SolveYourProblem Article Series: Motivation
What Will It Take To Motivate Me?

What Is Motivation and Why Does It Work?
   

What is motivation and why does it work? That’s a good question and one I will look at in this article. Motivation is that little push or nudge you need to keep working toward a desired end. Motivation works in many ways and for nearly any situation. You can motivate children, adults, employees, and you to reach set goals. B.C. Forbes quotes, “History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to be discouraged by their defeats.” I love that quote, it says to me that others have traveled this road and obstacles are there for anyone. If you want to get to your final goal, you must be strong enough to work your way around or over them.

Motivation is often based on emotions. Motivation is important to all of us because it is involved with all learned responses. Physical motivation can be hunger, thirst, or anything else that deals with our bodies. The motivation to walk faster in a driving rain is to get to someplace dry as soon as possible. The need to provide for our families is the motivation many men and women have to go to work each day. The desire to send our children to colleges motivates us to start that savings account and continue to add to it year by year. Motivation, although often unrecognized is what is the driving force behind all of our actions.

Why does motivation work? I think most everyone has a desire to be recognized as a valuable human being. I was a manager for a year, and I can honestly say that you get lots more out of those who are working for you by positive reinforcement than negativity.

Setting little goals and achieving those makes you feel good. With our children, it may be for the treat that is dangling in front of them. Eventually, those goals look a little easier if there is something else thrown in. How hard have you worked to win a game at a shower knowing there was a little gift involved? One of the tricks of a successful home party salesperson is to be free with giving away little goodies. Isn’t it funny how we are?

Motivation works well with children. It helps get them past a hurdle that may seem impossible to them. With a little incentive to work for that can give them a little extra push to reach that goal they’ve been working toward. Incentives to help children reach positive goals could be money for A’s on their report card. A special outing if no disciplinary notes are sent home for one week or that special video game they are wanting.

With weight loss, it’s amazing what a little motivation will do. If there is a special event planned for the near future that is an extra incentive to lose weight. If you want to be a knockout at your high school reunion, then that extra push will help you meet your goal. Going on a cruise? That is a huge incentive to lose those love handles. Spring is on its way and I want to wear those same denim jeans I could wear last year. That will be a little difficult unless I drop the 10 pounds I gained over the holidays!

Business uses motivational incentives to increase business production and sales. Sales work is especially an area where incentives are used to bolster business. I know of someone who worked hard to win his big screen TV. My husband once won an all-expense paid trip to Las Vegas. Incentives are offered to team members in corporations to promote teamwork and a positive encouragement. Team unity creates happier employees, and happier employees are more productive. It’s a proven fact, if you like your job, you will be more productive. A manager’s responsibility is to help employees achieve their goals and goals are more fun to reach for when there is an added incentive tacked on.

So why are motivational incentives so important? I believe it’s in our human nature to work for something extra. Motivation will help us past the bumps in the road that stand between our goals and success.

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by SolveYourProblem.com : 2006

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