Motivation is the reason behind every conscious action a person takes. It is the answer to the hardest, most destabilizing question in the universe “WHY?”. It is the cause that produces every effect, the spring that puts into motion every action and reaction…it is the fuel, so to say, that drives humans.
Motivation is based on incentives. These incentives can be internal or external.
The external incentives can be very easily recognizable. They have to do with material things. For example we like a new car or we want to go on an exotic, luxury trip. These incentives will motivate us to work harder, will motivate us to put more effort into achieving the necessary financial level that will enable us to satisfy our wishes.
The internal incentives are a little harder to pin point as although the goals can be material, the force (or incentive) that motivates us has to do with feelings or opinions or personal ambitions. You never think of these as motivation, because it is normal for you to love the color blue, for example, and this can explain your motivation to purchase more blue shirts than white. Even though it may seem normal to purchase shirts, because they satisfy a basic need of being clothed, the funny thing is that the need of being clothed is an external motivation to purchase shirts (and pants/ skirts) and the fact that you have an affinity to the color blue is an internal motivation to purchase most of those shirts in blue.
The same principle applies to day to day activities and your whole life plan. You might go to college to become a doctor because the external motivation of reputation, financial earnings, parent’s pride are strong enablers, but somewhere inside there is that internal incentive of doing good, the satisfaction you have when you(as a doctor) cure patients, the pride of innovation and, maybe, in some cases, the internal motivation of the god complex.
Yes, “the GOD Complex” …because usually, internal incentives have to do with some sort of pleasure a person feels when doing something. Internal incentives are seldom selfless and it is very interesting discovering them and finding equilibrium between being motivated to do good, and be a positive example and, to say the least, just be and demonstrate no motivation whatsoever.
The next articles will try to dissect and bullet point different kinds of self-motivation and will try to help me …and maybe you, understand the internal forces that drive us.
Can’t wait to read the other articles!