Maybe we've been thinking about motivation all wrong...

Motivation is a funny thing. Even as I am finally sitting down to write this I am doing it to avoid something else. Sometimes we do things because we want to, others because we need to, and sometimes, like me, we do things to avoid doing other things. 

This is how we often think about motivation, sort of a carrot or stick situation. Consciously or unconsciously we weigh the pros and cons and move forward trying to get the carrot and avoid the stick. So naturally, when people start setting goals there is a tendency to try to set up the same kind of motivation. We attempt to train ourselves like Pavlov's dogs. But I’ve found that this is ineffective in the long term. 

Part of the problem is that most of our goals require a level of sacrifice; we often have to say no to some good things (or at least things that feel good) so that we can say yes to the right things. Because of that, if we try to apply this traditional form of motivation to achieve our goals, we always fail because we feel like we keep getting the stick and no carrot. It is a natural response, but if we constantly respond based on how we feel in the moment we will rarely - if ever - achieve our goals. 

I remember several years ago I was working with one of my first clients. We had been meeting for several months and she was doing great on her goals. She had put in the work, was making progress and seeing the pay off! It was great. But every month we sat down to talk there was one goal she never quite made progress on. In our conversations it was clear that the goal was still really important to her and that it was in alignment with her values and mission (or her ‘why’). It didn’t seem to make sense why this was the one goal she was struggling with. As we were talking about it, I asked her about the other goals she had been doing great with. It became clear to me that there was one significant difference between those goals and the one that had seen no progress. Research. 

It sounds funny, but this client was an avid researcher. She could have written a book on the benefits, best practices, etc for each goal - with the exception of one. I suggested that for the next month she spend time researching this particular area she was struggling with. Nothing more. The next month she came back and had made huge strides with that goal. 

After looking at some other clients' tendencies and patterns I began to develop the Theory of Core Motivations. As I’ve tested the theory it has continued to prove itself. The theory is that each of us has a core motivation that is not about a carrot or stick, but is deeply attached to our values and personality. Thus far, there seem to be three primary Core Motivations: Knowledge, Justice, and Community. 

Knowledge - For those whose motivation is knowledge, they need to understand and have more comprehensive knowledge around the goal they are working towards. For example, if there is a goal of waking up at 5am every morning this person would be far more likely to accomplish that if they have read books, articles, and seen studies about the benefits and challenges of waking up at 5am. 

Justice - For those whose motivation is justice, they need to see how their goal fits in the bigger picture and helps the greater good or impacts social areas. If this person had a goal of waking up at 5am they would be more likely to accomplish it if they could personally connect the reason for this with a cause or with their personal values. 

Community - For those whose motivation is community, they need to attach the goal to other people in their life. Sometimes this is simply understanding how accomplishing the goal will positively impact the people around them, other times it is finding people to work towards the goal with you. If this person had a goal of waking up at 5am they would be more likely to accomplish it if they could find someone to join them or a group to be a part of.

If you have been struggling to achieve a goal or develop a habit I would encourage you to put this theory to the test. 

Take a look at the goals you are making progress on or have accomplished in the past and compare them to the goals you have struggled to achieve. If you notice a pattern in one of these three motivations, try to apply that motivation to the goal and see what happens! It may be trial by error, but it will be worth it. 

There is no cut and dry way, no 10 question quiz to determine your type, but if you have questions and are interested in learning more I’d love to connect! Contact us HERE.