9 Motivation Sorts and Methods to Use Them

Why do you do what you do? In a world the place distraction and busy-ness appear to rule, it may be straightforward to overlook what drives our decision-making. In the present day I’m sharing 9 motivation sorts and the best way to use them, so you possibly can establish what drives you… and use it to your benefit.

However first: Why do we have to perceive our motivation?

There are lots of causes for wanting to know what drives our selections and commitments on daily basis. Let’s take a look at a handful:

• If we all know a kind of motivation that works effectively in a single space of our life, we are able to apply it in one other space for larger success. For instance, if you already know you’re employed effectively with exterior, reward-based motivation (such as you get a sticker each time you sweep your tooth), you need to use that to enhance your flossing behavior (you get DOUBLE stickers in the event you brush AND floss).
• After we pause to get current, we are able to establish motivations that aren’t in alignment with our values. For instance, in the event you’re going to a good friend’s birthday celebration out of worry that you simply’ll be talked about in the event you’re not there, that’s a bummer motivation — particularly if considered one of your values is braveness. Being clear about your motivation may also help you make selections that really feel higher.
• If we’ve a deep need that’s motivating us to make change, we are able to use that to our benefit in relation to actually laborious steps in our course of. For instance, I’m at the moment 3 months right into a 12-month therapeutic course of for my damaged foot. In the present day, bodily remedy was tough and painful… however I didn’t surrender, as a result of I’ve a deep need to bop once more. That motivation helped me push via.

These three causes alone assist us see {that a} deep understanding of our motivation can actually assist us design a life we love. That’s why I’ve created this record of 9 motivation sorts and the best way to use them — so you can begin understanding your self higher at this time.

Fast tip: You possibly can expertise a number of motivation sorts on the similar time. This isn’t a binary expertise. You’re complicated, and your motivations are, too.

Whenever you’re within the move of your course of and also you crave extra of that joyful, straightforward feeling, that’s intrinsic motivation.

For instance, let’s say that in contrast to lots of your neighbors, you like mowing your garden. It must get mowed each week, so that you placed on some good music in your headphones, cost up the mower, and tidy it up utilizing beautiful back-and-forth diagonal traces, identical to on the baseball area. You like the alone time you expertise, and you like the meditative high quality of mowing.

So even on scorching days, or if you’re busy, you mow… as a result of you’ve got intrinsic motivation.

Many motivation sorts are intrinsic, which means they arrive from inside.

A giant benefit of intrinsic motivation is that you simply’re self-driven; you don’t want exterior sources of stress to get you transferring towards change. You’re flying solo, child! An obstacle for these of us who reside with despair (like moi) is that if we’re feeling mentally unwell, it may be tough to muster the intrinsic motivation we want. So it’s good to additionally establish extrinsic motivation sorts that work for us.

Extrinsic motivation: You want exterior stress

Whenever you simply don’t have your get-up-and-go and it’s good to depend on an out of doors supply to get you transferring, that’s extrinsic motivation.

For instance, let’s say it’s good to get to an 8am work assembly. Wow, that’s too early, man! You simply don’t wanna, and I wouldn’t wanna, both. However you already know that in the event you make it to the assembly, your boss will see how dedicated you might be to this challenge. So that you set your alarm, lay out your garments, and climb in mattress early the night time earlier than.

So regardless that you would favor to sleep in, you wake with the dawn… since you really feel extrinsic motivation.

Many motivation sorts are extrinsic, which means they arrive from exterior of you.

A giant benefit of extrinsic motivation is that you simply don’t need to depend on simply your interior resolve. You possibly can look exterior your self for quite a lot of motivators that will help you get issues achieved. One of many challenges that may include extrinsic motivation sources is that we could not have any management over them, so if we’re overly reliant on them, we could also be let down in the event that they change into unavailable.

Let’s pause for reflection. When you may study all 9 motivation sorts and the best way to use them, how would possibly change your life?

Conditional motivation: You like a reward

Whenever you’re extra prone to accomplish one thing in the event you obtain a reward, that’s conditional motivation.

For instance, let’s say you’re dreading all of the urgent it’s good to do earlier than you can begin reducing material for quilting. You would possibly inform your self you need to use considered one of your fancy tub bombs tonight in the event you get it achieved… and that will get you motivated. You’re urgent and enthusiastic about how good you’re gonna odor within the tub… hiya, conditional motivation!

So regardless that you weren’t enthusiastic about probably the most boring step in making a quilt, you probably did it anyway… since you work effectively with conditional motivation.

A giant benefit of conditional motivation is that your reward may be something. It may be a bodily object, a solution to spend a while, a cookie — no matter floats your boat! Conditional motivation has its challenges, although, together with counting on an extrinsic motivation supply; what occurs if we are able to’t get that reward? It will possibly really feel empowering to seek out further motivation sorts that be just right for you so that you’ve at all times received a number of methods to inspire your self.

Proactive motivation: You need to transfer towards your objective

Whenever you take steps towards a selected finish consequence as a result of you possibly can see it — actually, you crave it —  that’s proactive motivation.

For instance, what if you wish to be match sufficient to go to Disneyworld along with your niece subsequent yr? You realize you couldn’t do it at this time, however you’ve received 18 months to organize. You possibly can think about the expertise, see the enjoyment on her face, crave creating recollections together with her and strengthening your bond. So that you hit the fitness center, slowly increase your power. You energy via days if you don’t really feel prefer it, as a result of you already know the payoff is gonna be so good.

So regardless that you weren’t a fitness center rat earlier than, now you’re in beast mode like, on daily basis… since you’ve embraced proactive motivation.

A giant benefit of proactive motivation is that the constructive day-to-day outcomes will solely enhance your drive. As you see progress, you’ll understand you’re transferring nearer to your objective — and hold going.

Reactive motivation: You need to keep away from a destructive consequence

Whenever you take steps to keep away from one thing unhealthy occurring, that’s reactive motivation.

For instance, let’s say you’re an creator and also you’ve received an enormous deadline developing in your e-book. It is advisable to flip in 4 chapters subsequent month and in the event you don’t, your writer would possibly drop you (they’re very impatient). You’re fighting author’s block however you don’t need to lose this e-book contract, so that you attain out to a writing coach for assist, speak to buddies for help, and block out two hours a day in your calendar to get these chapters achieved.

So regardless that you’re scared and annoyed, you are taking steps to be sure to don’t expertise a destructive end result … as a result of reactive motivation is working for you.

A giant benefit of reactive motivation is that many people can think about how crummy a destructive end result will really feel, and that helps us take motion. A giant problem is studying how we are able to transfer out of reactive motivation and into proactive motivation when attainable, which is a extra empowered manner of feeling about our targets.

Worry-based motivation: Your lizard mind is driving your alternative

Whenever you do one thing since you’re freaked out, that’s fear-based motivation (this can be a type of reactive motivation).

For instance, let’s say you’re actually terrified of wanting like a “failing” artist, so that you crank out numerous work to point out your inventive neighborhood. On the plus facet, you’re making artwork! On the minus facet, you’re doing it with a gross, icky feeling inside, as a result of worry is driving your work.

So regardless that you are feeling afraid, you make artwork anyway… since you’re below the ability of fear-based motivation.

A giant benefit of fear-based motivation is that many people hate feeling afraid, so we’ll take many steps to not really feel that worry. However fear-based motivation has a serious draw back: We could make selections that aren’t in alignment with our values and beliefs so as to quell that fearful feeling.

After I work with fear-motivated shoppers, we attempt to search for further sources of motivation that really feel higher. On this instance, I’d coach a shopper to contemplate their definition of failure; to get inquisitive about why different individuals’s judgment issues; to get clear on how making artwork can feed their soul; and extra.

Let’s pause for reflection. Is fear-based motivation driving your selections? What would really feel extra empowering?

Self motivation: You need to make change for your self

Whenever you take actions or make change purely on your personal profit, that’s self motivation.

For instance, let’s say you need to eat more healthy since you need to really feel good in your physique. You’re not consuming extra produce and fewer cookies as a result of somebody advised you to; you’re doing it as a result of you’ve got extra power if you eat this manner. You would possibly drop extra pounds, however you’re not doing it so you possibly can look “higher” for anybody else… you’re doing it since you love your self and need to really feel your finest. You’re doing this for YOU.

So regardless that different individuals would possibly inform you what they assume it is best to do, you’re making this alternative your self… since you’re utilizing self motivation.

A giant benefit of self motivation is that nobody can take it away from you. Whenever you make a alternative motivated by your personal private wants, wishes, values or beliefs, you’re appearing by yourself behalf.

Empathetic motivation: You need to make change for one more

Whenever you take motion or make change as a result of it advantages another person, that’s empathetic motivation.

For instance, take into consideration the wholesome consuming instance above. Think about that as a substitute of you doing it for your self, you modify your dietary routine for others. Perhaps you need to be more healthy so you possibly can reside a protracted life and be a grandparent for a few years. Partly it’s for you, however partly it’s since you need your offspring and their children to have your presence and assist for a few years. You’re imagining how useful it is going to be for the entire household in the event you’re as wholesome as attainable, and that’s serving to you make more healthy consuming selections.

So regardless that you like cookies (me too!) you’re consuming much less of them and munching on extra fruit… since you really feel empathetic motivation.

A giant benefit of empathetic motivation is that a few of us have a tough time loving ourselves (or weren’t taught to like ourselves) however we really feel good after we take care of others… so we’re keen to make adjustments if it advantages one other individual. A problem of empathetic motivation is that if we at all times do issues just for others, we could neglect our personal wants and wishes, and that’s not good.

After I coach shoppers who’re caught in solely empathetic motivation, we give attention to clarifying their very own values and passions. This helps them learn to give attention to what works for them, in addition to others.

Artistic/curious motivation: You simply need to see what you may make occur

Whenever you strive one thing, make one thing, or do one thing simply since you need to see what occurs, that’s inventive/curious motivation.

For instance, let’s say you’re your entrance sidewalk, and also you assume, hmmm I ponder what would occur if I draw a hopscotch board with chalk on my sidewalk? You don’t have an finish lead to thoughts; you’re unsure what is going to occur. Will you hop in as soon as it’s achieved? Will your neighbor be part of you? Must you use just one coloration of chalk, or 5? Will you kick off an explosion of neighborhood sidewalk chalk contests? Who is aware of!

So regardless that you haven’t any thought what is going to come out of spending time on that challenge, you simply wanna see what occurs… since you really feel inventive/curious motivation.

A giant benefit of inventive/curious motivation is that shocking, fantastic, attention-grabbing issues can come out of it. Staying open to childlike power may also help you faucet right into a effectively of creativity in lots of areas of your life. After we take dangers, we’re extra prone to see rewards. (Hear: Inside cause, okay? Not all dangers are equal.)

Rising our capability for inventive/curious motivation is a vital a part of being an artist. When our thoughts is open to prospects — and keen to take dangers as a result of the potential for cool outcomes is attractive — we’re extra prone to create issues that thrill us and others.

Now that you already know 9 motivation sorts and the best way to use them, which one will you embrace?

We will use every kind of motivation to assist ourselves. After we pair intrinsic and extrinsic motivation sorts, we’ve a deeper effectively of help. After we discover a motivation kind that works effectively for us, we are able to put it to make use of in new areas. If we understand we’re leaning on just one kind of motivation, we are able to profit from exploring one other.

Which of those motivation sorts works finest for you? Bounce into the feedback and let me know!

And in the event you’d wish to go deeper on this subject, please attain out. Exploring and understanding motivation is an enormous a part of my teaching work, and I’d like to discover that with you!