Imagine playing a tennis match against a four-year-old, it's too easy and quickly becomes boring. Now imagine trying to return a 140mph serve from Roger Federer, that would quickly become demotivating. The first is too easy and the second one is too hard, both are no fun.
Now imagine playing against someone with equal ability, every point won motivates you, and every point lost makes you more focused on getting back on top. This is the Goldilocks rule in action.
The Goldilocks Rule says that motivation remains highest when working on tasks that sit on the boundary of our current capabilities — not too hard, not too easy, just right. Here's how you can use it when building better habits
Engage in tasks of just manageable difficulty.
Measure your progress and strive for immediate feedback whenever possible.
Hitting the Goldilocks zone is not just great for motivation, it also provides a great sense of satisfaction with your task. This state of heightened focus and performance is often referred to as the flow. If you want to stay motivated for the long run, take on just the right challenges, keep track of your progress, and stay consistent.