Motivation ABC

Which Motivation Tip will Really Motivate You?

There certainly is no shortage of motivational materials around these days. The real question is which motivational tip will serve to inspire the person looking for help in the desired area.



If you are looking for something, it certainly helps to know exactly what it is you are looking for. If the goal at hand is to find a motivation tip for a certain area of your life, consider what area you are trying to improve.

Where to Find an Inspirational Motivation Tip

If your goal is to find a motivation tip to help you improve your health, you might want to consult with your physician. He or she is probably the most logical first stop in your quest for the best motivation tip for you. Book an appointment to discuss your desire to quit smoking, lose weight, or start an exercise program.



If the issue you want to work on is something psychological, you might want to visit your doctor to ask for a referral to a therapist. Dont become discouraged if it takes awhile to find someone that is a good fit for you. Please keep in mind that this person is going to be privy to some very intimate information about you.



Choosing a Therapist

The therapist you choose to help you must be someone who can listen to you in a non-judgmental manner. Not only must her or she be a good listener, the person must also be able to guide you in the direction of making better choices. Sometimes, the role of the therapist is to challenge the client by giving out homework to be completed.

Ask him or her to make some suggestions to help you reach your goal. It might be a good idea to book follow-up appointments to help you and your physician to monitor your progress. Be sure to ask for what the doctor would consider to be his or her best motivation tip for each stage of your journey to better health.



Family and Friends

Another source to find a good motivation tip would be consulting with family and friends. You might find that someone you know has been through a similar situation and can provide valuable input to your situation. He or she can discuss possible pitfalls and act as a cheerleader as you make positive changes.

Support Groups

Some people find attending a support group to be helpful. You already know before your step into the room that everyone there is either currently going through or has gone through the same types of experiences as you. There is nothing like getting advice from someone who has been there and done that.

Religious Faith

For those who either have never been exposed to organized religion or who have strayed away from the church, they may not realize that there is many a motivation tip to be found in religion.

Attending church on a regular basis leads to a sense of community. In addition to the Sunday services, the church can provide several types of groups to participate in. The person seeking motivation does not have to feel that he or she is alone.

Another way that one can find a motivation tip through religious faith is by reading the Bible. There truly are some gems contained in the Good Book for people who need to get and stay motivated to make positive changes in their lives.

A priest, minister, or pastor is also available to help members of the congregation with personal matters.

As you can see, there is no shortage of places to look for ideas about motivation. Its simply a matter of finding the right motivation tip for you.

Motivation Theory: What Keeps Humans Motivated

There have been numerous discussions on the different kinds of motivation theory over the years. From Abraham Maslow and Clayton Alderfer who expanded on Maslows structure of needs, to Leon Festinger and David McClelland, it does not seem that humans do not just do things to do them. If youre confused then join the club. Why cant we just say that humans do what we do simply because we want to? Because much like the baby that figures out how to reach the very thing they arent supposed to have, humans of all ages have a driving force within them to do things, but the reasoning as to why varies.

Most motivation theory is based on doable tasks or achievements. For example, with the Expectancy Theory there are things we want or desire and therefore we do what we do in anticipation that we will achieve the goal (or the thing we want). A young child will clean their room in anticipation of being able to go outside and play. They know this a task that they can accomplish so there is no problem attaining what they want. In a similar motivation theory, In Goal-Setting theory, the motivation is that we set and achieve goals with the result of reaching a specific reward or achievement. One of the differences between these two motivation theories though is that with an expectancy theory the achievement is easily attainable. Goal setting takes into the consideration the difficulty of the task.

Another view on motivation theory is looking at what people are considering before undertaking a task. Many thoughts come into play when we decide on a goal, achievement. Even our values and beliefs take part in the decision making process of motivation. If something does not sit well within us, our motivation may not be as strong to act on the task whereas, if we firmly value or think that something is important, our motivation will reflect that as well. Some theories suggest that we do things based in part on our ability and desire to control the world around us.

Ask a child why he hit another child, or ask a criminal why he robbed the grocery and you will be examining another facet of motivation theory. Why questions are so often paired with motivation because they seek to answer what our reasoning for moving in one direction as opposed to another are. If you can answer the why, then you will have successfully found out the motivation for what we have done. This offering of an explanation is called the Attribution motivation theory. It can either have external or internal explanation. Rarely will you find a child willing to offer up an internal explanation, I hit him so he could feel how hard I can swing my fist. More likely, you will get a child that wants to offer up the external portion of this theory, He made me do it.

Researchers are now able to put apply a motivation theory to different parts of life. These theories are now used in education and instruction, business, and science. Even gender is a factor in motivation theory and is currently being studied. Scientists are now learning how to control and organize motivation. The use of different drugs is being tested as motivation enhancers. With technology ever changing, people can even program motivation into their daily schedules with the use of ipods and blackberry devices. With all the studying of motivation, scientists are still baffled by peoples lack of motivation, especially when there seems to be no limit on how humans can motivate themselves. The next time you are motivated to try something new or work towards a goal, think about what kind of motivation theory scientists would classify you under.