Motivation is a fickle thing. It’s a fleeting, ever wavering state of mind that is constantly preached about at work or in our personal lives. This age old question has been heavily debated and the theories abound, so how do we pinpoint motivation and moreover, what’s the answer to staying motivated?
In its most simple form, motivation is literally the desire to do things. It is the reasoning for our decisions and actions, although we may not always be conscious of it. The difficulty in staying motivated, therefore, does not come from motivation itself. Rather it comes from selecting between the things we desire now and in the future, and deciding which of these we should act on.
The problem is this is where temptation, procrastination and other distractions get involved. What can we do to fight these urges and continue to stay motivated for the right reasons? First we need to work out what type of motivation we are dealing with.
There are two main types of motivation: extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation. Both forms are beneficial; however, as you can probably sense, one is more effective at keeping us on track to our goals. Extrinsic motivation arises outside the individual, with behavior being driven by external rewards such as money, prizes and praise. Intrinsic motivation is the opposite, with the drive coming from within the individual. Intrinsically you engage in behaviour that is personally rewarding, such as playing a sport because you find it enjoyable or working hard at your job because you find it challenging and exciting.
I admitted in the beginning of this article that motivation can be difficult to sustain. The short answer to staying motivated in the world @work is to find an intrinsic motivator for the job you’re doing. If that’s not readily achievable, an extrinsic motivator can still help boost your morale and sustain productivity.
Even internal motivation is fleeting and can waiver over time. This is when unexpected external motivators can and should be used to further reward and recognise the work your staff are doing. One of the most effective external motivators you can implement is praising your colleagues regularly. Giving praise is especially beneficial, as it also helps to increase intrinsic motivation, which is the type of motivation most effective at keeping us on track.
Although our tendency is to focus on what tasks still need to be done, you can help motivate others with your positivity, which is another way to keep you motivated too.
What motivates you and keeps you focused? What are some of the motivational strategies that have been effective in your organisation?
