When the Going Gets Tough, How Do We Perceive the Future?

Abstract

People struggle to stay motivated to work toward difficult goals. Sometimes the feeling of difficulty signals that the goal is important and worth pursuing; other times, it signals that the goal is impossible and should be abandoned. In this article, we argue that how difficulty is experienced depends on how we perceive and experience the timing of difficult events. We synthesize research from across the social and behavioral sciences and propose a new, integrated model to explain how components of time perception interact with interpretations of experienced difficulty to influence motivation and goal-directed behavior. Although these constructs have been studied separately in previous research, we suggest that these factors are inseparable and that an integrated model will help us to better understand motivation and predict behavior. We conclude with new empirical questions to guide future research and by discussing the implications of this research for both theory and intervention practice.

Examining the Relationship between Death Anxiety and Well-Being of Frontline Medical Staff during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…It has been a long time since we humans encountered such public health challenges; death anxiety brought from the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic indeed damaged individuals’, and especially medical staff’s, mental health and psychological well-being [ 25 ]. However, the present findings showed that during a pandemic, feeling anxiety from life scarcity would enhance the thinking about the meaning of life, which may further help medical staff pull through and achieve their goals [ 80 ]. Additionally, understanding what personality traits may help buffer detrimental outcomes has unique implications for individuals.…”