What Motivates Getting Things Done: Procrastination, Emotions, and Success

by Mary Lamia Narrated by Cynthia Farrell

Overview

A marvel of evolution is that humans are not solely motivated by their desire to experience positive emotions. They are also motivated, and even driven to achieve, by their attempt to avoid or seek relief from negative ones. What Motivates Getting Things Done: Procrastination, Emotions, and Success explains how anxiety is like a highly motivating friend, why you should fear failure, and the underpinnings of shame, distress, and fear in the pursuit of excellence. Many successful people put things off until a deadline beckons them, while countless others can't resist the urge to do things right away. Dr. Lamia explores the emotional lives of people who are successful in their endeavors--both procrastinators and non-procrastinators alike--to illustrate how the human motivational system works, why people respond to it differently, and how everyone can use their natural style of getting things done to their advantage. The book illustrates how the different timing of procrastinators and non-procrastinators to complete tasks has to do with when their emotions are activated and what activates them. Overall, What Motivates Getting Things Done illustrates how emotions play a significant role in our style of doing, along with our way of being in the world. Readers will acquire a better understanding of the innate biological system that motivates them and how they can make the most of it in all areas of their lives.

Editorial Reviews

OCTOBER 2017 - AudioFile

Narrator Cynthia Farrell’s experience portraying strong female characters gives her narration of this audiobook magnetic appeal and authority. She has a strong repertoire of subtle pitches and intense tones that showcase but never overshadow the author’s arresting insights. Written by a psychoanalyst with a gift for teaching, the audiobook avoids pejorative takes on procrastinators by calling them deadline-driven people who need external pressure to be productive—as opposed to task-driven people who dive into their work without conflict, stress, or oppressive external pressure. The nonjudgmental approach explains the roles of positive and negative emotion in these two dominant styles, which are forged early in life and are hard to fundamentally change. Practical advice for people in romantic partnerships and work groups along with Farrell’s compelling vocal personality makes this a must-hear for all types of procrastinators. T.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

11/06/2017
Clinical psychologist Lamia (Emotions! Making Sense of Your Feelings) uses this occasionally insightful but repetitive and unsurprising study to discuss the relationship between procrastination and success. She analyzes the difference between successful people who are procrastinators—“deadline-driven” people—and non-procrastinators—“task-driven” people. Emphasizing that anxiety can be a positive motivating force, Lamia writes that task-driven people complete tasks to avoid the anxiety over having one remain unfinished. Deadline-driven people, conversely, use the anxiety they feel as a deadline approaches to get a task finished. The book hammers home these points with numerous examples. The book is at its best when addressing how being labeled a procrastinator can negatively affect children and adults, and how the two work styles interact with each other. Despite a whole chapter on the subject, failure is never meaningfully addressed. Readers will find some good advice for getting along with people with different work strategies, but the central observation about deadline- and task-driven people feels too obvious to justify a full-length book. (July)

Booklist

When it comes to getting things done, according to clinical psychologist Lamia, we can be divided into two camps: task-driven and deadline-driven. The task-driven folks keep detailed lists of projects and can’t really rest until everything is checked off. The deadline-driven mull over commitments before they begin and use the pressure of a deadline to complete their work. Interestingly, Lamia doesn’t consider one approach to be better than the other. Although the task-driven seem to be on top of things, they can sometimes rush, producing work that isn’t always their best. Despite the last-minute heroics, the deadline-driven can complete their work on time and produce high-quality results. (She does make a distinction between procrastinators who meet and don’t meet their deadlines.) The trick is embracing your style and working with it. Lamia provides illuminating insights into the positive and negative emotions that shape these attributes as well as a troubleshooting guide that offers concrete suggestions on ways to successfully harness stress and clear that to-do list.

Bill McCown

If you are someone who often can't "just do it", this book may help you just do it better. Procrastination can often be seriously debilitating. Yet, ironically it can also be a powerfully motivating, as most people who have been students know. Dr. Lamia illustrates how some people have learned to make procrastination work for them to become more effective and better reach their goals. This book uniquely shows how highly successful people have turned procrastination into a personal asset. Procrastination may help unleash creativity, generate novel problem-solving, and even heighten focus. The secret of making procrastination an ally is in managing the negative emotions it too often generates. In an area where behavior is very difficult to change, this new approach is truly exciting and greatly needed.

Mardi Horowitz

Dr. Lamia says “you can learn about yourself if you pay attention” and you can also do so by reading this book. It is lucid and has great examples. After reading it you will have deeper self-understanding.

Joseph R. Ferrari

Dr. Lamia’s new book on procrastination speaks to readers in a simple, straightforward language and tone, with lots of real-life examples making it an easy read. She offers insights to the “eMOTION + MOTIVATION” link behind forms of procrastination, with tricks on how to get it done. The emphasis on emotions (e.g., shame, guilt, anxiety, fear), and not focusing on failure, will help procrastinators cope in life.

Michael Krasny

Dr. Mary Lamia offers wise and practical light and guidance on emotions and motivation in this serious, thoughtful and important book. A singular achievement

Midwest Book Review

Exceptionally well written, impressively informative and insightful, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, What Motivates Getting Things Done: Procrastination, Emotions, and Success is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library collections, as well as the personal reading lists for psychology students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.

Booklist

When it comes to getting things done, according to clinical psychologist Lamia, we can be divided into two camps: task-driven and deadline-driven. The task-driven folks keep detailed lists of projects and can’t really rest until everything is checked off. The deadline-driven mull over commitments before they begin and use the pressure of a deadline to complete their work. Interestingly, Lamia doesn’t consider one approach to be better than the other. Although the task-driven seem to be on top of things, they can sometimes rush, producing work that isn’t always their best. Despite the last-minute heroics, the deadline-driven can complete their work on time and produce high-quality results. (She does make a distinction between procrastinators who meet and don’t meet their deadlines.) The trick is embracing your style and working with it. Lamia provides illuminating insights into the positive and negative emotions that shape these attributes as well as a troubleshooting guide that offers concrete suggestions on ways to successfully harness stress and clear that to-do list.

Library Journal

05/01/2017
Interestingly enough, both procrastinators and nonprocrastinators are successful in their endeavors, though each respond to motivation in different ways. Lamia, clinical psychologist and faculty chair (Wright Inst., Berkeley, CA) has made a lifetime study of human emotions. She explains that people are moved to complete a task by not only positive but also negative emotions such as anxiety, fear of failure, and shame. Through her descriptions of personality types and motivators, readers learn to optimize their own style of action, respond to intense feelings, and be committed to meeting goals. The "troubleshooting guide" at the end of the book outlines various ways to handle life's glitches as they come along. VERDICT This motivating self-help guide will have wide appeal, but it is primarily geared toward the college-educated reader.

OCTOBER 2017 - AudioFile

Narrator Cynthia Farrell’s experience portraying strong female characters gives her narration of this audiobook magnetic appeal and authority. She has a strong repertoire of subtle pitches and intense tones that showcase but never overshadow the author’s arresting insights. Written by a psychoanalyst with a gift for teaching, the audiobook avoids pejorative takes on procrastinators by calling them deadline-driven people who need external pressure to be productive—as opposed to task-driven people who dive into their work without conflict, stress, or oppressive external pressure. The nonjudgmental approach explains the roles of positive and negative emotion in these two dominant styles, which are forged early in life and are hard to fundamentally change. Practical advice for people in romantic partnerships and work groups along with Farrell’s compelling vocal personality makes this a must-hear for all types of procrastinators. T.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171480851
Publisher:	Vibrance Press
Publication date:	09/01/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos