Exercises for Motivation

All of this theory of powerful disincentives teaches us that positive external motivators must be carefully chosen in order to counteract disincentive and negative motivation.

 

The most powerful positive motivators are probably those that complement internal motivators that already exist.

For example, let's say Jane has decided to go to college and major in Animal Health. Her parents would like to find ways to motivate her to do well in school. They've offered her $100 for getting straight A's, but this goal seems so far from reality for Jane that she's almost given up.

Jane's school counselor suggests that her parents instead focus on the real goal, Animal Health, and help by setting up opportunities for Jane to visit local facilities such as the zoo and a veterinary hospital to learn more about careers in Animal Health.

Jane starts working as a volunteer at the vet hospital, and she feels that her goal is worthy and attainable because her parents and other significant adults agree that it is important for her to have these experiences. They go out of their way to drive her to her work experience and Jane feels professional and motivated to raise her grades in math and biology.

 

Surprisingly, simple things motivate people. When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life. — Greg Anderson, US basketball player

 

The affirmation of the goal, in Jane's case, was the clincher. For Angela, who has lost eighteen pounds and has another twelve to go, a visual graph of her progress in weight loss, spread over the last four months, is a powerful motivator. Daniel is motivated to earn his purple belt in Karate. The belt is a mere “piece of cloth” to his friends, but to Daniel, it's an important step towards his fulfillment as an individual and as an athlete.

Everybody has different reasons to stay motivated. Some goals are more immediate than others, but we can all benefit from learning how to stick to our goals. Take the examples below—each one deals with the problems of staying motivated in a slightly different way.

Karen
Karen’s a commission-only salesperson, working for a major furniture store. She has to sell products to pay the bills. Even for a good salesperson, and Karen is good, the rate of customer rejection is high. Karen stays motivated by not taking rejections personally. After all, the customers are rejecting the furniture, not her sales abilities. She uses positive affirmations to keep her spirits up during slow periods.

Rick
After a period of severe illness, Rick decided to have a go at building a home business, selling graphic art to on-line customers. Competition in his field was fierce, and he got tired of submitting bids and resumes that prospective clients never took the time to answer. He thought seriously about giving up.

Rick's father wasn't the type to have heart-to-heart discussions with his family, but one day he said something that got Rick's attention: “Other people with half the talent you have are very successful.” This simple but positive statement helped Rick to take stock of his talents and reach out for help.

Rick invited Tom, a successful graphic artist friend, to a long lunch to discuss what Rick might do to improve his business plan. Tom suggested that Rick design a web site of his work for sale, with a section of free images for visitors. Rick has made more money this past month that he had in the previous six.

 

You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within. — Bob Wilson, Writer

 

Sue and Gary
Sue and Gary are the parents of a young child with severe mental delays. He is a very high-energy, reckless child who is up almost all night. The last three years have been very hard on him, his parents, and his big sister. Maintaining a positive attitude can be difficult at times, and the family’s been through some rocky patches.

Sue and Gary try to maintain a positive attitude, and take pains to celebrate the little triumphs. They post inspirational thoughts on the fridge, and have recruited family and friends to take the kids occasionally so they can get well-earned breaks.

Martha
Martha is a recovering alcoholic. For her, every day’s a battle to keep away from alcohol, and stressful days are extremely hard for her. She tried to stop drinking twice in the past, and was very pessimistic about trying a third time.

Martha took the time to learn some motivational techniques through her twelve step program, and takes life one day at a time. Tomorrow and yesterday don’t concern Martha; her mind is focused on the day at hand.

Review each of the scenarios on this page and decide for each case: