We can all relate to this feeling:

You want to do something. You know it’s going to be good for you. You know you’re going to be happy you did it. You even have people telling you they need you or want you to do it.

And yet, the motivation just isn’t there. For whatever reason, you can’t bring yourself to get it done.

What if I told you that motivation isn’t the only thing that gets you to work towards your goals?

Research by Joseph Nunes out of the University of Southern California and Xavier Drèze from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania found that giving someone a head start (or perceived head start) increases their commitment and effort.

Their first study took place at a car wash that offered a loyalty-card program. Buy 8 car washes and receive the next one free.

The participants in the study were real customers of the car wash.

Half of the customers received the regular 8-stamp card. The other half received a 10-stamp card with the first 2 stamps already filled in.

Functionally, both cards required 8 more washes to earn a free one. The difference was visual: the second group’s cards had an optical “head start.”

The researchers found that those in the second group not only came back more more frequently, but they had a significantly higher completion rate than the first.

In the second study, undergraduate students were asked if they would sign up for a frequent-buyer program at a restaurant. Once again, some students started with partial progress, while others didn’t. And once again, those who believed they had a “head start” rated the program as more attractive, and showed a higher likelihood of joining it.

Nunes and Drèze believe what’s going on here is that we don’t necessarily need passion to get going as long as we feel we’re already started. It’s the simple rewiring of “I’ll do this someday” to “I’m already well on my way.”

And the most incredible part of this whole thing is that it doesn’t even matter if this head start is real. As long as you perceive it to be real.

So next time you’re dragging your feet towards a long-term project or meaningful goal, create a checkbox or progress bar and fill it to 10%.

See if that helps produce the kind of motivation you’re looking for!

Throughout the year, we meet incredible partners who genuinely believe in the power of shared wisdom. Over the holiday season, we’re passing a little of that love back–starting with a few handpicked favorites from our Editor’s Choice selection.

Stay merry and hydrated this holiday season with Native Hydrate — the zero-sugar drink that combines electrolytes and amino acids for superior hydration. Whether you’re traveling, hosting, or recovering from one too many holiday toasts, Native Hydrate keeps your energy high and your spirits brighter than the Christmas lights.

Let’s say you’ve set a goal to drink more water. A solid goal, always—and one my team and I are constantly working toward too.

Now imagine giving yourself a head start.

Instead of tracking every liter you haven’t had yet, you create an immediate sense of progress. That’s the power of choosing a product designed for hydration—it gives you a visual and psychological cue that you’re already in motion.

This is the same principle I love using with goals.

You’re not behind anymore. Thanks to Native Path, you’ve already started.