Rewards and Punishments: The art of using them to motivate you

Ideally, we’d all be motivated just by intrinsics: the internal drive to do what’s right. Alas, we’re not. After all, think of how many people wouldn’t show up to work unless they received an extrinsic: pay. Think of how many students would work less hard if there were no grades. Might even some spouses make less effort if it weren't for fear of a painful, expensive divorce?

My Psychology Today article today offers thoughts on how to personalize the use of rewards and punishments to motivate you to do what you should do but are resisting.