The Progress Visibility Loop
Turn visible improvement into motivation for the next attempt
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 94%
Start by identifying what is already working rather than treating change only as a deficit. Define a concrete goal and a plausible route from the current state, because vividly imagining a specific plan can strengthen belief that the outcome is possible. Then record a simple baseline and the result of each attempt: minutes exercised, sessions completed, problems solved, or another relevant measure. Compare each result with the previous one and set the next target only a little higher. The mechanism is a feedback loop: evidence of learning or improvement creates motivation, which supports another attempt, which creates fresh evidence. Sharot distinguishes this from merely collecting rewards; she cites research in which people felt best when they learned or progressed.
Origin
Tali Sharot described this approach on The Diary of a CEO while explaining how concrete plans and recorded progress can support behaviour change.
Core principles
- 01Awareness should include existing strengths
- 02Concrete plans make outcomes easier to imagine
- 03Visible progress motivates continued effort
- 04The next target should sit just above the current result
How to run it
- 1
Inventory what already works
Identify a useful skill, trait, or behaviour already present. Treat it as the starting asset for change.
Pro tip Choose something demonstrated by recent behaviour, not an aspirational label.
- 2
Specify the next result
Turn the broad goal into a concrete result you can imagine and observe.
Pro tip Make the first result close enough to feel plausible.
Watch out A rigid plan can become a distraction; the route may change.
- 3
Record the baseline
Write down the current frequency, duration, quality, or output using one useful measure.
Watch out Do not choose a vanity metric that can rise while the real outcome worsens.
- 4
Log every attempt
Measure each comparable attempt so improvement does not depend on memory or mood.
Pro tip Keep the log easy enough to update immediately.
- 5
Raise the next target slightly
Use the latest result to choose a modest next step. Repeat the loop as evidence accumulates.
Pro tip Look for learning as well as raw performance.
Watch out Large jumps can erase the motivating sense of progress.
In the wild
A new runner records a 10-minute treadmill session rather than judging the session against a distant fitness goal. On the next visit, they aim for 15 minutes and log the result. Each small increase supplies visible evidence that the habit and capacity are growing.
→ The distant goal becomes a sequence of observable improvements.
Common mistakes
Measuring only the final goal
A distant outcome can hide weeks of real learning and remove the feedback that supports another attempt.
Ignoring existing strengths
Starting with a deficit-only story overlooks capabilities that can make the plan more credible and practical.
Is it for you?
Best for
People building a measurable habit or skill through repeated attempts.
Not ideal for
Goals where a single metric would hide quality, safety, or other important outcomes.
From the transcript
“when people can actually see their progress that is extremely motivating”
“you always want to be a little bit above from where you were”
“they felt the best when they learned something new”
From the episode
No.1 Neuroscientist: NEW Research Explains Why Life, Work & Your Sex Life will eventually get Boring! (HOW TO STOP THIS HAPPENING) Dr. Tali Sharot