Motivation For Goal Setting

By David Johne


Several psychological theories exist, such as rational motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, push and pull, self-control, drives, need theories, incentive theory, escape-seeking dichotomy, cognitive dissonance theory, drive-reduction theory, self-determination theory, temporal theory, achievement theory, and other cognitive theories like goal-setting theory, basic desires theory, attribution theory, and approach versus avoidance theory. Some of the major theories are analyzed here.

Intrinsic or internal and extrinsic or external motivations are two major theories in motivating people. People having intrinsic motivating attitude have internal interest or enjoyment in performing each task, without any pressure or influence from external factors, such as desire for name, fame, power, position, money, or other types of rewards. This intrinsic motivating approach is highly useful to students.

Even though motivation is basically psychological, it has also got its roots in other spheres like behavioral aspects, cognitive powers, and social areas. Still, it is basically rooted in the fundamental impulse in optimizing the well-being of the organism, minimizing physical or mental pain, and maximizing pleasure. It originates from several essential or indispensable needs or requirements, such as eating, resting, sex, sleeping, companionship, intellectual activities, physical exercises, healthy life, etc.

It is the inner drive in every organism to act or behave in a specific manner. If you have enough motivation, you might get up early in the morning and continue with your daily activities in a vigorous manner. If you do not have any motivation at all, you might be loitering around the house throughout the day in a lazy manner, doing nothing.

In contrast, Machiavellianism theory is the employment of duplicity and cunningness in general conduct or statecraft. Machiavelli proposed this theory of motivation in his treatise, Il Principe or The Prince. Psychologists use the principles of Machiavelli to explain the tendency of people to remain unemotional, detached from morality, and manipulate others.

Most of our motivations are basically from such internal drives, such as eating food to survive, the secretion of certain hormones that induce sexual desire, etc. However, the drive or the motivation could arise from external stimuli, such as the desire to gain power and position to prove one's superiority or amass money with a desire to earn more respect in the society.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment