What’s the Motivation?

Motivation at Work

When it comes to motivation at work, it can be helpful to clarify your values. Identifying your work values helps in finding a compatible career. Learn more about your work values at careeronestop.org.

Work Values

• power
• money
• prestige
• independence
• challenge
• mastery
• achievement
• recognition
• security
• self expression
• collaboration
• service to others
• relationships
• creativity
• variety

To STREAM motivation in the workplace:

• Set work goals that are relevant to the mission and goals of the organization. An optimal organization is clear about them.
• Training to develop skills. An optimal organization encouragese and provides opportunities for learning.
• Recognize and reward progress. An optimal organization provides incentives that employees want. A word of praise for a job well done can go a long way.
• Expect the best. An optimal organization communicates their expectations. Employees also have expectations of an employer.
• Always be aware of the value that your job provides. An optimal organization provides feedback to employees.
• Measure outcomes and notice results. An optimal organization provides information about progress. A simple scorecard makes outcomes like a game so employees are motivated to improve the score.

Dan Pink, author of Drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us, talks about Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

Autonomy-the desire to be self-directed.

• Choose goals to add value to your life
• Make goals SMART, specific and measurable

Mastery-the urge to get better at stuff. We enjoy the challenge of learning and creating things, and want to contribute.

Purpose-the desire to add value to life with our talents.

• Identify your talents
• Make a Unique Selling Proposition to get very clear on purpose

Self Motivation

To overcome procrastination, learn how to motivate yourself.

Motivation can involve positive or negative consequences. Motivation can be tangible or intangible, intrinsic or extrinsic. Positive motivation is usually the most effective, and intrinsic motivation tends to be intangible. However, to stop a bad habit like using bad language, you can set up a negative tangible consequence like putting a dollar in a jar every time you slip up.
Additional Reading

• Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose at Brainpickings.org
• Can betting against yourself online help you save money? from pbs.org
• New Years Resolutions Stick When Willpower is Reinforced from The New York Times
• How to Make Commitments You Will Actually Keep by Scott H Young
• How the Overjustification Effect Reduces Motivation from verywellmind.com
• Twentysomething: 7 ways to motivate your Millennial at Brazen Careerist
• Motivations and Rewards (pdf)
  

More on Motivation from the Daily PlanIt:

• Alex Vermeer on How to Get Motivated
• Tip the Scales To Master Motivation: Visual Strategies to Overcome Procrastination
• 25 Quotes and Affirmations to Finally Defeat Procrastination
• Rewards
• The Angst Guide to Motivation
• Overcome Procrastination and Get Motivated Pinterest Board

About dailyplanit

I seek to create order from the chaos of complex information. Join me at the Daily PlanIt to gain insights, inspiration, and information to increase skills for a better life. I unlock the power of teaching reading with phonics in the pursuit of literacy at www.phonicspow.com. In my spare time I explore books and movies, often choosing titles available on both screen and page.