When it comes to motivation one size does not fit all. One of the elements that make human beings so endlessly fascinating is that we are all individuals. As human needs remain unlimited, it also means we each always have different interests, goals, and motivations.
What sets successful people apart from the pack?
What makes someone outstanding within a group?
Is it luck, money, good lucks, or talent?
We can all agree different circumstances will require a different answer but the only thing that does not change from the start and moving forward in life is one small simple fact -- MOTIVATION.
Successful people all share one trait -- they are motivated.
Although the word motivation is not as simple as it sounds. That is why there is multi-billion industry focused on self-help books, tapes, seminars, camps, and coaches. There is just one problem with using these methods. In order to get the best out of these methods or using the thousands of motivational programs available, you need to first determine which motivational group you fall into.
Research and studies show that there are four basic motivational categories an individual can associate themselves with and these various categories will be explain in a story that many of us can identify within in our day to day life.
~ The Pessimist
~ The Competitor
~ The Minimalist
~ The Exhibitionist
The Pessimist
The Pessimist is personified by my husband. Whenever he gets the smallest bit of bad news he immediately leaps into the deep end of doom and gloom. It doesn't matter if the problem is small or large, he often reacts as if it is the end of the world. If the satellite dish has a momentary hiccup in service then he immediately assumes the bill didn't get paid and our account terminated and our credit score is now on the decline.
It took me a long time to learn how to deal with this. At first, I thought it was real panic and I would try to shield him from the smaller hiccups, and even some big ones, of life. But now I know this is actually how he motivated himself.
When we face challenges, big or small, he works himself through a familiar cycle. First he outlines the worst-case scenario, then he outlines his options for action, and then he takes action. And when he takes action just get out of the way as he moves very quickly -- and successfully. Challenge faced, problem solved. It makes me crazy but it works for him!
The Competitor
My brother thrives on the competition. Whether he is playing sports or working in sales, he is always more successful if he has competition. If his motivation flags, he can easily juice himself up with a quick comparison of his progress toward a particular goal in comparison to others. He likes to keep score and that keeps him motivated. He wants to win whatever competition is at hand.
Don't knock this method. By almost any measure my brother is a huge success and has worked his way from a contract employee barely able to afford his two-bedroom apartment to a high-level sales executive with a six-figure salary plus bonuses to further incentivize him.
The Minimalist
Perhaps this person might best be described as having a short-attention-span. They need short-term goals that are immediately visible and can be achieved within a short time span. They can go the distance as long as it is broken up into smaller projects. Each small victory will spur them on to the final goal but they need those little successes to keep them motivated. In many ways, this label applies to me but I think down deep that I am really in the final category.
The Exhibitionist
I know I fall into this category because I have a very difficult time with goals that I cannot see. It is one of the reasons I hate cleaning -- sure you can see the results but with a busy family you know how long those results stay visible!
Like the minimalist, I enjoy breaking large projects up into small, bite-sized chunks so they are not so overwhelming. When I grade papers for my teaching gig I always divide the pile into several smaller piles so I can feel I am making progress. I do the same with cleaning -- first, straighten the room, then dust, then vacuum.
But it isn't enough for me to accomplish the task -- I need to have a to-do list that I can check off as I go and then crumple up and throwing the trash at the end of the day. I need to be able to point to some visible success for the day whether it is a shining kitchen, a stack of graded papers, or a pile of completed manuscript pages.
Which category do you fall into? Once you know that much about yourself you will be better and able to find the motivation technique that works best for you. Always remember there is no crime is failing but not trying again denies you the opportunity to find out yourself.
Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious!
Stephen Hawking
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