And how you feel changes what you do.
Are you using this intentionally?
I’m rewatching a training on offers by Alex Hormozi, and something small caught my attention this time.
Not the content.
The layout was different. I'd probably wouldn't notice, if I wasn't going through a behavioral science course as well.
Instead of showing how much of the video I’d already watched (like YouTube does), the player showed how much was left, and that number kept shrinking.
At first glance, who cares, right?
Except it matters a lot.
Because the moment you feel tempted to stop learning, the interface reminds you how close you are to the finish line. And your brain goes:
“Well… I might as well finish. Finishing feels good.”
Instead of:
“I’ve probably got enough value already. Time to switch.”
That tiny shift, from progress made to gap remaining, changes behavior.
Same effort.
Same content.
Different focus.
And different focus changes motivation to get results.
You can use this anywhere.
Stuck halfway through a project?
Highlight how little is left. Or, how much effort you've put in already!
Dragging your feet on admin, training, workouts, writing?
Shrink the distance to done. Break down your path into small chunks.
Businesses use this all the time.
I remember going to a coffee shop where they punched 2 holes on my loyalty card on the first visit.
Ten punches = one free coffee.
I felt like I’d won the lottery.
I wanted to fill that card.
Later I learned why they do it: starting people closer to the reward makes them far more likely to finish the journey by about 79% as research shows.
It works because humans are wired to complete things, to get things.
Focusing on how much you’ve done or how much is left - both can be useful.
The power is knowing which one to use, when.
End of the year rolls around and you tell yourself:
“It’s the last day, I deserve to let it go.”
Maybe that helps.
Or maybe thinking:
“I’m finishing strong, setting myself up to win 2026”
works better for you.
That’s the beauty, and responsibility, of being a human.
The ability to shift your focus deliberately, to activate the kind of motivation you need right now.
Most people don’t manage this skill themselves.
Their focus is shaped by apps, systems, incentives, and other people’s agendas.
Which is why so many end up working hard, just not on their own dreams.
Over to you, dear reader,
How strong is your focus control?
And is it currently taking you where you actually want to go?
