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You know very well that it can be hard to find the motivation to start doing something. It's even harder to keep it in you every day, not to give up, not to get frustrated by the little things and trifles that, if they are too many, can throw you off track.
Motivation is always defined as the willingness to do something. You can't argue with that. But some threads of motivation, if you think about it, are rooted in a person's motives, which in turn can be categorized into positive and negative.
For some, the best motivation will be a carrot dangling somewhere far away that must surely be eaten, and for others, a stick that can hit you on the back very painfully if you don't start doing something.
And, as you can see, both kinds make a person move forward. But then the question arises: which one will be better? Which motivation is guided by - positive or negative? Let's figure it out right now.
Positive motivation
Let's start with positive motivation and try to better understand what it is. This thing sits firmly in our intrinsic motivations, which Mr. Maslow derived back in his pyramid of needs.
In short, positive motivation begins where a person's desire for future pleasure is born.
You are more active if you realize that the results of your attempts to do something have a positive impact on some need or necessity. But it doesn't only work that way. You can recreate positive motivation in yourself artificially. For example, sometimes thinking that a large amount of money can make you more independent or that a high rank will give you professional recognition is enough.
In order not to miss this type of motivation, it is enough to remind yourself more often about the plushies that life will shower you with once your goal is achieved. Plus, small gifts you give yourself can help. For example, you motivate yourself by saying that you'll work hard all week, but you'll have fun this weekend at a club, sit in a bar, go to the countryside, and so on. We leave it up to you to choose what attracts you more. In general, this is the principle on which positive motivation works.
Now let's look at its complete opposite.
Negative motivation
So, as you may have already realized, negative motivation is almost always built only on negativity. The main methods of this type of motivation are punishment and fear. How does it work?
For example, a person decides to quit smoking when a close friend or relative dies because of cigarettes. But don't look at negative motivation in too negative a light, reeling from the fear of death. If that was all everyone thought about, there would hardly be so many good things in the world.
So, negative motivation can help you do your job better based on your fear of losing it. It can also help you become more responsible, such as paying your utility bill on time if you don't want to be left without lights or earn some kind of fine.
From other examples of this type of motivation can be criticism from friends, of course objective, thanks to which next time you will cope with the task much better than now.
Another vivid representative of the type of people who tend to come from negativity are deadline lovers. You can spend all week kicking that very same causal spot and then abruptly do things at the last minute. That's not a bad thing if you can work that way, and you manage to complete a task to a high standard. But if you're just a procrastinator, it's not a good thing.
What to choose?
As you've already seen, each type of motivation has its own undeniable pros. Now let's talk a little bit about the not always obvious minuses.
With positive motivation, there is always something that keeps you going towards your goal. As a rule, it is either the goal itself or the promised goodies after its achievement. True, it is worth thinking a little about the fact that sometimes a person becomes too obsessed with the fulfillment of his dream, which may not be very good for the methods aimed at its fulfillment.
This is one possibility. Another is having overly inflated expectations set by positive motivation. Then you can get very frustrated. But this does not mean that we should immediately put this type aside, giving into the hands of negative motivation. It, too, has its drawbacks.
For example, it can do more damage to your mental health if you're unprepared. Plus, while positive motivation makes your future goal too clear, negative motivation can sometimes look too dim and not attractive enough against the backdrop of impending punishment and fear of repercussions. If it is used too often, the motivation may disappear altogether.
Therefore, it is recommended to combine the two types to better stay in balance. Act according to the proven carrot and stick method. You should not forget about the negative consequences in case of failure, but you should not get carried away with them either. It is better to think about the pleasure that awaits you at the finish line. Remember that the power is in the combination.
