The Goldilocks rule, the secret of motivation

The Goldilocks rule tells us that People experience maximum motivation when tasks are neither very easy nor very complicated.. Once again we resort to those analogies from classic children’s stories, to describe and illustrate situations that we can all understand in a more original and illustrative way.

Goldilocks was a girl with golden hair and excessively curious who one day found a house in the forest. She did not hesitate to enter it and delight in all the beautiful things that were there. That home belonged to three bears and on one of the tables, she discovered three appetizing bowls of soup (or milk according to other sources in the story itself).

The first cup was not to his liking: the soup was too hot. He didn’t like the second one either, since it was too cold. It was the third one that accommodated his preferences. In some ways, this image can be applied to any area of ​​life. When people are faced with different options, we tend to gravitate toward the middle option.

In turn, that intermediate sphere, the one that is not very cold, nor very hot, nor very extreme, nor very impassive, is where we can demonstrate our greatest potential. The one in which we feel good. We delve a little deeper into this interesting concept.

The Goldilocks rule or the theory of “just the right amount” applies to disciplines such as psychology, biology, economics, astronomy, economics or engineering.

What is the Goldilocks rule?

In the house of the three bears in the story of Goldilocks, each piece of furniture, each clothing and each food was adjusted to the size and preferences of its owners. The girl who entered that home out of curiosity tried each of those things to also find which one suited her characteristics, discovering that everything in between was what was most in tune with her person.

If you think about it, this is what many of us do for practically our entire lives. We look for that ideal space in which each circumstance fits our characteristics. At the end of the day, it is at that point where we feel good and offer the most of ourselves. Therefore, Each person must find that adjustment point, the one that most defines them in a particular way.

The set point principle defines almost any area of ​​our existence

The Goldilocks Rule applies to psychology, science, economics, biology and even astronomy.. For example, Stephen Hawking spoke about this principle frequently. As he explained, a planet must not be too close or too far from its star or from the center of the galaxy for life to exist.

The same thing happens in the economy: for a product to be profitable, it must not have a very low or exorbitant price. In medicine, for example, there are drugs with excitatory and inhibitory properties at the same time, such as some antipsychotics. However, its administration generates an ideal set point to reduce mania, impulsivity, etc.

Netflix is ​​another company that applies the Goldilocks rule or the principle Goldilocks. Three types of rates are established on this platform: a higher one with more advantages, an intermediate one and a lower one with fewer benefits. In general, most users tend to use the intermediate rate (or the one that best suits their finances/needs).

The Goldilocks Rule and Motivation

The area where the Goldilocks rule applies most is in the field of motivation.. Something we all know is that we all like challenges and challenges. However, for a challenge to be rewarding and our motivation to be maintained, we need the rule to be followed. Goldilocks.

That is to say, if we like chess we will surely collapse if we face Magnus Carlsen, the current world champion. The same thing will happen if we play with a 4-year-old child who has just learned. The optimal level of motivation is one that adjusts to our current abilities, and it is generally an intermediate zone in which we feel good.

The same thing happens in the world of sports and health. A study by Curtin University highlights another important fact. While it is true that exercising is good for our general well-being, each person must start from their own personal characteristics.

That is to say, Anyone who is not used to running or going to the gym, for example, cannot start with a high intensity session.. Something like this can be counterproductive.

According to the Goldilocks rule, in sport the ideal thing is to find that middle point in which, without reaching the limit, the heart and the body reach healthy and sufficient activity.

Habit and consistency will shift our set points

There is another interesting element of the Goldilocks rule. As we develop a habit (study, sport, etc.) we will become more competent. By this rule of three, that ideal adjustment point will change, we will go towards that extreme premium or “expert” in which we will need increasingly higher challenges.

That is the magic of human development, of our evolution. Happiness also starts from integrating this rule with the name of a children’s story. Once we discover what our current set point is, we can work to continue moving forward. and continue progressing to achieve maximum well-being. That’s the key.

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