There’s a reason Rocky is one of the most popular sports flicks of all time: Underdog stories leave you feeling more hopeful and goal-driven, according to new research from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
For 5 days in a row, participants watched a short YouTube clip with an inspirational, comedic, or nature-based theme. People felt more motivated to achieve their own goals for up to 3 days after viewing uplifting scenes from videos of The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Pursuit of Happynes, and Any Given Sunday.
But David doesn’t have to necessarily beat Goliath in order for the effect to work, says study author Abby Prestin, Ph.D. In the study, it was the main character’s struggles that made viewers want to strive to succeed, not the positive outcome itself, she says. The achievement of the goals resulted in happiness.
So hey, maybe your favorite football team’s losing streak has some merit after all! For more true-life inspirations, check out our new month-long series, Every Day Heroes. All throughout October, we’re telling the stories of regular guys who overcame big odds to do extraordinary things—the perfect material to get you pumped to persevere.
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