Secrets of personal effectiveness
Motivation and incentive - is there a difference? Motivation is called the engine of progress. Without it, people would continue to live as they lived in the cave age, and would be content with what they have. But they improved their tools in order to get more, they learned about themselves and the world, and often at the cost of their own lives.
Motivation is a great force. Anyone who has it can move mountains. If a person knows why and for what he must do something, and understands the meaning of his work, he will achieve what he wants.
The term “motivation” was first used by the German philosopher A. Schopenhauer in his work “The Four Principles of Sufficient Reason.” And the word “motive” comes from the Latin moveo - “I move”, movere - “incitement to action”. Lack of motivation, on the contrary, leads to inaction. Figuratively speaking, we won’t move if we don’t know why we need it.
A barren dreamer is the name given to the hero of N. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls” by Manilov. He dreams of changes to his estate that will improve the lives of his serfs. His castles in the air are beautiful, but these projects are not feasible, because, in fact, he does not need them: he is well-fed, clothed and provided for. Another type of person who cannot get himself off the couch, but at the same time thinks about how to live, was described by I. Goncharov in the novel “Oblomov”. “I know everything, I understand everything, but there is no strength and will,” said Oblomov. And, of course, there is no motivation either.
Although almost two centuries have passed since these works were written, modern Manilovs and Oblomovs do not allow us to forget the images of these heroes. Or maybe, to some extent, we sometimes remind ourselves of them when we make unrealistic plans.
It’s not the first year that someone has been making a promise to themselves to master English perfectly, “but things are still there.” And someone takes it and does it because: they dream of working in a foreign company, plan to go for permanent residence in another country, marry a foreigner, want to read the classics in the original, etc.
Motivation, at first glance, is similar to incentive. Although in fact they have more differences than similarities.
It is curious that the word “stimulus” comes from the Latin stimulus - a stick with a sharp metal tip, which was used to drive bulls. With the help of such external influence, the stubborn bulls were forced to move on.
Thus, a stimulus implies the influence of an external factor that encourages action. Well-known incentives used in enterprises are bonuses, allowances, salary increases, valuable gifts, corporate events, etc. This also includes warnings, reprimands, etc. In general, carrot and stick methods.
Motivation should arouse in a person an internal desire to act, for example, to engage in sports, personal development, etc. And it is motives, not incentives, that guide people’s actions. The role of the stimulus is to awaken motives and desires, but this may not happen if the stimulus does not meet the needs.
Among those who studied issues of motivation and human behavior are the Anglo-American psychologist William McDougall, the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud, the Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov, the American psychologist Abraham Maslow and others. Therefore, if we suddenly feel that our motivation is beginning to fade and it becomes difficult for us to force ourselves to get down to business, perhaps we will be consoled by the thought that our problem - the problem of motivation - has been and is being tried to be solved by the outstanding minds of the world.
Issues of motivation concern not only individuals in terms of self-development, but also managers and company directors, because it is in their interests to organize work so that employees do not serve the allotted time, but burn out at work. Only this state of affairs guarantees success for their enterprise.
American writer Ray Bradbury wrote that a person can get everything he needs, but only if he really needs it.
How can you motivate yourself to get “everything you need” and become successful?
Setting a goal
So our goal is to achieve success. But this goal is too abstract, so it needs to be specified. We ask ourselves the question: in what area of our life do we want to be successful? In work, sports, personal life, hobbies, or in all at once, which, of course, will require a lot of effort on our part, but if desired, it is possible.
Goal is closely related to motivation: without motivation, it will continue to loom somewhere ahead. Motivation is what motivates us to move towards a goal. The stronger the motivation, the greater the chances of achieving it. The reason that almost half of the goals that people set for themselves remain unfulfilled is a lack of motivation.
For example, we want to head a department in a large company, and this is our goal. But we may want this until retirement if we don’t start working on ourselves. We may have to get additional education, learn several languages, work on our image, etc. On the one hand, this will not be easy, on the other hand, motivation will help us overcome difficulties, which will spur us on and support the desire to move towards the goal.
Of course, we need to set realistic goals for ourselves - ones that we can achieve. Goals like “become the mayor of New York” or “lead Deutsche Bank” are wonderful, but they are unlikely to be achievable even if you have a strong desire. Or maybe we want to lose an extra 20 kg within a month? It is unlikely that we will be able to do this without harming our health. Failures will lower our self-esteem, discourage any desire to act, and therefore move us away from the goal, while successes bring us closer to it.
How to motivate yourself to succeed with training
You can read many books and articles about motivation, but it’s better to take an online course or training once. Learning from a person who has walked this path will help you believe in yourself and achieve what exactly you want in this life. Under no circumstances should you listen to amateurs who shout at every corner: “Pay me and you’ll get rich!”
For me, such a person is Pavel Volya.
His online course “Improver Express” will teach 3 main things: initiative, action and efficiency.
The training consists of 23 chips. It was they who helped Volya turn from a simple beggar Penza guy into the highest paid presenter of the TNT channel and my favorite stand-up comedian. According to Forbes magazine, Pavel earns $2.5 million annually.
The course is suitable for both men and women from 16 years of age.
How the training will take place:
- You receive theory and practical assignment.
- Do it.
- If you did it right, move on to the next one.
If you don’t mess around and do all your homework responsibly, then pleasant changes await you: at work, in your personal life, with relatives and friends. This will lead to more money, connections and success.
Cost – 15,000 rubles. with access forever, but there is also the opportunity to take the course for 3,000 rubles.
If within 2 weeks you decide that the course is not suitable for you, your money will be returned.
After registering for training, a girl from Pavel’s team will contact you and answer all your questions regarding the training. You will discuss payment terms with her.
Also in this article you will find reviews of all courses of the “Willpower” project from Pavel and Laysan Utyasheva.
We break the goal into subgoals: we build a “tree of goals”
So that our goal does not frighten us with its volume, we break it down into several simple subgoals.
We briefly define each one and describe in detail which way we intend to go towards it, as well as what result and in what time frame we expect to receive it. If the subgoal is too capacious, we also break it down into several points and describe specific steps to achieve it. Celebrating what has been accomplished is a good incentive to continue what you started. It is possible and even necessary to make adjustments to the plans, because in the course of completing tasks we will probably have some clarifications.
There is such a thing as a “goal tree”. This tree is compiled according to the principle “from general to specific.” The general is its peak; here the global goal is indicated, which gives an answer to the question: why are we trying, what will we get as a result of these efforts? Branches are subgoals or smaller tasks, the solution of which brings us closer to achieving the main goal. They answer the questions: under what conditions can we realize our goal, what specific steps should we take? And so on. We break down the goals until we get the simplest small tasks, the consistent solution of which will ultimately allow us to achieve success in achieving a complex goal.
MAKE A LITTLE RASS
If you are used to doing everything according to plan and being a “good boy” or “good girl,” do something out of the ordinary. Just don’t take this recommendation as “go get drunk and lie under the fence”... No... Nothing destructive. We're talking about (almost) innocent pampering.
Try pranking a friend or relative, or instead of going for a regular weekend walk, try racing cars... Choose something that won't harm you or the people around you, but do something unexpected that's not part of your usual schedule.
Surround ourselves with like-minded people
Achieving success is facilitated by a clear goal, sufficient motivation and like-minded people - people who strive for the same goal as us, support us when our motivation fades or we lose faith in our abilities and want to quit the race. In turn, we also provide them with support if they need it.
It is better to avoid people who do not believe in our capabilities. With phrases like “You won’t succeed anyway, you’ll just waste your energy, time and money,” they are trying to reason with us, because, in their words, they want “what’s best.” In fact, they themselves are not averse to getting what we strive for, but they are simply lazy. We, with our positive attitude and energy, instill anxiety in their souls, arouse envy, but instead of being infected by our passion, they prefer to program us for failure, so that we “keep our heads down” and be like everyone else.
Particularly impressionable people, indeed, succumb to decadent moods, lose motivation and abandon their goals.
Habits of a successful person
According to psychologists, the key to success is a harmonious ratio of the amount of energy spent on achieving a goal to the importance of the task itself. It is quite problematic to find the ideal balance that would allow you to achieve heights and enjoy life. Successful people sooner or later find this very harmony
The lifestyle they get used to leading helps
Successful people sooner or later find this very harmony. The lifestyle they get used to leading helps.
D. Niven, author of the book “One Hundred Simple Secrets of Successful People,” identifies a number of important rules for the daily routine of a successful person.
Successful people wake up early to get everything done. They consider it an unaffordable luxury to waste precious minutes on a long “buildup”. It's time to get up and get down to business!
Try to wake up so that you have time to plan things before the “work madness” begins, when important tasks begin to accumulate like a snowball. Then you will definitely have enough time for everything that was noted in the diary.
The morning of a successful person is not looking at the news feed on a social network. There are many things ahead that require determination and self-confidence. And for this, a positive attitude is extremely important, which would give a sense of control over the situation, firmness and good spirits. Authors of books on time management advise creating a morning ritual - an action that energizes and gives strength. For some, it's a cup of coffee and a cool shower. Some people need energetic exercise. Others cannot do without 10 minutes of silence to get involved in active work.
What do many people do when they sit down at their office desk? They become immersed in dozens of unread emails and light conversations with colleagues for a long time, leaving the really important work at the end of the day. This is a fatal mistake.
Research shows that the first 2.5-4 hours after waking up is the peak period of brain function and the time when a person is most disciplined. It is an unforgivable mistake to waste your morning on meaningless activities. It is better to devote it to important work tasks. Successful people do just that.
A successful person knows the value of proper rest. It is useless to do anything important when tired
It is important to take a break to gain strength for new achievements - have a light snack, take a walk in the fresh air, etc. This “reboot” will help you work more productively
This “reboot” will help you work more productively.
In the afternoon, productivity decreases slightly. It is better to devote this time to routine matters - work calls, meetings and appointments.
A successful person spends a lot of time solving business problems. But evening for them is the period when they can relax and unwind. With proper time management, by 18.00 all tasks have been successfully completed, all that remains is to make a schedule for tomorrow. Are you constantly running out of time and have to work until late at night? It’s worth reconsidering your daily routine - perhaps you have taken on overwhelming tasks or are wasting precious time on trifles.
An evening for a successful person is time that can be devoted to family or a favorite hobby. He prefers active rest to passive rest. A successful person relieves accumulated stress in the gym, reading or listening to pleasant music.
Getting a good night's sleep is the key to a productive day, which in turn gives you the greatest chance of success. If you constantly live in a frantic rhythm with sleep for 4-5 hours a day, you will not have enough energy even to complete the simplest tasks.
We tell our friends, relatives or colleagues about our goal
By introducing others to our plans, we will receive additional motivation to achieve our goals. After all, no one wants to be branded as an idle talker, an empty talker, or an idle talker whose words mean nothing. The fear that we will no longer be taken seriously will drive us when motivation alone is no longer enough.
True, there is an opinion, and quite justified, that you should not tell everyone about your plans, because in this case they risk remaining plans. After all, the more we talk about them, the less we want to start implementing them: our subconscious perceives the voiced goal or desire as already fulfilled.
Checklist for self-development
- Clearly define your standard of living. What's most important right now? What goal should you strive for?
- Answer honestly the question of what needs to be done in all areas of life. Make a list of what you want to achieve in your career, relationships, social causes. Where do you see yourself in 1-2 years, 5-10 years?
- Analyze your skills, abilities, knowledge. In what areas are there knowledge gaps, what skills do you need to acquire to achieve your goals? Let the movement not be fast, but constant.
We think not about the difficulties that lie ahead of us, but about the benefits that we will ultimately receive
We describe in detail in our minds or on paper all the benefits that we will receive when we achieve our goal. They will inspire and motivate us. We answer ourselves the questions: how will our lives change - financial situation, lifestyle, what interesting people will we be able to meet, what new things will we be able to learn, where to go, how will our horizons expand, what opportunities will appear?
From photographs and drawings that correspond to what we want to achieve, we can create our own “dream collage” and hang it so that our gaze falls on it as often as possible, not letting us forget about the reward for our labors awaiting us. Such visualization of desires can be a good motivation. At the same time, we create an “anti-collage”, where we also colorfully depict what we don’t want, are afraid of and want to avoid - black and white photographs depicting boring, dull people, poverty, misery, etc.
Part 2
- Visualization. Anti - collage. In terms of detail and brightness, it should not be inferior to a dream collage. It works like this: the pictures printed and pasted on it should disgust you and encourage you not to end up at the very bottom. These can be any images, something that you are afraid of. For example, your goal is to get rich, then the board should be filled with pictures of homeless people, and even better if your face is there. This perspective will not allow you to give up; motivation will be modeled automatically.
- Friends. Not all people, even those you call friends, can share the idea of a particular goal with you. If you are confident in a friend, consult him; a close friend’s sincere faith in you will help you not to break down on the way to your goal.
- Meditation. This method needs to be learned. But nothing is impossible. By the way, looking inside yourself in search of an answer is the most effective way.
- Self-hypnosis. Have you heard about the placebo effect? This is from the same series.
- Stories. True stories of great people who achieved their goals.
- Films, etc. Documentary films, books, audiobooks that talk about success and proper goal setting will help you motivate yourself.
Now let's look at three steps to achieve your goal.
Remembering ambitions
The word “ambition” evokes negative associations for many people. This is probably because it is often combined with the word “overpriced.” People with inflated ambitions pretend to do a lot without having sufficient grounds for it, and overestimate their personal qualities and capabilities. Conversely, a person with low ambitions does not need anything: he strives to satisfy only minimal needs.
But ambitions can also be healthy. And in this case, they are an excellent source of motivation. A person with healthy ambitions is constantly on the move, he strives to stand out with his knowledge and skills, sets goals and achieves them. And although psychologists claim that ambition begins in childhood, it can still be developed in oneself. Communication with ambitious people who always need more than others especially helps in this. The desire to keep up with them, to be no worse, is a good motivation in the desire to become successful.
What is motivation?
As with most complex psychological concepts, we will not find a single definition of motivation—depending on the approach or time in which the definition was created, they will differ from each other, emphasizing different components. Thus, depending on the scientific theory underlying the definition of motivation, we can read, among other things, that it is the result of various factors, for example:
- Our biology underlies our motivational processes and largely determines, almost unreflectively/instinctively, our behavior and strategies, taking into account interspecies differences in methods of survival or procreation;
- The driving forces underlying our existence, such as hunger, and the needs that arise from them are a basic component of motivation;
- The genesis of motivation lies in the cognitive structures of how we understand the world and how we learn, with an emphasis on satisfying higher needs, such as the need for esteem, achievement, or free will, that serve more than just satisfying our biology.
See also: How to concentrate? 7 effective tips from experts
However, the common denominator for the motivation process is the outcome of the initiation of activity, its direction, the degree of commitment and the ability to maintain the accompanying psychophysical processes, taking into account both biological and cognitive and social domains.
If you want to effectively use motivation or develop this area of your psyche, you can study many psychological theories, but what will help you achieve tangible results is to look at yourself and your actions in the context of types of motivation. I encourage you to think back to a specific experience and try it on each type of motivation, seeing which one has contributed to your effectiveness in achieving your goals so far.
We practice self-hypnosis
Self-hypnosis, when used skillfully, works wonders. With the help of goals that influence the subconscious, you can change yourself, as they say, beyond recognition. Quite often, people trigger the self-hypnosis mechanism involuntarily. For example, calling themselves losers, they begin to behave accordingly - like losers. Doctors assure that with the power of thought you can both defeat the disease and go to another world.
This means that by repeating phrases such as “I believe that I can do it”, “I can do it, it’s not difficult for me”, you can program yourself for success. To be more effective, they need to be repeated in the morning, as soon as we wake up, in order to create the appropriate mood for the whole day.
It is highly discouraged to use the negative particle “not”. For example, instead of “I won’t be a bungler,” you should say “I’m very attentive.” Motivational phrases should evoke positive emotions in us.
NEW EXPERIENCE
Another way to motivate yourself is to gain some new experience. For example, go on an adventure. Any budget will allow you to create some new experience for yourself.
It doesn't have to be an exotic trip to Hawaii or a tourist trip to Madrid; sometimes you can get even more pleasure from a holiday in the countryside.
The main thing is to abstract yourself from everyday life: forget about the beds and construction, take your favorite book and lie in a haystack for half a day, contemplating the blue sky.
Is it raining or snowing and you are in the city? It's okay too. Give yourself a real day off, which will be a real reboot for your body. Subsequently, it will be easier for you to motivate yourself to succeed.
When I lived in Texas, one of my favorite ways to relax was to visit a bookstore. I intuitively selected about 20 books, took a huge cup of latte with oatmeal cookies and immersed myself for 5-6 hours in a variety of genres - from fiction and educational literature to healthy eating recipes and fashion magazines.
And then I loved going to the movies. Such days, 1-2 times a month, gave me the opportunity to break away from the hustle and bustle of my professional life and immerse myself in another world.
Another good way to spice yourself up is to pretend to be a tourist in your city. Go to a museum, visit a theater, an exhibition, a new trendy restaurant.
Watch motivating films and videos, read motivating books
Motivational films will help create the right mood. For example, “The Pursuit of Happiness” (about a single father who wants his child to be happy), “The Social Network” (about the story of the creation of Facebook by classmates who made them millionaires), “Always Say Yes” (about about how a short word “yes” can change your whole life), “Rain Man”, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, “...And in my soul I’m dancing”, “Until I play the game”, etc.
Among the books one can highlight the books by Ray Bradbury “A Cure for Melancholy” and “Dandelion Wine”, Lance Armstrong’s “My Return to Life”, Greg Mortenson’s “Three Cups of Tea”, Jerry and Esther Hicks’ “Sarah”, etc.
However, everyone probably has their own book or film that they want to return to again and again, especially when their mental strength is running low. The main thing is not to forget that, in the words of the English poet Matthew Arnold, “the biggest bankrupt in this world is a man who has lost his enthusiasm for life.”
When choosing activities and entertainment, be guided by their value, not cost
The most memorable moments of our lives are not associated with the amount of money we invested in them, but with the emotions we received.
Find free or low-cost activities for you
They are the ones who can bring you strong emotions or valuable experience. These could be, for example:
- Writing.
- Independent music lessons or attending free concerts.
- Meditation.
You don't have to travel all over the world to find inspiration. You can find him in the park or at your local theater. Just look around.
Try new things, look for different ways to bring joy into your life.
Remember the Yerkes-Dodson Law
According to the law developed by British psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dodson, the best results are achieved with an average level of motivation. It is the average level that is optimal. The second name of the Yerkes-Dodson law is the law of optimal motivation.
Psychologists have empirically found that when the level of motivation is too high, a person begins to get nervous, fearing not to live up to expectations and not being able to cope with responsibility. Fear does not allow him to think adequately, and he makes mistakes.
