You sit down to work and feel the weight of everything you haven’t started. Blank screen. Zero momentum. Naturally, your brain resists.
But what if you could bypass that inertia by giving yourself a psychological head start?
That’s the power of the endowed progress effect—a behavioral psychology principle that helps you stay motivated by making it feel like you're already partway done. This mental shortcut can dramatically increase your chances of finishing tasks, even big ones. And it’s one of the most underused productivity tricks out there.
What Is the Endowed Progress Effect?
A well-known study offered two groups of customers loyalty cards:
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Group A received a card that needed 10 stamps.
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Group B got a card that needed 12 stamps—but two were already pre-stamped.
The result? Group B—the one with a fake head start—was significantly more likely to complete the card.
This is the endowed progress effect in action: when you feel like you've already made progress, your motivation increases—even if that progress was arbitrary.
How to Use the Endowed Progress Effect to Be More Productive
Here are four simple ways to turn this psychological trick into daily momentum:
1. Start Your To-Do List With Tasks You’ve Already Done
Instead of facing a wall of untouched tasks, trick your brain into seeing progress.
Example:
That first checkmark tells your brain: "We’ve started already."
2. Split Big Tasks and Check One Off Immediately
Large projects kill momentum before it starts. Break them into smaller steps where one can be knocked out instantly.
Instead of “Finish presentation,” write:
You don’t need progress. You need traction.
3. Use Templates That Look Half-Done
Build systems where the first few steps are already filled in:
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Project docs with rough structure in place
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Spreadsheets with formulas pre-loaded
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Daily trackers with day one already checked off
Your brain sees “in progress,” not “starting from scratch.” That changes everything.
4. Reframe Small Wins as Real Progress
Stop downplaying short sessions or partial effort.
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10 minutes of writing? That’s “Day 1 of a daily streak.”
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Sorting one folder? That’s “Step 1 of digital cleanup.”
Label your effort in a way that makes it feel cumulative—not isolated.
Why This Productivity Hack Actually Works
The endowed progress effect works because it reframes effort as continuation instead of initiation. Your brain sees “already moving” and tries to maintain momentum.
The trick is to design your environment and systems to always feel like you’re mid-task—not starting from scratch. That’s where motivation lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the endowed progress effect?
The endowed progress effect is a psychological phenomenon where people are more motivated to complete a task if they feel they’ve already made some progress—even if that progress was artificially created. It’s a common tool used in both productivity systems and marketing.
How does the endowed progress effect improve productivity?
It boosts motivation by making tasks feel easier to complete. By starting with small wins or breaking big goals into smaller, trackable steps, you create momentum that helps you follow through more consistently.
What are real-life examples of the endowed progress effect?
Examples include loyalty cards with free stamps already added, to-do lists that include completed tasks, apps that show “Day 1 complete” upon signup, or fitness programs that pre-fill early milestones to give you a running start.
Is the endowed progress effect backed by research?
Yes. A well-known study by Nunes and Drèze showed that customers with loyalty cards that had pre-filled stamps were significantly more likely to complete the card. The principle has since been applied across behavior design, productivity, and user experience strategy.
How can I apply the endowed progress effect to my daily tasks?
Add already-completed actions to your task list, split larger tasks into smaller steps with easy wins upfront, and use templates or systems that show partial progress to reduce resistance to starting.