Motivation is the drive that spurs us on to strive towards a goal that excites us, regardless of the challenges we may face in achieving it. When we feel motivated, carrying out our daily tasks becomes easier; however, when we face burnout or obstacles arise, maintaining that consistency becomes more difficult. In this post, we want to talk about precisely this, about What to do when your motivation drops, how to reignite it, and we’ll also explore the four theories of motivation.
Keep reading if you too want to find that extra bit of motivation for your day-to-day life!
Motivation: that drive that spurs us on to great achievements
Motivation could be described as the catalyst that sets in motion a series of actions aimed at achieving a goal that is deeply desired. It is that the force that drives us to keep moving forward in difficult times and helps us get back on track, even though this is not always easy. Depending on the complexity of our goals, our motivation can vary, and may even reach the point where we give up on our aims.
What should you do when you lose your motivation? Can you regain that enthusiasm? The answer is yes, but first, you need to understand the four main theories of motivation developed by experts in psychology.
It all stems from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
There are many types of motivation, but, specifically, Maslow lays the foundations for all of them. As you’re no doubt already familiar with his famous pyramid, we won’t go into too much detail about it, but we will say that it is a psychological theory which describes human needs hierarchically, from basic needs such as food and shelter, right up to self-actualisation, emphasising the progression towards personal fulfilment.
Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory
To provide some background, Frederick Herzberg was a psychologist and management theorist, renowned for his research into the motivation in the workplace. His theory, known as the Motivation-Hygiene Theory or Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, emerged from a study on job satisfaction and was published in his book *The Motivation to Work* in 1959.
Job satisfaction and dissatisfaction according to Herzberg
According to this psychologist, to be happy at work Two factors that influence job satisfaction and dissatisfaction must be taken into account: motivational factors and hygiene factors.
Motivational factors: these are related to the nature of the work, such as recognition, personal achievement, responsibility, and opportunities for growth and development.
Hygiene factors: these refer to the environment outside the workplace, such as working conditions, pay, supervision, company policies and interpersonal relationships. Herzberg argued that whilst these factors may prevent dissatisfaction, they do not generate motivation on their own, as their absence may cause discontent, but their presence does not necessarily lead to job satisfaction.
Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
This distinguished psychologist and professor at MIT put forward two contrasting theories on human nature in the workplace, known as Theory X and Theory Y. Whilst Theory X takes a pessimistic and traditional view of employees, regarding them as inherently lazy and with a clear tendency to shirk responsibilities, preferring to be directed and controlled; Theory Y adopts a more optimistic and progressive perspective on human nature.
McGregor believed that people are naturally proactive and seek growth and development. In short, this psychologist maintained that work, when properly managed and allocated, can be a source of satisfaction to which employees can contribute innovative ideas if given the opportunity to do so.
McClelland’s Motivational Theory or Achievement Theory
David McClelland was an American psychologist renowned for his research into personality psychology and motivation. During his career, McClelland developed the Achievement Motivation Theory, also known as the Theory of Achievement Needs.
According to this theory, there are three basic needs in the individual: the need for achievement (nAch), the need for affiliation (nAff) and the need for power (nPow); although the focus was on the need for logo. According to McClelland, people are constantly striving to excel, achieving challenging goals and succeeding in our endeavours, which keeps us constantly motivated and eager to strive towards a goal.
But what happens when your motivation wanes?
All these theoretical approaches agree that, in order to maintain motivation, constructive feedback is essential, setting challenging goals and performance-based rewards. As we are social beings, there will always be a role model to spur us on to grow; the important thing is to know how to choose the right one.
What about you? What do you think about motivation and its sources? What’s your source of motivation?
We hope this post has helped you gain a better understanding of how motivation works and how to maintain it. Be sure to check out the Educa.Pro blog for more content on professional development and self-improvement!
