Outpouring of support motivated by compassion

If there's anything good that comes from a humanitarian catastrophe on the staggering scale of the Haiti earthquake, it's the reminder of our own common humanity.

The international response-- from the hundreds of millions of dollars in donations from individuals and corporations to the disaster relief provided by different governments -- transcends politics or economics or self-interest.

This unprecedented outpouring of support is motivated by compassion for the people of this ravaged nation. While there are acknowledged logistical problems distributing aid in the ruined capital of Port-au-Prince -- and delays caused by the sheer destruction wrought by the 7.0-richter magnitude quake -- the difficulties do not detract from this compassion.

In fact, the very first country to provide aid -- the neighbouring Dominican Republic -- put aside lingering animosities that dated back to the 19th century to provide clean water, food and heavy equipment to help in rescue efforts.

The government of Qatar, a small Muslim nation bordered by Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf, sent more than 50 tonnes of desperately needed supplies on a C-17, while the Israeli government erected a field hospital near the United Nations building in Port-au-Prince. The government of Iran announced plans to send 30 tonnes of emergency aid, including tents and medicine.

The European Union provided an immediate three-million euros in funding while pledging another 600-million euros in long-term support for emergency aid and reconstruction. The governments of Canada and the U.S. -- the countries that have taken the lead roles in assistance efforts -- have both more than $100 million in financial aid, as well as troops and equipment to help with rescue efforts.

In total, almost 120 of the world's nations have pledged to helping the people of Haiti.

These commitments have been matched by an incredible response from intergovernmental organizations and hundreds of nongovernment agencies like the International Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

In Canada, the Red Cross has already raised $22 million for relief efforts. Locally, Oxford residents were lined up outside of the Woodstock offices of the Red Cross to make donations while local businesses have made their own financial contributions.

With hundreds of thousands feared dead and millions left homeless -- and fears of an unparalleled crisis as supplies begin to dwindle -- much of the world has mobilized and that, given the usual international tensions and willful ignorance, is cause for hope. This common response shows that we are capable of putting aside our differences and working for the betterment of all.

If only we could do it a little more often.


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In Somerville, reluctant Coakley voters motivated by health care

SOMERVILLE -- In the Democratic primary last month for US Senate, this city backed the campaign of Representative Michael Capuano, a native son and former mayor who ultimately came up short against Martha Coakley.

Capuano's loss did not prevent voters from turning out in droves today for the general election, with a polling place at the Dante Club bustling early. Several people interviewed on the way out of the social hall described themselves as reluctant Coakley supporters motivated by the prospect of a victory by Republican Scott Brown and concerns that it would thwart the health care legislation before Congress.

"To be honest, I wasn't all that enthusiastic about Martha Coakley. But, you know, I think the health care thing is so important," said Chris O’Brien, a 29-year-old singer-songwriter who began paying closer attention after the race tightened. "I didn't know who Scott Brown was two weeks ago. . . [but] I know he’s been gaining some serious momentum over the last couple of weeks, so we'll see. It’s hard to imagine Massachusetts with a Republican senator."

In the primaries, 670 of the precinct's 2,300-plus voters cast ballots, leaving poll workers in December with little to do for stretches other than sip coffee and leaf through magazines. But this morning, 334 had voted by 10 a.m., with the line snaking down the corridor at times during a pre-work rush. Some had not voted since the 2008 presidential election.

The Coakley campaign was going door-to-door among the neighborhood's multi-family houses to check off potential supporters and encourage turnout, in a densely populated area that was once the domain largely of immigrant and working-class families and that is now home to scores of young professionals and graduate students.

"It's been busy, exceptionally so," said Niki Voorthamis, the precinct's warden, noting that a dozen or so voters had already come in who were not on the rolls at all or who had fallen to the inactive list because of recent failure to vote or return the city's last census.

At that moment, as if on cue, Mara Brod approached Voorthamis's table, after the clerks near the door failed to find her name on their list. Brod, a 39-year-old photographer who has lived in Somerville for over a decade, confided that she had not voted since 2008 and had recently moved within the city.

"I just wanted to see if I'm still registered at my old apartment," Brod told Voorthamis, who jotted down her past and present addresses on a pad and picked up a walkie-talkie to call the city's election headquarters. A fuzzy reply came back; Brod was on the list at the Cummings School, nearly a mile's walk in the snow.

"You hear that? You're at 3-2, and I'll tell you where that is," Voorthamis said. "You're on the inactive list but you can vote there."

Outside, Brod said she was motivated by a desire to see national health care legislation pass, not because she loves Coakley.

"I feel like she's who we have, and I'm a little disappointed about the way she ran her campaign," Brod said. "But I guess they just didn't see this coming."


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Less motivated people achieve success on fun tasks

Washington, Jan 20: People who are highly motivated generally do better on specific tasks than those who are less motivated, but when it comes to fun tasks, the latter bunch emerges as the winner.

According to lead researcher Dolores Albarrac¡n from University of Illinois, the findings suggest that two students may respond quite differently to a teacher's exhortation that they strive for excellence.

The study suggests that those who are "chronically uninterested in achievement" are not operating out of a desire to do badly.

Their differing responses simply may reflect the fact that they have different goals.

"The competitive mindset, the achievement mindset becomes a huge de-motivator for those who don't necessarily value excellence as much as they value their well-being," said Albarrac¡n.

"Perhaps the reason they don't care to do well is because they want to do something else; they want to enjoy themselves - which is not a bad goal," she added.

In four studies, the researchers evaluated how participants' attitudes toward achievement, called their "chronic achievement motivation," influenced their performance on various tasks.

It showed that those with high achievement motivation did better on a task when they also were exposed to subconscious "priming" (the flash of a word on a computer screen, for example, that appeared too briefly to be consciously noticed) that related to winning, mastery or excellence.

Those with low achievement motivation did worse under the same conditions.

Similarly, when given a choice, those with high achievement motivation were more likely to resume an interrupted task, such as a word-search puzzle, which they were told tested their verbal reasoning ability, than their peers, who were more likely to switch to a task perceived as fun.

The researchers also found that those with high achievement motivation actually did worse on a word-search puzzle when they were told the exercise was fun and they had been exposed to achievement primes, such as the words "excel," "compete" or "dominate."

Their counterparts, who were not very motivated to achieve, did better under the same conditions.

These finding suggest that achievement primes inhibit the desire to have fun in those who are motivated to achieve, the authors wrote. But in people who lack achievement motivation, the same cues seem to enhance their desire - and ability - to perform a task seen as fun.

"It's not that those with high achievement motivation always perform better. You can also get the low achievement motivation folks to perform better than the highs when you present a task as enjoyable and fun," Albarrac¡n added.

The study appears in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.


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Part loyalty and vanity motivated the Senate

Like desperate last-minute Christmas shoppers who would grab any gift at any price, the U.S. Senate rushed through a hasty and ill-conceived rewrite of healthcare legislation on Christmas Eve. It was a holiday party—a total party line vote.
President Obama’s message to senators seemed focused more on party loyal and an appeal to desires for glory than on what Americans want or need. Plus the spirit of “What's in it for me?” rather than the unselfish spirit of Christmas.
With public support collapsing all about them — 61 percent in opposition, according to CNN’s December polling — many Democrats seemed motivated by a feeling that they’ve gone too far to turn back now, even if it’s in the wrong direction.
They could invoke Benjamin Franklin’s aphorism: “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
Franklin, however, had a much nobler purpose in mind: independence from government tyranny.
The ultimate language remains a mystery to many, concealed in two thousand pages of wrapping. The governors of New York and California, after digging to the bottom, crying foul over billions in new costs that will further wreck their already imperiled state budgets.
With or without a so-called “public option,” it’s certain that the bill will displace millions of Americans from their private insurance, put Washington in charge of all healthcare and insurance, and expand the number of people who depend on taxpayers to pay for their coverage.
Bureaucrats such as the new “health choices commissioner” would be granted czar-like powers to impose what would function as a federally controlled, single-payer system. That power would extend over everyone, even those who think they still have private insurance.
“It’s now or never” summed up the White House message as President Obama asks his fellow Democrats to disregard the public opposition and pass Obamacare anyway. White House operatives told Politico this is the “last chance” and “last train leaving the station” as Christmas approached.
The appeal to unity and glory is an echo of the argument Obama used to rally final votes for the House version of the legislation. As ABC News said about that House meeting, Obama used an argument based on political calculation: "At the end of his speech, Obama got a rousing ovation for saying, "I am absolutely confident that, when I sign this bill in the Rose Garden, each and every one of you will be able to look back and say, 'This was my finest moment in politics.'"
This appeal to political vanity is very different from the claims the president makes about his proposals in public meetings. So it’s no wonder that Obama has abandoned his campaign pledge to conduct healthcare negotiations publicly and on C-SPAN. Now the House and Senate versions of the bill will be reconciled behind closed doors (but with the White House well-represented).
Obama had said in 2008, "I'm going to have all the negotiations around a big table. We'll have doctors and nurses and hospital administrators. Insurance companies, drug companies — they'll get a seat at the table, they just won't be able to buy every chair. But what we will do is, we'll have the negotiations televised on C-SPAN."
Those who want to commit political suicide will suffer the consequences at the hands of the voters. The problem is that damage won’t end there. Dramatic new costs will be imposed on 160 million Americans who already have health insurance. Unfair adverse consequences will abound, such as a $3,000 penalty on businesses that hire low-income workers. It will be costlier than ever to create new jobs or to buy insurance (except for those who are granted new government subsidies at the expense of taxpayers).
Rather than appealing to party loyalty and political vanity, even many on the left are calling for President Obama and Congress to slow down and start over. But they so far show no signs of doing that.
(Ernest Istook, who was a congressman from Oklahoma for 14 years, now is a distinguished fellow at The Heritage Foundation.)


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Motivated Vonn wins 3d straight downhill

HAUS IM ENNSTAL, Austria - Nothing like a “stupid’’ comment about her weight to make Lindsey Vonn ski faster.

She won her third straight World Cup downhill yesterday and regained the overall standings lead from Maria Riesch of Germany.

Austrian media this week reported that Vonn, the reigning downhill and overall champion, would have an advantage in speed events because she was carrying additional weight.

“Any time people say stupid things in the media, it always makes me more motivated to try to ski faster,’’ Vonn said. “It’s obvious that I am an athlete and not an overweight person, so I thought it was pretty ridiculous. It just added fuel to the fire.’’

Vonn raced the course in 1 minute 38.84 seconds to beat Anja Paerson of Sweden by 0.35 seconds. Riesch took third, 0.39 behind the American.

“I really attacked today,’’ said Vonn, who is skiing with a bruised left arm after a crash in Lienz last month but still posted the fastest first intermediate time. She is unbeaten in downhill since February 2008.

Former slalom champion Giorgio Rocca pulled a muscle in training and might miss the Vancouver Olympics. The Italian Winter Sports Federation said Rocca injured the thigh-groin area and will miss this weekend’s races in Switzerland . . . Two-time overall champion Bode Miller will try to earn a spot in the Olympic giant slalom when he returns to racing today after a three-week injury break. US coach Sasha Rearick said Miller spent the holidays in California and his injured ankle swelled during the flight.


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Indian attacks raise fears of ruined reputation

The Victorian Government says it hopes another attack on an Indian man in Melbourne will not dissuade people from considering Australia as a safe place to study, work and live.

An Indian man is in hospital after being set on fire in the street in Melbourne early yesterday morning.

Jaspreet Singh, 29, was attacked in Essendon in Melbourne's north-west shortly before 2.00am (AEDT).

He had just come home from a dinner party with his wife and went to park his car when four men poured fluid over him and set him alight.

He is in a stable condition in the Alfred Hospital with burns to 20 per cent of his body.

Victorian Minister Peter Batchelor says the Government hopes the incident will not harm people's views of Australia.

"We don't support any sorts of violence at all irrespective of who it is against, whether it is against people who are born and live here or whether it is for all of the fantastic migrants or refugees or students who come to our country," he said.

"Whether it is racially motivated or whether is is for some other reason such as theft or some other crime related factor, it diminishes our community, it diminishes us all and we're totally opposed to it.

"We want the police to thoroughly investigate this to get to the bottom of it."

Police say the strange circumstances surrounding the attack have led them to believe it was not racially motivated.

Detective acting senior sergeant Neil Smyth says police are yet to locate burnt clothing the victim discarded shortly after the incident.

He says police have a general description of who the offenders could be.

"I believe there is no reason at this stage to consider this in any way as racially motivated... the circumstances of him parking the car randomly in a side street and just some people approaching him are a bit strange," he said.

"It's highly unlikely therefore to be a targeted attack on any individual."

Police say the man is of Indian origin but they do not know whether he is an Australian citizen.

Friends say the man is living in the city on a spouse visa.

It has been a week since 21-year-old Indian man Nitin Garg was stabbed to death on his way to work in West Footscray.

The murder has sparked outrage in India and among Indians in Melbourne, who say racist attacks are on the rise.

Gautam Gupta from the Federation of Indian Students of Australia says the attacks are unacceptable and the Federal Government must act.

"We are extremely disturbed, we have contacted the Prime Minister's office and have suggested that they intervene, it's high time they intervene," he said.

"How many times are they going to just dodge this issue."

Cartoon 'hysteria'

Yesterday the editor of an Indian newspaper said Australia was reacting hysterically to a cartoon depicting an Australian police officer as a member of the Ku Klux Klan .

The cartoon shows a person in a Ku Klux Klan hood wearing a police badge, with a caption that reads: "We are yet to ascertain the nature of the crime".

The editor of the Mail Today newspaper, Bharat Bhushan, has defended his decision to publish the controversial cartoon.

Mr Bhushan has also defended the paper's cartoonist, R Prasad, who drew the piece in response to attacks on young Indian men in Melbourne.

"What he does is he exaggerates things," Mr Bhushan said.

"He forces people to look at a particular point of view, which we had thought in a mature society like Australia would lead to introspection, rather it has led to hysteria."

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has expressed outrage at the cartoon's Ku Klux Klan reference.

"Any suggestion of that kind is deeply, deeply offensive to the police officers involved and I would absolutely condemn the making of a comment like that," Ms Gillard said.

"[The police] have indeed worked in close collaboration with representatives of the Indian community as they've gone about this step up in policing."


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ALABAMA NOTEBOOK: Saban keeps Tide motivated

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Coaches from the two teams playing in the BCS national championship game traveled Saturday to Disneyland for an appearance at the ESPN Zone, a sports bar and restaurant located at the entrance to the theme park.

Alabama coach Nick Saban drew a huge laugh from the media when asked if he was enjoying himself. The coach was greeted by Mickey Mouse as he stepped off the team bus, then sat down with ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer for a 30-minute session with the media. When he got up to leave, a Disneyland official tried to hand him a special BCS trophy of the Magic Castle, which he quickly passed to Alabama football media relations director Jeff Purinton.

This is what Saban calls "clutter," a series of distractions that has nothing to do -- in his mind -- with Thursday's game between top-ranked Alabama and second-ranked Texas.

"I told our players a story the other day about the U.S. hockey team," Saban said. "Probably one of the greatest victories of this century by any team was when they beat the Soviets in 1980, the 'Miracle on Ice.' Do you know what people don't remember? That didn't win the gold medal. They had to win the next game against Finland to win the gold medal.

"So what did they learn when they beat the Soviets? They learned when they made a commitment and everybody had a single-minded purpose and an I-won't-be-denied kind of attitude and everybody went out there and played their best what they could accomplish. Hopefully our players will learn some of the same things from what they did in the SEC Championship Game.

"The first thing I did when we came back from the SEC Championship Game is I drew a line on the grease board all the way across the room, the team meeting room, and I said, 'It's 32 days until we play the game. How you manage those 32 days is going to determine how you play in the game. And I can't control that for everybody in this room; you have to make those choices and decisions for yourself.'"

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Cornerback Johnson returns: Senior cornerback Marquis Johnson returned to practice Saturday wearing a cast on his left hand to protect a broken thumb.

"He practiced today and he's using his hand again," Saban said. "He didn't practice with a black shirt on, which means he was able to have contact. Now, whether he can catch the ball with a cast on his hand or not, he has caught some, but it could affect his ability to catch."

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McElroy's mojo: Saban was asked by several national reporters about the emergence of Greg McElroy this season, but said he learned more about the junior quarterback when he had some struggles during the middle of the season.

"Probably my biggest memory, to be honest with you, is when he had the dip, having a conversation with him about focusing on the right things, be who you are," Saban said. "I think he got to where he started to try to please everyone else, and he really wasn't doing what he needed to do as a player.

"And to see him realize that and sort of come back and improve and finish the season strong, that's probably (the) most significant (memory), at least for our team and for Greg."


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Myrtle Beach area gyms push folks to stay motivated

Local gyms and fitness centers are expecting an influx of people coming in to burn off those holiday pounds.

But just like the holidays come to an end, so do several new participants' goals to get in shape after working out a month or two at the gym, local fitness experts say.



That's why several area gyms and fitness centers are offering discounts and programs to help people stay motivated.

They encourage people to make healthy eating choices, set small, reachable goals, to grow with their goals, to be consistent, and have programs in place to entice people to stay.

"A lot of times people get overzealous, and they burn themselves out," said Pat Flynn, fitness director at the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and Fitness Center. "We tell them to take it slow and to start with three days a week."

The North Myrtle Beach center is waiving its $100 enrollment fee through Saturday and will have an open house that day during which people can use the facility for free, said director Melinda Chappell.

The center also has a "Smallest Winner New Year's Challenge" program, in which groups of three or four team up with a trainer and compete against other teams for six weeks to see who can lose the most weight, Flynn said. The team with the highest percentage of weight lost at the end of the contest will win prizes, Flynn said.

Some other workout facilities are offering similar programs.

Myrtle Beach's Pepper Geddings Recreation Center is in its fifth year of its "Choose to Lose" weight loss competition and fitness program. Prizes are offered throughout the 12-week program that begins Saturday as an incentive and reward to participants who meet their goals, recreation center officials said.

The American Athletic Club in Myrtle Beach allowed people to register in December for "12 Days of Fitness." Those who registered get to use the gym for free for a 12-day trial.

If participants decide to join after the 12-day trial ends, they will get a discount on their membership, said manager Chal Lester.

Kerry and Allison Brazley, who are doing the 12-day trial, said it takes motivation and determination to stick with your fitness plan and reach your goals.

The two are considering joining the gym when they permanently move to the area and said they want to maintain what they've been doing, such as strength training and conditioning.

"You have to do everything in moderation," Allison Brazley said. "People try to do too much at once."

In addition to giving all its members a free fitness assessment, Gold's Gym in Myrtle Beach also offers its new members a free fitness assessment with a personal trainer, said Tre Capp, who works at the gym.

"We get people to set goals when they first come in," Capp said.

Barbara Martin, who was working out Thursday at the North Myrtle Beach fitness center, said her goals are to lower her cholesterol level, lose weight, be more flexible and get into shape so it doesn't hurt her to walk or move.

"I got tired feeling as old as I am," said Martin, a new member at the North Myrtle Beach facility.

"I didn't want to make another New Year's resolution to lose weight. I did that years ago, and it only lasted about a month. I made a resolution the first part of December to go to the center. It's more of a commitment to me."

Martin, who has a fitness plan set up for her, is looking long-term to be able to fit into her size 12 clothes again.

"I still have size 10 and 12 [clothing] in my closet, just in case," Martin said.

"If I see results, it always keeps me motivated to do more. If I can put on a pair of pants and I feel more comfortable, it makes me feel motivated to continue."

Chappell said people who work out with a trainer or participate in classes tend to be motivated by others to help them stay on task.


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Falcons, Bucs motivated for season finale

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Atlanta Falcons can make franchise history. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would like to think they can save their coach's job.

So much for the notion that the NFC South rivals might be content with going through the motions when they end disappointing seasons Sunday.

The Falcons (8-7) have won two straight and still have a shot at finishing with consecutive winning records for the first time.

The Bucs (3-12), also winners the past two weeks, have one more opportunity to make a case they're headed in the right direction after losing 12 of their first 13 under rookie coach Raheem Morris.

"Our motivation is to have a winning season," Falcons 1,000-yard receiver Roddy White said.

"You always want to be the first person to do something. That's what our task is. It's like a playoff game. Our owner wants to get this out of the way. We're going to be out there playing hard. We want to make sure we get it done for him."

The Bucs are feeling a lot better about themselves after beating Seattle and New Orleans on the road.

They rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Saints in overtime last week, although it's anybody's guess if one of the biggest upsets of the year enhanced the prospect of Morris returning in 2010.

The reclusive Glazer family has not commented publicly on the 33-year-old coach's future. Nor have team officials done anything to squash speculation the owners are trying to gauge whether Bill Cowher is interested in the job.

In the meantime, the youngest coach in the league continues to go about his business.

"When you do what I do, you can't worry about that," Morris said. "You've got to go do your job."

The Falcons entered the season with high expectations after winning 11 games and making the playoffs in their first year under Mike Smith. They faded after a 4-1 start, in part because of key injuries that contributed to a stretch of six losses in eight games.

Victories the past two weeks against the Jets and Bills ensured Atlanta would finish .500 or better in consecutive seasons for just the fifth time.

"You get what you earn in this league. To this point we've earned an 8-7 record ... but we feel like we've made some strides in a lot of areas," Smith said.

"This is our second year. We're talking about building a team that is going to be able to sustain the level of play for a number of years. That's our main goal. I think we made some improvements in many areas, even though it doesn't show on the win-loss record."

Morris feels the same way about his young team, which has endured three quarterback changes, as well as the firing of their offensive and defensive coordinators since the start of training camp.

After a slow start, the offense is showing signs of progress, with rookie quarterback Josh Freeman going 3-5 since moving into the starting lineup. The defense allowed 29 points per game through 10 games, but has limited opponents to 17.4 per game since Morris took over play-calling responsibilities five weeks ago.

Against the Seahawks and Saints, Tampa Bay didn't allow any points in the second half.

"We're playing good football right now," said Freeman, who believes the Bucs are beginning to establish an identity as a tough, physical team.

"We're running the ball. The defense is standing up and shutting people down. This is the type of football we're capable of playing. Our record is what it is, but we have a chance to go out and get another one on Sunday and end the season on a high note."

The Falcons beat Tampa Bay 20-17 in Atlanta on Nov. 29, despite losing Matt Ryan with a foot injury in the opening quarter. Backup Chris Redmond threw the winning TD pass to White with 23 seconds to go.

The Falcons have taken note of what the Bucs have done down the stretch.

"I'm very impressed with the effort and the consistency they're playing with," Smith said.

"I think defensively, they have really stepped up their play in the last four or five weeks. And the young quarterback has definitely matured since the first time we saw him, and I thought he had a very good game when we played him here in Atlanta."

Running back Cadillac Williams, who has overcome two career-threatening knee injury to become Tampa Bay's leading rusher again, is among the Bucs who feel Morris and his staff deserve to be back.

"A lot of things happened, but they've definitely showed the second half of the season with Josh coming in and other guys stepping up that they've pulled things together," said Williams, coming off his first 100-yard rushing performance in over three years.

"If you watch a lot of teams that have one or two wins, they just don't play hard. You still see guys out there playing hard and giving maximum effort."


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10 ways to get motivated for change in 2010

(CNN) -- A new decade is about to start, and you may be tempted to set a copious list of resolutions for yourself in order to broadly "make life better."

You may be thinking that you'll jump in on January 1 to reform everything from diet to relationships to personality.

That, experts say, is the wrong approach. It's great to want to make changes, but in order to actually accomplish your goals, they say, it's important to be realistic, specific, and accountable.

Here are 10 things you can do to help yourself stay in a mindset to make positive changes in the coming year:

1. Set smaller goals with smaller steps

Gradual small steps motivate people toward larger change, said Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, professor of psychology at Yale University and author of the new book "The Power of Women."

If you want to lose weight, for example, change small aspects of your eating pattern. Resolve to have a salad tomorrow for lunch, and then do that for a week.

Write down the steps you want to take in a datebook to make it concrete, and reward yourself for making the individual changes, she said.

Let's say you want to work on being more optimistic this year. Nolen-Hoeksema recommends imagining what you would be like if you were optimistic. Imagine yourself going through a day at work if you were optimistic and confident, then write that down in great detail.

Now, you have specific aspects of that ideal of optimism to work toward. Pick one thing that the optimistic you is doing that you're not, and start working in that direction, she said.

Watch more on keeping your resolutions

2. Frame your goals positively

Despite the proven health risks of certain habits, such as smoking, thinking about a habit in the negative will not help you nix it. Studies have shown that it's hard to get motivated about avoiding cancer, but easier to think about smelling better and saving money as reasons to quit smoking, Nolen-Hoeksema said.

So, if you want to quit doing something, think about the positive aspects of not doing it. And make sure you reward yourself for sticking to the plan along the way.

3. Look at the pros and cons

If you're on the fence about whether you should make a change this year, make a list of the benefits and costs, said Dr. Nadine Kaslow, professor of psychiatry at Emory University.

Pay attention to what's driving you, she said. Sometimes it's pain that motivates people to change, or a new phase of life, or new information, or a possible promotion.

"It helps to get clear about what you want to change and why you want to change it," she said.

4. Get a resolutions buddy

Knowing that someone else is working toward similar goals, or is supporting you in your endeavors, helps to keep motivation up. Having a new year's resolution buddy who's keeping track of your progress helps keep you accountable for what you've done.

At the end of every year, Kaslow and her friend review all of their goals from the prior year, examining what the obstacles were to change and then developing new goals for the next year.

Planning for goals with someone can guide you in the path towards change, even if you don't don't accomplish everything in a single year, she said.

5. Be specific

It's easy to get discouraged by a broad goal like "I'm going to improve my marriage," Nolen-Hoeksema said. Figure out exactly what it is that's not working for you, and then formulate a strategy for solving individual problems.

In the marriage example, it's important to get realistic about what it is about your marriage that needs improvement. Then, spend some time keeping a diary and tracking what's going right and what's not, and come up with one thing you can do per week that would help the situation.

The process of assessing the small actions you can take in the immediate future, and savoring the positive effects, can take a lot of pressure off and help you achieve larger goals, she said.

6. Know thyself

The start of the year is as good a time as any to take inventory of yourself. What are your passions? What do you want to be doing better? Take the time think about who you are and how you want life to be, said Craig Levine, a clinical psychologist in San Francisco, California.

Real change happens because you yourself want it, not because others want it for you, experts say.

"If it's something that doesn't connect to you and truly relate to you, just because someone says you should do something, if it doesn't resonate with you, it's not going to be as helpful as something that truly fits you," Levine said.

7. Examine deeper issues

Sometimes there are problems that need to be addressed before people can move forward with the change they want.

In some cases there are psychological impediments to making changes, Levine said. For example, some people fear failure so much that they unknowingly sabotage themselves. Self-esteem may also play a role -- some people don't feel they're worthy of being taken care of, he said.

If you think that there are deeper issues preventing you from moving forward in your life in some way, consult a mental health professional.

8. Don't be overanxious

Having a long list of lofty resolutions can create anxiety, so Nolen-Hoeksema recommends choosing anywhere between three and five overarching things to change.

For Kaslow, the word "resolution" connotes a "pass-fail" ultimatum, so she prefers using the word "goal."

Writing down your goals and how you plan to achieve them is a good way to beat anxiety, Levine said.

9. Be flexible

Although you should be specific about what you want to do, sometimes it helps to broaden your vision of what you're trying to accomplish. For instance, if you've been laid off from your job in the financial sector, it may not be immediately possible to find a similar position.

But if you are on the job market, the broader goal might be to support yourself or your family, Nolen-Hoeksema said. Having a wider vision of what constitutes success can free you up to explore other options that do help with the central purpose.

"Step back and say, 'Is there any way I can achieve that bigger goal without getting fixated on the goal I had before?'" she said.

10. Keep your eye on the ball

Changing behaviors is especially difficult when other people around you encourage habits you're trying to kick, or if you are under stress. For instance, if you're a recovering alcoholic and having a bad day, it might be hard to resist if someone says, "It looks like you need a drink," Kaslow said.

Know that there's going to be some anxiety, but be patient with yourself, Kaslow said. Take it one incident at a time, one day at a time.

"You have to deal with some negative consequences when you change, both internal and interpersonal, and environmental," she said. "You have to sort of get help dealing with those, and weather those storms."


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How to Stay Motivated -- and Get That Bonus

Daniel Pink became well known for "A Whole New Mind," his 2005 best-selling book in which he made the bold statement that right-brainers -- people who are strong in qualities such as empathy, storytelling and inventiveness -- will rule the future. In his new book, "Drive," Mr. Pink explores the concept of human motivation and what he calls "the surprising truth" about what motivates us.

"Drive" boils down true motivation into three elements: 1) autonomy, the desire to direct our own lives, 2) mastery, the desire to continually improve at something that matters, and 3) purpose, the desire to do things in service of something larger than ourselves.

Mr. Pink takes aim at business in particular. He warns that traditional carrot-and-stick methods, in which companies use a particular incentive -- often money -- as a contingent reward for a task, are not only ineffective for motivating employees, but potentially harmful. He offers up new models for corporations that he says will tap into true motivation, yield higher satisfaction among employees and deliver stronger results.

The Wall Street Journal talked to Mr. Pink about his own motivations, how to influence others, and how our culture and economy play a role in motivating factors.

The Wall Street Journal: What was your personal motivation in writing this book?

Daniel Pink: I got a lot of questions from readers on the previous book ("A Whole New Mind"). With this move from left-brain abilities to right-brain abilities, how do we motivate people? That led me to the science of human motivation, which unfurled in the last 40-50 years. At another level, I'm someone who works for himself, I've got three kids in school trying to make their way and I'm just curious about what makes us tick.

WSJ: You state there is a shift in motivation happening now, from a system built on external rewards and punishments, to one centered on the principles of autonomy, mastery and purpose. Why is this occurring?

Mr. Pink: I think it's happening now for a number of economic reasons. One is we're moving more toward creative conceptual work, and for that, this regime of carrots and sticks doesn't work very well. The second thing is, we're seeing the weaknesses of that older approach to motivation. If you look at the last decade, it's been one of almost breathtaking underachievement. The economy seems to be lurching from boom to bust, and so I think we're recognizing the limits of this approach today.

WSJ: Is it mainly in Western countries?

Mr. Pink: I don't think it's a Western thing to really talk about intrinsic motivation and the drive for autonomy, mastery and purpose. You have to not be struggling for survival. For people who don't know where their next meal is coming, notions of finding inner motivation are comical. But there are more and more countries with rising middle class, and more people shifting to this different kind of work, and it's exposing the inadequacies of a motivational system in business that people are simply horses that respond to carrots and sticks.

WSJ: Are there circumstances in which the carrot-and-stick approach still works?

Mr. Pink: Carrots and sticks work pretty well for simple, routine, rule-based tasks. I don't think it needs to be completely banished, but those kinds of if-then motivators have limited effectiveness.

WSJ: What's at stake for companies that stick to the carrot-and-stick approach?

Mr. Pink: First, it's bad business strategy. These supposedly hard-headed businesses who claim to value facts and evidence are actually in many ways abiding by folklore about what really motivates people. What's at stake is whether business decides to run by folklore or science. I'll take science. The continued overuse of carrots and sticks puts businesses on a path that is extraordinarily dangerous.

WSJ: You suggest providing "now-that" rewards after a job has been done well. Can you give an example of this, and how it is different from an "if-then" reward?

Mr. Pink: Let's say you have a small design team in your office and you want to redesign your Web site. You could go to the team and say, "If you do something amazing, I'll give you each a $1,000 bonus." That's typically how we approach things. Science shows it narrows their focus, which is good for getting out of a burning building, or adding columns of figures. However, for that kind of Web site-design task, you don't want a narrow focus, you want a broad focus. The better approach is, "I need you to redesign a Web site. Here's what we need to accomplish, and I'm here to give you guidance and provide any tools." And then let them go and design something great.

After, a reward can be to go up and thank them, take them out to lunch, give some form of recognition after the fact, companywide. It can even be a cash bonus. But because it wasn't contingent, before the job, it's far less destructive. The danger with that is if you do it over and over it becomes an "if-then" reward in "now-that" reward clothing. Especially for fostering creative, conceptual work, the best way to use money as a motivator is to take the issue of money off the table so people concentrate on the work.

WSJ: Why would employees be less concerned with external rewards, like cash bonuses, now and more concerned about inner motivation, or as you say throughout the book, "the third drive"?

Mr. Pink: Part of it is the nature of work that is this migration from left-brain, rule-based, routine, algorithmic work to right-brain, nonroutine, creative, conceptual work. They're as different as information-age work, industrial-age work, and agriculture-based work. You need a different system to get the best out of people doing different work.

I also think especially now, as we turn the page on this decade, there's a sense that something has gone wrong. That we're not doing things the right way. You see evidence of that in different kinds of business corporations such as the low-profit limited liability corporations -- these are not pure profit maximizers. Even the Harvard Business Review is writing about how profit maximization isn't the answer.

WSJ: What is your advice for people seeking their true third drive?

Mr. Pink: It's a process of discovery. What do you do for fun? What would you do for free? What do you do in your spare time? Think about whether you can make a living doing that. What holds people back is that fear of somehow deviating from the path. Then, think in a hard-headed way if you can do those sorts of things in a way that actually earns a living. It's more possible than people think.


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BYU motivated to face Oregon State in return to familiar turf

BYU has won at least 10 games for a fourth consecutive season, and coach Bronco Mendenhall has a 42-9 overall record during that span, topped only by Boise State, Florida, Texas, and Ohio State.

So what do the 15th-ranked Cougars have to show for their success? Another Las Vegas Bowl appearance.

Not that there's anything wrong with the Las Vegas Bowl, but it's become an annual destination for BYU. With their fifth Las Vegas Bowl in as many years approaching, you'd think the Cougars would long for another postseason destination.

"A year ago I would have said yes," Mendenhall said. "I was very disappointed with how I prepared my team a year ago. We peaked for the conference championship."

The Cougars, who were coming off a loss to Utah in a game that determined the Mountain West championship last year, lost to Arizona 31-21 in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl.

The Mountain West champion automatically goes to the Las Vegas Bowl unless it is selected for a BCS game. Last year, conference champion Utah defeated Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. This year, No. 3 TCU will represent the Mountain West against No. 6 Boise State in a battle of unbeatens in the Fiesta Bowl.

The Cougars are pleased to have a quality opponent such as No. 16 Oregon State, which tied for second place in the Pac-10.

"We consider Oregon State one of the best if not the best teams in the Pac-10," said Mendenhall, a defensive back/linebacker for two seasons at OSU during his playing days. "For this game there is plenty of motivation."

Mendenhall also has coaching ties to OSU. He was the Beavers' defensive line coach in 1995, and defensive coordinator/secondary coach in 1996. He also met informally with Beavers coach Mike Riley during Riley's first coaching stint at OSU.

It will be the final game for a talented group of BYU seniors, led by quarterback Max Hall and all-America tight end Dennis Pitta.

Hall, who has thrown for 3,368 yards (67.5 completion percentage) and 30 touchdowns with 14 interceptions this season, is third in the nation in pass efficiency. He is second behind former Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer in many of BYU's career passing statistics, including yards and touchdowns.

Pitta needs two receptions in the bowl game to become the NCAA career leader in receptions for tight ends.

"The numbers say everything for Dennis and his career," Hall said.

BYU ranks 12th nationally in scoring offense (34.8 points per game) and passing offense (288.9 yards per game), and 18th in total offense (437.1 ypg).

An intriguing matchup of senior quarterbacks is shaping up between Hall and Oregon State's Sean Canfield, who was named first-team all-Pac-10. BYU's Harvey Unga and OSU's Jacquizz Rodgers both rushed for more than 1,000 yards. It figures to be a high-scoring game.

"On paper it looks like that, but you never know what could happen," Hall said. "We thought us and Utah would be a high-scoring game and it ended up being 26-23."

BYU opened the season with a 14-13 upset of then-No. 3 Oklahoma at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, suffered a shoulder injury late in the first half and did not return. But even with Bradford in the game, BYU was playing the Sooners on even terms.

"People go back to that game and say we only won because Bradford was out," said defensive end Jan Jorgensen, the Mountain West's career leader in tackles for loss. "He didn't go out until right before halftime and they had a three-point lead."

The Cougars suffered two lopsided home defeats, 54-28 to Florida State and 38-7 to TCU.

It will be the ninth meeting between BYU and OSU, and first since 1986 when Mendenhall played for the Beavers. OSU has a 5-3 advantage in the overall series.

"I'm treating this like a national championship game," said cornerback Brian Logan, who is tied for second in the nation with 17 passes defended.

Riley called Mendenhall a "great fit" for BYU.

"(He) has basically established the values in his program that he wants and then you see the results of success," Riley said. "Obviously, a very good football coach and one that I have a lot of admiration for."


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