Types of Motivation

It is important to have the right motivation in life, because it can mean the difference between success and failure. There are many different types of motivation that can lead to success in different areas.

Many people think that motivation is something you’re either born with or not. But, research tells a different story. In fact, researchers have found that there are many types of motivation! These are affiliation, competence, achievement, power, incentive and attitude motivations. If you want to learn more about these types of motivations and how they can help you succeed in life then read on!

What is Motivation?

The word “motivation” comes from the Latin “movere” which means to move. This indicates that motivation is a force that moves you towards your goals. Someone who has a strong motivation would have an almost unstoppable desire to accomplish something. If someone has no motivation, they could just as easily be dislodged by their opponents when they have a weak point. They may lack the strength and conviction that give people the will to win at all costs. They may even be denied those things they want because they don’t know how and don’t feel like doing it. It’s important to remember, however, that motivation can change over time and throughout life.

Affiliation Motivation

This motivation comes from the desire to be close to others in a group. It’s one of the most common types of motivation people have. Affiliation motivation comes from a desire to belong to a group or organization and to be with others. Maybe you want to join the Boy Scouts because it’s full of friends and stereotypes, or maybe you want to attend church because you know that everyone there is your best friend! You may desire this type of motivation just for social reasons!

This motivation is related to the need for social contact (SCL-90-R: Personality Factor 4), and to the needs for affiliation, companionship, love, and affection (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs). It is usually seen as a desire for community (McClelland, 1961), but can also be interpreted as a desire for an audience (McClelland & March, 1953).

This motivation shows itself in people by their desire to be with others in a group. That is why being around people has been shown to produce more happiness than being around nature. When you are around nature it makes you appreciate Mother Nature, but when you are around other people they make you appreciate life itself.

The affiliation motivation can be used in most situations. For example, there are many groups that people join for different reasons and different benefits. This can help explain why people joined gangs and why people join the military. In this case this motivation explains why, for example, the all-girls gang the Bloods has no male members.

Competence Motivation

This kind of motivation results from wanting greater mastery or expertise in something. It can manifest itself in unconscious ways such as “using” skills you don’t even realize you have. In fact, research has shown that people who feel they don’t have a lot of skills or expertise are more likely to be motivated by this kind of motivation. Competence motivation is often related to a desire for excellence, and it can be about working harder and trying new things!

For example:
” I am learning to play the guitar, because I want to be able to play it!!”
“I am learning AutoCAD, because I want to have a better job one day!”
“I am learning HTML, so that I can improve my websites!”
A lot of people find themselves motivated by this kind of motivation. However, if you find yourself feeling disgruntled or unmotivated by your current skills or their level of mastery, here are some things I want you to keep in mind and think about:

1. You’ve already got the skills! This kind of motivation isn’t a bad thing at all; but many people take this idea way too far. To understand the importance of this, let me ask you: “Why are you doing what you’re doing?” If you’re in a job that nobody else wants, or getting paid very little for it, or it’s unfulfilling and boring, and you’re just unhappy about it – then obviously your motivation to keep at it is going to be a little different.
   If I’m learning AutoCAD only because I want to have a better job one day, well…I’m going to have a problem. But if I’m learning AutoCAD because I love the skills and want to master them, then I’m going to continue doing so.
2. What skills are you really working hard at? One of the main problems people have is that they assume they’re working hard in things like HTML and graphic design, but really aren’t. It’s not that they aren’t interested in the subjects, it’s just that they’re not good at them – and so their motivation is low.

Achievement Motivation

This type of motivation is characterized in the desire for success or “achievement.” Achieving goals is appealing to many people because it can bring fulfillment. We all want to achieve something, so this type of motivation can appear in different forms. Sometimes people want to achieve for themselves, such as when you start your own business or become healthier. Sometimes people want to achieve for other people, such as when you’re helping your child learn to swim or improve their grades. Researchers call this kind of motivation “task-oriented motivation” because it focuses on the task itself and not what you get out of it.

We can say that the Achievement motivation is:

• A desire for self-improvement.
• A characteristic of high performance and self-actualization.
• Usually associated with a desire for success.
• Associated with higher levels of stress and anxiety.

Theories of Achievement Motivation:

• Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory.
• Victor H. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory.
• Don Adams’ Contingency Theory.

Applications of Achievement Motivation:

• Employee Retention and Job Satisfaction.
• Athletics, Sports and Teams.
• Business, Personal Development and Sales Techniques.
• Parenting Strategies and Parent Training Programs.

Power Motivation

As the name implies, this kind of motivation is motivated by the desire for power and control over your life. In fact, many people believe they are motivated by power when they are actually motivated by affiliation! However, some researchers have found that there can be a link between power and achievement; in which those who hold more power have fewer ties to others in their lives and therefore become more achievement-oriented.

Power Motivation is the most common form of motivation among the powerful and privileged. The need to control is satisfied by power. This kind of motivation comes from individuals who are in positions of authority, i.e. managers, CEOs, government officials, etc. In most cases, power motivated people exercise indirect forms of influence over others.

Incentive Motivation

This motivation is about the desire for a prize or reward for what you’re doing. You do something because there is a reward at the end that can make it worth your while. For example, you might want to enter a contest just to win the prize money. Or you may want to try out for a new job that has a chance at greater financial reward. Incentive motivation can be related to wanting results, as well as feelings of self-worth and value in life!

Incentive motivation is considered to be an extrinsic motivation because you do something because you want a reward outside of the activity. What is important here is that you can lose or stop something if it means you may gain something else. Incentive motivation (extrinsic) is dependent on how your activities and the environment are affecting your emotions and feelings, as well as how they affect your values. Incentives can be either positive or negative. But, in general, people are driven by incentives with negative consequences more than positive ones.

“Losses are more powerful than rewards in eliciting approach motivation.”

You may be in a situation where you have to make a decision about whether to accept an incentive. For example, you may be offered a job because of your education. But, you might also have feelings about the job that could affect your decision.

Briefly, incentive motivation is motivational because it is linked closely with values and goals in life (intrinsic), and the consequences associated with achieving these goals. Also, since people are driven by incentives with negative consequences more than positive ones, it is important to remember this when thinking about your actions or in an attempt to influence behavior (extrinsic).

Attitude Motivation

This type of motivation is about how you feel about something and not necessarily how much effort you put into it. Researchers have found that people who tend to think positively about things are likely to be more motivated by this kind of motivation. In fact, your attitude towards things can often be what drives you forward!
For example, if you think a task is impossible, you will probably think very little of it and likely to be demotivated! However, if you think that a task is possible and are confident that you can do it, then this will make you more motivated.
The tricky thing about this type of motivation is that it doesn’t last as long as other types. For example, the classic approach to school work is that those who enjoy studying for exams will be highly motivated by the end of year tests because they don’t want to fail or get their grades docked. This kind of motivation tends to wear off over time.
However, if you are able to keep yourself motivated from your attitude then a few pieces of advice can help you stay motivated better than other people.
It is important to find a subject that you like and have fun with it. If the task is enjoyable then it will be much easier for you to cultivate motivation within yourself. For example, if you are going on a run and less motivated to finish then it may be helpful to reframe how you see the run. Also, if you think of something that is motivating such as a reward or some motivating music , then this could aid in increasing your level of motivation!
The other option is to change your attitude towards things only when needed. For example, if you know that you are very demotivated to do a task but it can’t be done right now, then you might try to put it at the bottom of your to-do list as you don’t want to waste your time on something that is impossible. This will keep motivation up while still maintaining the task in your mind.
This type of motivation is often what we need in our hobbies and careers as well because it is often how we feel rather than how much effort we put in that drives us forward.

What Motivates You?

It’s important to remember that every person is motivated by different things, so it really is a matter of preference. What may motivate you one day may not motivate you the next. Although there are some universal factors that can cause motivation, such as a desire for success or affiliation with others, the best way to get motivated is to first figure out what motivates you!

So if you’re having trouble getting motivated to do something then make sure it’s something that will bring you joy and satisfaction.