As the Fitbit craze attests, people crave to know how they’re progressing and see it visually represented, down to the percentage point. Research suggests that making measured headway can be more incentivizing than public recognition, monetary inducements, or even achieving the goal itself. Daniel Pink, the author of Drive, agrees: “The single greatest motivator is ‘making progress in one’s work.’ The days that people make progress are the days they feel most motivated and engaged.”
