Reward is the answer - Part 2

With those short tasks we see results immediately. We have something to feel good about within a reasonable lenght of time. Finishing the task is often the reward but we have changed something when we did it. Playing a game instead of doing homework, we challenged our score. Washing the car instead of working on the financial reports for 8 hours when we have a clean car in 35 or so minutes. Tidying the work area instead of hitting the books. Watching TV instead of spending Saturday cleaning the garage.

Even doing a short non-essential task as an excuse to stop work on a major task that apprears to have no end or reward.

In completing an assignment or other lenghtly task that takes more time, we don’t know if or when there will be a rewardefor our efforts. In the example of doing ones homework, we have no way of know if or when we will make good money and be able to afford a fine home. We also know any number of world events can show up and prevent or delay the reward With the long task we know not to expect a reward any time soon. So with this sense of where is the reward for our effort? We perform poorly even though we have a powerful purpose.

Why is it so easy to do the short and easy tasks?
Irionically that appears to be the result of a brain signal boost.

“The brain signal boost occurred as the monkey worked harder and more accurately as the reward neared. Emanating from a reward-anticipating circuit in the front top center of the brain, the signal is thought to sustain the goal-driven behavior and then shuts off when the reward is assured.”

(Source: Science Daily, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/05/020531072904.htm)

Don’t worry it isn’t just monkeys they found a similar trait in pigeons.

“At first, pigeons preferred the large reward, but once the preceding delay exceeded a critical threshold of duration, they switched to preferring the small but fast reward. Reward preference in this task therefore depended on both reward amount and time-to-reward.”

(Source: Science Daily, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050502191959.htm)

The choice of putting off short term rewards (gratification) for longer term rewards (gratification) is serious mental work.

Isn’t it irionic that when we have been working on a large task that it becomes easier in the final stages?

Well this too is a result of the way our brains fire. As we near completing the task that brain boost helps us to stay motivated, work faster and with more accuracy. (I like that bit, with more accuracy. Why can it perform with more accuracy when we know we the reward is almost there but lack accuracy when the reward is still off in a distance? That’s for another topic)

When we think we might there might be a reward at some point we can work at it with a just do it attitude. But to just do it, we need to stop thinking about the cost or even beneifit of our action once we start. This works well for projects like exericising and is often how we finally get rolling on task in the final hour. We know we have no choice but to just do it if we are to meet the deadline. Of course if we see no benefit or reward for the task we are simply not motivated to do it. If forced to go through with it (like going to school or work?) We perform poorly at it.