Why Motivation is a Myth
- Kayla Griffith
- Apr 10, 2021
- 2 min read
Jeff Haden wrote a book “The Motivation Myth” that debunks the most popular myths regarding motivation and achieving goals. Here are some of the main points from the book:
1. Motivation isn’t the spark
According to psychology, motivation is what helps us to endure the journey to achieving a goal, but that is really it. The rest of the process relies on us. The exact definition of motivation is “the process that initiates, guides, and maintains our goal orientation.”
Now according to Haden, gaining the motivation to actually do what we want is led by success. He describes the theory as the “Self-reinforcing Loop of Success”--when you start taking action and accomplishing the tasks, strategies, or objectives of your goal, it creates the motivation to keep going and fulfilling those parts. Really it is the dopamine in our bodies that we receive when we can see ourselves making progress.
2. Success is directly proportional to process (not goals)
Haden goes on to say that once you set a goal, forget about it completely, and focus solely on the process. For example, say you want to lose ten pounds. Completely forget about the final destination and basically tell yourself you’re healthy. Doing this will little by little push you towards living a healthier lifestyle. So instead of focusing on the goal, focus on the tasks and work through them. By the time you noticed you’ve completed all the tasks, you may have already completed the goal.
3. Become a jack of all trades
Instead of specializing in one particular field, try to explore other options that interest you--the probability for opportunities to arise increases. Haden says it is a known fact one can become an expert at anything in five to seven years, so think of life in five to seven segments. At twenty years old, you technically could be an expert at up to about ten different things. Professionally, this means you are not restricted to one single career your whole life.
4. You need a pro not a coach
Learning is important, but also can be considered a form of skill. When you learn a specific skill from a coach, chances are you will become what they want you to be. On the other hand, if you learn from someone who is considered a “pro” at that skill, you will become more like them because the energy for your improvement comes from both sides. For example, if you want to become a social media manager, attending classes and researching online would be helpful, but learning from someone who actually is a social media manager is better. Learning from that person specifically will help you also excel at that skill.
You can find the book using this link
References
Comments