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Have you ever noticed that there\u2019s something satisfying about seeing a car\u2019s odometer roll over from 99,999 to 100,000 miles? Or maybe more likely, looking at a clock right when it hits 12:00 on the nose? What\u2019s so special about these moments?\n\nIn this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at quirk of human behavior that can lead, in some cases, to superhuman achievement.\n\nKaty brings you the story of Roger Bannister\u2019s quest to break the four-minute mile\u2014a centuries-old psychological barrier\u2014and the great leaps in athletic achievement that followed his feat. You\u2019ll hear the history of the four-minute mile from Jason Beck, author of The Miracle Mile: Stories of the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, and a curator at the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame. You\u2019ll also hear documentary interviews from Roger Bannister and John Landy about their famous race.\n\nYou can see a photo of the stopwatch used in the Miracle Mile race here. The watch is permanently stopped at Roger Bannister\u2019s sub-four-minute time.\n\nNext, we visit the rather more humble setting of a gas station to demonstrate how a preference for round dollar amounts is common, even when cash is not involved.\n\nThen, Devin Pope of The University of Chicago Booth School of Business joins Katy to discuss the psychological costs and benefits of goals and how round numbers can affect your motivation in different contexts.\n\nFinally, Katy provides some actionable intelligence on how you can use round-number goals to improve outcomes, whether that\u2019s getting into college, saving for retirement or running a faster marathon.