perhaps today you would like to take away a question for a specific goal that you think about a lot or that is talked about a lot:
What would be the next small, achievable step for you, your team, or your company?

Motivation begins when we trust ourselves again to take the first step.
Not perfect, not big, but realistic. Because belief and action are inseparable.