Motivation is involved in every aspect of our lives. It secretly works behind the scenes providing a motive for the majority of our actions and opinions. Motivation can be positive or negative. It can have lasting influence or it will have a short life-span. The right motivation will make your day fantastic and productive.
Which of these words motivates you more effectively than any other form of motivation?
FEAR GUILT INCENTIVES PERSONAL GROWTH
Now, identify which of those words describes the form of motivation you use most often when attempting to engage other people in the workplace.
The first three are external motivators. The fourth, Personal Development, is an internal motivator. Take a close look at how each of these can work.
FEAR:
Nothing improves a person’s driving skills like the sudden discovery that their license has expired or the realization that an officer is driving right behind them.
GUILT:
A church bulletin announced: “The Magic of Lassie – a film for the whole family. Sunday at 5 p.m. Free puppies will be given to all children not accompanied by parents.”
INCENTIVES:
The practice of getting others to do what you want by promising a reward. It is a short lived motivation because the incentives become common place and creates complacency; unless of course, the prize is bigger than before.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Regardless of the external motivations, most of us will experience a greater sense of accomplishment and success when we discover and utilize the internal motivations. Nothing produces results like the internal need for personal growth. It is the inner desire that says, “I want to become a respected person. I can do better than I am right now.” People are most happy and confident when they believe that they are growing and contributing to a greater purpose.
Zig Ziglar commented:
“Motivation gets you going, but habit gets you there. Make motivation a habit and you will get there more quickly and have more fun in the process.”
You can accomplish more than you thought you could if you will exchange the habits of fear, guilt and external incentives for the person joy of becoming a positive, confident person. What new habit could you start today that would get you motivated?