Quick Question: Is the money you pursue in your job or business an extrinsic motivator? Yes or No? Most people say yes to this question. It’s easy for us to think working for money is an extrinsically motivated activity because it is behavior motivated by an external reward. I have a different perspective. The idea … Read more
Motivation is fascinating yet maddening at the same time. Just when we think we got the concept nailed down, we think about another circumstance or scenario that doesn’t quite fit a framework we are trying to use. This occurs because motivation, and human behavior for that matter, is very dynamic. Often more dynamic than we think. We’d all love to … Read more
Reality shows have captured the minds and hearts of TV watchers for many years now. We are all intrigued by getting an inside view of what people think during difficult experiences and how people respond, both good and bad, to the adversities of the game. Every person on the show has motivation to achieve or win. What’s interesting to me … Read more
Goals are great and they are certainly a scientifically proven method for achieving the outcomes we have in mind. But while goals help us focus on our desired achievements, they can easily become the very thing that keeps us from being truly successful in life. Don’t see me as a pessimist — I’m far from … Read more
Would you like to be able to communicate like a polished, highly-paid professional speaker? Imagine the impact you can make if you were able to engage and inspire any group of people with your ability to speak and persuade like a pro. While the style of motivational speakers vary, there are 4 components of every … Read more
In my post The 16 Drivers of Meaning and Motivation I outlined the desires that activate people’s internal energy and behavior. According to Dr. Steven Reiss, and his research with thousands of people around the world, these drivers are basic to every human and are associated deeply with our sense of value and meaning. You … Read more
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” – Zig Ziglar A legend passed away Wednesday in Dallas, Texas. Zig Ziglar, a widely popular motivational speaker, died at the age of 86. While many were teaching and speaking on subjects like sales, management, and … Read more
The study of human behavior and motivation is fascinating. For centuries people have sought to better understand what drives us. Many have attempted to create a taxonomy of motivation drivers, desires, values, or motives that are basic to every human. Up until recently, attempts to do so have been educated guesses and theory. The research … Read more
Just about every framework of employee motivation tells us that a sense of meaning and purpose is what drives this precious internal energy. There is no doubt that this explanation is solid and has scientific proof. The problem I see is not the concept of meaning driving motivation, but the advice most authors, speakers, and … Read more
Most people believe motivation is a process by which one person instills energy into another. This is why so many believe we need motivational speakers, inspiring communication strategies, and energetic leaders to drive achievement and results. While there is nothing inherently wrong with calling ourselves a motivator, the fact is that effective leaders do … Read more