motivation
What’s Your Motivation?
When asked what’s your motivation, most people answer money, car, house, kids but no one tend to look inside to see what is internally motivating you. External motivations are okay, but studies show that intrinsic motivation outlast and is more powerful that extrinsic motivation.
Professor Steven Reiss realized this and did studies involving more than 6,000 people. He then proposed a theory that found 16 basic motivations that guide nearly all human behavior. They are:
Acceptance, the need for approval
Curiosity, the need to learn
Eating, the need for food
Family, the need to raise children
Honor, the need to be loyal to the traditional values of one’s clan/ethnic group
Idealism, the need for social justice
Independence, the need for individuality
Order, the need for organized, stable, predictable environments
Physical activity, the need for exercise
Power, the need for influence of will
Romance, the need for sex
Saving, the need to collect
Social contact, the need for friends (peer relationships)
Status, the need for social standing/importance
Tranquility, the need to be safe
Vengeance, the need to strike back/to win
*You may look at these motivations and think some are good motivations and others are bad but I believe all of them can either be good or bad. It depends on how you use it.
I took a look at this list and listed my top 5 in order and placed them in the comments section below. If you do this exercise honestly, you will see that you can use these motivations to help you accomplish your goals.
Please take the time and list your 5 top intrinsic motivations in the comments below as well!
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Discussion
5 comments for “What’s Your Motivation?”
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Man It was tough. I picked the motivations from a business perspective:
Power, the need for influence of will
Independence, the need for individuality
Status, the need for social standing/importance
Social contact, the need for friends (peer relationships)
Idealism, the need for social justice
Another good thing to see what your intrinsic motivators are is to see whats drives you toward material things. Like why do you want that new car. Is it b/c you want acceptance from others, power over others, tranquility? There are many underlying causes, figure out what’s driving you!
These are both business and personal life motivations combined. I’m trying to mold my passion, my work, and my personal life together.
1. physical - What motivates me, is surfing, and snow skiing. My goal is to find a way to do one of these 2 activities at least 3 times a week, preferably everyday.
2. Romance - gotta get laid.
3. Saving - gotta build up a bankroll.
4. Tranquility - I would love to live in a very isolated place, such as Hawaii, or somewhere in the rocky mountains. Be one with nature.
5. Vengeance - Get back at all the haters, prove to them that I can and I will.
@Pivar - I like how you made each one personal. Good way to analyze it and great luck in business!
Good Post! Keep them coming!