The Motivational Power of Opportunity

Did you know that opportunities create energy? In study after study, people who are pursuing an exciting goal and are hopeful of achieving it experience high motivation and achieve superior levels of performance. In contrast, dull, meaningless work is exhausting—even (or perhaps especially) when it's easy.

This is true of people everywhere, from the classroom to the board room to the playing fields. Ever notice how young children won't walk a quarter of a mile in a straight line, but will gladly run many miles in play? And studies of athletes show that those who are focused on developing their skills and pursuing personal performance goals not only do better, but have more energy. A recent Psychology Today ...

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