Ask the Author: Bobby Hoffman
Answered Questions (3)
Bobby Hoffman
Getting a Goodreads question on a topic completed unrelated to my writing or expertise is a pretty horrible story. Any other questions?
Bobby Hoffman
This is a great question and one that is easy for me to answer. As someone who has published dozens of articles and three books on motivation and the science of human performance, I know that many of us operate under false impressions about ourselves and how the world works. One of the erroneous beliefs writers embrace is that you won’t get writers block. Of course, you will!! Expect it!! Like every other task in the history of the world you will have moments when you excel and other times when you will have motivational lulls (the idea is to plan in advance how you will address the inevitable lulls---just keep reading).
Writer's block can occur due to lack of knowledge or information, but ultimately any roadblock to performance usually has a STRONG motivational component. However, here's the problem--we are trained to believe that we should power through obstacles. We are told "never give up," "stay the course," and "winners never quit, quitters never win." Unfortunately, all of these conventional truisms are wrong!
Motivation is like a muscle. When you go to the gym and work a muscle it gets exhausted and you need recovery time. When you write and reach a mental roadblock you need to take a break and return to writing when you are motivationally read. Getting ready means evaluating your goals, doing more topic research, getting feedback, or sometimes just taking a break. I call this the "Rest Stop Hack" and you can watch a video about it here:
https://youtu.be/MzsiCx4oexQ
Second, we should keep in mind the “Reality Hack,” which contends we don’t live in a perfect world and things will go wrong. Believing you will never get writer’s block is a fallacy. We also have what’s called “myside bias,” which is a belief that we will perform better, faster, and more efficiently than we do. We often miscalculate and learn after the fact that a task took longer or was more challenging than expected. Don’t worry these are natural inclinations that affect everyone.
Also, one obstacle to writing (and most other tasks) is an objective assessment of how much you want to reach the goal. I can’t tell you how many times I looked at my computer screen not knowing where the next idea was coming from or what I would write next. I do know that whenever I write I want to reach the end goal. There is no room for abandonment.
When the inevitable block occurs I verbalize to myself “you want to reach the end goal!” I may take a break, I may regroup, I may whine and complain to anyone who will listen, but I never stop writing for longer than a few days. Completion is an outcome I value more than anything else. Embrace a vigilant focus and remember, if writing was that easy everyone would have a bestseller!
Dr. Bobby
Writer's block can occur due to lack of knowledge or information, but ultimately any roadblock to performance usually has a STRONG motivational component. However, here's the problem--we are trained to believe that we should power through obstacles. We are told "never give up," "stay the course," and "winners never quit, quitters never win." Unfortunately, all of these conventional truisms are wrong!
Motivation is like a muscle. When you go to the gym and work a muscle it gets exhausted and you need recovery time. When you write and reach a mental roadblock you need to take a break and return to writing when you are motivationally read. Getting ready means evaluating your goals, doing more topic research, getting feedback, or sometimes just taking a break. I call this the "Rest Stop Hack" and you can watch a video about it here:
https://youtu.be/MzsiCx4oexQ
Second, we should keep in mind the “Reality Hack,” which contends we don’t live in a perfect world and things will go wrong. Believing you will never get writer’s block is a fallacy. We also have what’s called “myside bias,” which is a belief that we will perform better, faster, and more efficiently than we do. We often miscalculate and learn after the fact that a task took longer or was more challenging than expected. Don’t worry these are natural inclinations that affect everyone.
Also, one obstacle to writing (and most other tasks) is an objective assessment of how much you want to reach the goal. I can’t tell you how many times I looked at my computer screen not knowing where the next idea was coming from or what I would write next. I do know that whenever I write I want to reach the end goal. There is no room for abandonment.
When the inevitable block occurs I verbalize to myself “you want to reach the end goal!” I may take a break, I may regroup, I may whine and complain to anyone who will listen, but I never stop writing for longer than a few days. Completion is an outcome I value more than anything else. Embrace a vigilant focus and remember, if writing was that easy everyone would have a bestseller!
Dr. Bobby
Bobby Hoffman
As a professor, in order to keep my job I have to publish in scientific journals. Unfortunately, the majority of people who read journals are either students required to read the work for course success or other researchers. In addition, journal articles are often way too complicated and sometimes we have to repeatedly read the material to decipher the author's message. This academic reality means that some great information never gets to the people who can enjoy and prosper most from the findings.
My motive for writing "Hack Your Motivation" was to take the latest research from psychology, education, business, athletics and neuroscience and transform that information into an easy-to-read and easy-to-master and engaging narrative that includes practical strategies that I call "Hacks." The material is written in a concise and amusing form with stories behind each one of the hacks. Every hack can be easily applied to everyday life.
The idea of deconstructing hard-core science into an amusing narrative is something that I have considered for quite some time. Academics tend to make their work overly complicated, using too many big words, and sometimes neglect to address the practical value of science. For example, it's great to know about the theory of gravity, but it's more important not to stand under a tree and get hit in the head by a falling apple. I also believe you can laugh and learn at the same time through engaging examples.
I realized after writing my textbook (Motivation for Learning & Performance) and getting feedback, that what people really needed was a handbook written in conversational style that helps them gain personal awareness as a means to understand their motives and behavior (and the behavior of others). Also, some people may be highly motivated, but may not know the diverse and effective strategies needed to reach their goals effectively and efficiently.
All of these factors contributed to the "Hack Your Motivation" concept. Based on the Amazon reviews thus far, I think I have reached my goal. There is no reason to complicate the simple, and no reason to why we shouldn't be able to smile while learning at the same time.
Dr. Bobby
My motive for writing "Hack Your Motivation" was to take the latest research from psychology, education, business, athletics and neuroscience and transform that information into an easy-to-read and easy-to-master and engaging narrative that includes practical strategies that I call "Hacks." The material is written in a concise and amusing form with stories behind each one of the hacks. Every hack can be easily applied to everyday life.
The idea of deconstructing hard-core science into an amusing narrative is something that I have considered for quite some time. Academics tend to make their work overly complicated, using too many big words, and sometimes neglect to address the practical value of science. For example, it's great to know about the theory of gravity, but it's more important not to stand under a tree and get hit in the head by a falling apple. I also believe you can laugh and learn at the same time through engaging examples.
I realized after writing my textbook (Motivation for Learning & Performance) and getting feedback, that what people really needed was a handbook written in conversational style that helps them gain personal awareness as a means to understand their motives and behavior (and the behavior of others). Also, some people may be highly motivated, but may not know the diverse and effective strategies needed to reach their goals effectively and efficiently.
All of these factors contributed to the "Hack Your Motivation" concept. Based on the Amazon reviews thus far, I think I have reached my goal. There is no reason to complicate the simple, and no reason to why we shouldn't be able to smile while learning at the same time.
Dr. Bobby
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