Targets, Treats and Traction: Motivation by Design

The right reward turns hard work into momentum

Rewards aren’t childish. They’re how our brains learn that effort leads somewhere worth going. Without them, even good progress starts to feel like endless pushing.

My gingerbread target

This year, one of my rewards was simple: gingerbread houses for my kids. I wanted to buy them, but I didn’t have spare money to keep spending for the rest of the year. So I did what founders do when we’re thinking clearly. I designed the reward properly.

I spoke to a good friend of mine, Fay Miller, a Director’s Hub member and owner of Gingerbread World. We did a deal, and I made myself a promise: hit my sales target, and the gingerbread houses were happening. Not a splurge or a reckless moment, but a reward that would feel earned and keep me focused without straining the business.

No target, no reward. I hit it. The reward landed.

Why it works

It wasn’t really about spending. It was about meaning, momentum and keeping my word to myself. A well-designed reward is:

• Linked to a clear target, so you know exactly what earns it.
• Affordable, so it never puts the business under pressure.
• Personal, so it actually matters to you.

Motivation isn’t magic. It’s designed.

Try this: set one target for next month and attach a reward you’d genuinely look forward to.

Written by Sonny Cutting – The Directors’ Hub