The research, plainly
Amabile and Kramer analyzed nearly 12,000 workday diary entries and found the single biggest driver of motivation and positive inner work life: making progress on meaningful work. Not praise, not incentives — visible forward motion, however small.
The receipt: Amabile & Kramer, 2011
What it means for events
Momentum is a design output. Structure the post-event program so week one contains a guaranteed, visible win — the first play run, the first meeting booked — because the person who progressed this week shows up next week.
Where to run it
Follow-up design
Engineer the first win: an action so achievable in week one that success is nearly certain — then celebrate it visibly.
Program dashboards
Show progress, individually and collectively: 'you've run 2 of 3 plays' fuels the third.
Multi-session programs
Open each session by surfacing wins since the last — the progress review IS the motivation engine.
Seen in the wild
Related concepts
Now use it
Score your own event against principles like this one — or make the whole vocabulary official.
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