Goal motivation changes as people move closer to their target, according to Stanford’s Szu-chi Huang and Ying Zhang of University of Texas.
This finding confirms Heinz Heckhausen’s earlier studies of goal motivation.

In the first stages of effort toward a goal, multiple paths  makes the target seem attainable, noted Huang and Zhang.

This perception of “self-efficacy,” belief in ability to achieve a goal, provides motivation to continue goal striving, reported Stanford’s Albert Bandura.

When people are close to achieving a goal, a single goal path provides greater motivation.   
This observation is consistent with Clark Hull’s finding that motivation increases closer to the goal.

A single route to the finish reduces the “cognitive load” of considering different approaches, supporting Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper’s finding that “more choice is not always better.” 

Huang and Zhang also demonstrated the motivational impact of number of choices.
Volunteers with fewer choices were more likely to achieve the goal in a study of incentive to claim a reward.
“…relatively rigid structures can often simplify goal pursuit by removing the need to make choices,” explained Huang.

These stages of goal pursuit are characterized by different mindsets.
“Deliberative Mindset” describes considering effort toward a goal whereas “Implemention Mindset” characterises planning actions toward a goal, according to NYU’s Peter Gollwitzer, Heinz Heckhausen, and Birgit Steller of University of Heidelberg.

Motivation toward a goal is also determined by:

• Goal value,
• Expectancy of success, based on probability, difficulty, sufficiency, necessity,

reported Tel Aviv University’s Nira Liberman and Jens Förster of Jacobs University of Bremen and Universiteit van Amsterdam.

A practical application of these findings is that nonprofit organizations can increase fund-raising campaign participation and contributions by offering fewer and simpler contribution options when a fund-raising target is nearly met.

-*How do you maintain motivation when you are close to achieving a goal?

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©Kathryn Welds