As you pore over this piece, you will discover some fascinating facts about motivation. Firstly, you should learn how to motivate yourself. For motivation is a strong force that can change your life. It can catapult you to the crest of great achievement.
Secondly, the word ‘motivation’ springs from ‘motive’ for action. Motivation implies to turn on. To ignite the feeling or initiate action. Therefore, to motivate also means to encourage and inspire. Our mortal minds really rely on motivation. No wonder in the years of yore, Johann Gottfried Herder observed, “Without inspiration, the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.”
Consequently, motivation rises from our ravenous desire to access success. Meaning, without motivation, life is humdrum. Without motivation, there is no enjoyment or excitement. Without motivation, life is like a punctured wheel, which cannot support the car. A person without motivation is like a flat tyre, which affects locomotion of a car. A person without motivation is like a bird without wings that cannot fly high.
Actually, motivation must abut on practical theories, not some preposterous points pieced together to attract moolah. A motivator who is void and devoid of content can go lyrical like: I started a chicken business with just a feather. Or I started my butchery business with the photo of a cow. Somewhat, such ridiculous road to reason are not governed by universal laws and eternal truths. They make people to doubt the credibility of some motivational speakers and the industry itself. Yet, when you interact with the works of proponents of immortal motivational material like Napoleon Hill, you will have a different approach to issues.
Sometimes, the greatest enemy of motivation is complacency. Complacency leads to frustration. When people are frustrated, they give up. They cry, and fail to try. They fail to look for ways to repair their despair. Then, we should never forget what Dr. John C. Maxwell penned in his heroic book titled The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: “Motivation keeps us going, but discipline keeps us growing.” Meaning, motivation without discipline is an exercise in futility.
Moreover, it is instructive to note that motivation boosts both activity and productivity. Every deft management system knows this quite well. No wonder, arrowheads spend colossal amounts of money in motivating staff to work well. In actual sense, motivation is like fire. Unless you keep adding fuel on it, it fizzles out. It dwindles. It diminishes. It fades like a festoon of flowers. Then, it dies. Just like exercise and food do not last long, so is motivation. The greatest motivation comes from a person’s belief system. In case the greatest source of motivation is belief in inner values, then it lasts long.
Therefore, it means that you need to believe in what you do. Then, accept responsibility. When you accept responsibility for your actions, your attitude shapes your aptitude and takes you to the next altitude. The Pain and Gain Principle is the rule guiding every human behaviour. In case gain is greater than pain, it becomes the motivator. Likewise, in case pain is greater than gain, then, it becomes a deterrent. In a larger sense, gains can be tangible. They can also be intangible. Such as recognition, appreciation, sense of achievement, accomplishment, fulfilment, promotion, growth, responsibility, self-worth and belief. External motivation can also take the form of incentives, bonuses, commissions and salary increment.
Ideally, there are two types of motivation: Extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is external motivation. It springs from outside factors such as money, societal approval, appreciation, et cetera. It is also catalysed by fame, fortune — and sometimes — fear of failure. For instance, when an employee fears to lose an employment, the fear of losing the job becomes a factor that is a motivator. It is instantaneous. It prevents loss by making people to meet deadlines.
Every morning in Africa, when a gazelle wakes up, it knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion, or it will be munched as food. Likewise, every morning a lion wakes up, it knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle, or starvation will be imminent. This is intrinsic motivation. We can also refer to it as internal motivation. It is a form of motivation springing from within. Such as positive pride, sense of achievement, responsibility and belief. Internal motivation is the inner gratification, not for success or winning, but for the fulfilment. In most cases, it manifests after we have done something important. It is a sweet feeling of accomplishment rather than just achieving a goal. When we touch our dreams, motivation moves us.
Then there are motivators. The two most important motivating factors are recognition and responsibility. Recognition springs from appreciation, fair treatment, dignity and respect. True sense of belonging and taking responsibility gives people the sure sense of belonging and ownership. When people accept responsibility, everything improves — quality, activity, productivity, relationships and team spirit. Pecuniary rewards also motivate masses, but are short-lived. Therefore, the greatest motivator is self-belief. So, in case you want to motivate people, recognize them. Give them respect. Make work interesting. Listen to them aptly. Throw a challenge. Be quick to offer a helping hand, but do not do for them what they should do themselves. You can also use auto-suggestions to motivate yourself. Auto-suggestions are positive statements made in the present tense repeated regularly. In other words, it is positive self-talk.
Lastly, I have to point out a few things that demotivate people – things that steal motivation from people. They include unfair criticism, public humiliation, rewarding non-performers in the full glare of performers, failure, fear of failure, success, lack of direction, lack of measurable objectives, low self-esteem, lack of priorities, negative self-talk, petty and pedantic office politics, unfair treatment, hypocrisy, poor standards, frequent change, and many others.
By Victor Ochieng’
vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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