Personal Motivation
6 April 2009
Read by 2379 persons
Personal Motivation
Do you really know what personal motivation is? And what role does it play in your life?
First, there are three main forms of motivation:
Carrot Motivation
Have you ever seen a donkey walking with a carrot dangling in front of it? That donkey can walk all day hoping to get that carrot. Similarly, you can take action hoping to earn a "carrot" or a "candy". However, at the first obstacle you encounter, the idea of giving up will already come to mind. This is only short-term motivation.
Fear Motivation
Fear motivation is when someone says to you: "I strongly suggest you have finished this project by next week, otherwise…". Again, you can take action in this atmosphere of fear, but you won't be able to live in such an atmosphere your whole life, just as a child won't get good grades for long if their only motivation is generated by the fear of having rights taken away or being punished if they don't "perform". So, like carrot motivation, fear motivation is only effective in the short term and maybe the medium term, but certainly not in the long term.
Now the third form of motivation:
Motivation that comes from within
To explain this last one, I'll tell you a story. At age 5, I had a dream. What was that dream? What can a 5-year-old dream of? For my part, I wanted a bicycle. Not just any bicycle! A "Marauder" brand bicycle, equipped with a "banana" seat and "Mustang" handlebars. This surely brings back memories for many of you.
So what did I do? I chose the easy way: I went to explain my dream to my father, taking great care to emphasize that all my friends already had one. In reality, only one of them had one. My father listened calmly. When I had finished, he said to me: "You know Paul, you are not the only child in the family. So, if your mother and I want to give each of you gifts for your birthdays and at Christmas, and if we want to have interesting family activities for everyone, I can't offer you this bicycle now, especially since you already have one". He was right, and there were 9 of us children at home.
He added: "Would you like it if we only had 2 or 3 children?" In my little boy's head, it responded "Wow! Of course! I could have more gifts and more activities! I would also finally have my Marauder!" So I answered him: "Yes! I would like that!" Then my father, with a sly smile, said to me: "It's funny and weird at the same time… because you wouldn't be here: you're the eighth!"
Whew! That day, I understood two things. First, that my parents had priorities and that they followed them, even though I'm sure they would have liked to give me that bicycle. Second, that if I wanted to get something or achieve a goal in my life, I would have to do it myself! It's true that sometimes we can get help from someone else, but not to rely on or wait for that help. The day after that discussion with my father, I became a newsboy for the newspaper "Le Soleil". Since then, I have always either had my own business or worked as a self-employed worker. It was my choice. Working for an employer is just as good.
Another thing I discovered over the years is that motivation that comes from within is self-motivation. It's the act of motivating yourself, not by doing everything alone, but by deciding for yourself to read about subjects that inspire you, or to register yourself for training, and also to make your own life and career choices, according to your own values and principles.
You know, if we ask people "Why are you going to work this morning?", a large majority will answer: "Well… because you have to go to work in life! Because I have responsibilities and I have to pay my monthly bills! etc…". And too few will answer: "I'm going to work this morning because I need this work because I fulfill myself through it and through it. I'm learning to be better and I'm proud of myself every night, because I feel that I have grown and that, in doing so, I have helped other people grow". These people have no difficulty getting up every morning. They jump out of bed because they can't wait to go to work.
And you?
- Nothing to lose and everything to gain -
Take a moment to sit back and answer these questions:
· How many times do I press the "snooze" button on my alarm clock every morning I have to go to work? If it's more than once, you should ask yourself why. And know that changing jobs is rarely the solution.
· Do I know "how" and "why" to motivate myself? Do I know how to apply healthy self-motivation?
· What is my next step?
Posted on July 7, 2008
paulrousseau.com
Do you really know what personal motivation is? And what role does it play in your life?
First, there are three main forms of motivation:
Carrot Motivation
Have you ever seen a donkey walking with a carrot dangling in front of it? That donkey can walk all day hoping to get that carrot. Similarly, you can take action hoping to earn a "carrot" or a "candy". However, at the first obstacle you encounter, the idea of giving up will already come to mind. This is only short-term motivation.
Fear Motivation
Fear motivation is when someone says to you: "I strongly suggest you have finished this project by next week, otherwise…". Again, you can take action in this atmosphere of fear, but you won't be able to live in such an atmosphere your whole life, just as a child won't get good grades for long if their only motivation is generated by the fear of having rights taken away or being punished if they don't "perform". So, like carrot motivation, fear motivation is only effective in the short term and maybe the medium term, but certainly not in the long term.
Now the third form of motivation:
Motivation that comes from within
To explain this last one, I'll tell you a story. At age 5, I had a dream. What was that dream? What can a 5-year-old dream of? For my part, I wanted a bicycle. Not just any bicycle! A "Marauder" brand bicycle, equipped with a "banana" seat and "Mustang" handlebars. This surely brings back memories for many of you.
So what did I do? I chose the easy way: I went to explain my dream to my father, taking great care to emphasize that all my friends already had one. In reality, only one of them had one. My father listened calmly. When I had finished, he said to me: "You know Paul, you are not the only child in the family. So, if your mother and I want to give each of you gifts for your birthdays and at Christmas, and if we want to have interesting family activities for everyone, I can't offer you this bicycle now, especially since you already have one". He was right, and there were 9 of us children at home.
He added: "Would you like it if we only had 2 or 3 children?" In my little boy's head, it responded "Wow! Of course! I could have more gifts and more activities! I would also finally have my Marauder!" So I answered him: "Yes! I would like that!" Then my father, with a sly smile, said to me: "It's funny and weird at the same time… because you wouldn't be here: you're the eighth!"
Whew! That day, I understood two things. First, that my parents had priorities and that they followed them, even though I'm sure they would have liked to give me that bicycle. Second, that if I wanted to get something or achieve a goal in my life, I would have to do it myself! It's true that sometimes we can get help from someone else, but not to rely on or wait for that help. The day after that discussion with my father, I became a newsboy for the newspaper "Le Soleil". Since then, I have always either had my own business or worked as a self-employed worker. It was my choice. Working for an employer is just as good.
Another thing I discovered over the years is that motivation that comes from within is self-motivation. It's the act of motivating yourself, not by doing everything alone, but by deciding for yourself to read about subjects that inspire you, or to register yourself for training, and also to make your own life and career choices, according to your own values and principles.
You know, if we ask people "Why are you going to work this morning?", a large majority will answer: "Well… because you have to go to work in life! Because I have responsibilities and I have to pay my monthly bills! etc…". And too few will answer: "I'm going to work this morning because I need this work because I fulfill myself through it and through it. I'm learning to be better and I'm proud of myself every night, because I feel that I have grown and that, in doing so, I have helped other people grow". These people have no difficulty getting up every morning. They jump out of bed because they can't wait to go to work.
And you?
- Nothing to lose and everything to gain -
Take a moment to sit back and answer these questions:
· How many times do I press the "snooze" button on my alarm clock every morning I have to go to work? If it's more than once, you should ask yourself why. And know that changing jobs is rarely the solution.
· Do I know "how" and "why" to motivate myself? Do I know how to apply healthy self-motivation?
· What is my next step?
Posted on July 7, 2008
paulrousseau.com
