Motivation Is Over Rated!

Yes you read the title correctly! You might find this strange coming from a person who has spent half her life crafting and delivering training sessions and retreats designed to motivate people. But the fact is no matter what we may have to say on the subject at the end of the day we get paid for what the client asks for and unfortunately most of them have very myopic views regarding training, so we have to comply or we cannot survive. The current situation with COVID19 has put all traditional training on a hiatus for now so perhaps we will be more open to explore new ideas and concepts.

The reason I say motivation is over rated is because we are too focused on quick fixes. Get a team motivated, give them a target and they will move mountains to achieve it. We have an organization full of charged up people with their emotions on steroids, adrenaline pumping chanting YES WE CAN like commandos ready to attack the 'enemy' i.e. the target. And then like all steroids, the effect wears off, the dullness sets in and then it is time for another 'shot' of motivation. We trainers have guaranteed cyclical income, HR is happy because their training hours targets are being met, the line managers and department heads are happy because they have their commandos ready to fight again.

No one stops for a second to think if this motivation is positive or driven by negative factors? Are your people motivated for the wrong reasons? Is their motivation fear based? The fears could be losing their jobs, getting left behind as their peers move up the ladder, it could be fear of being embarrassed etc. The motivation could also be driven by negative emotions such as anger and even revenge.

Perhaps the most toxic of all the reasons is to 'prove' themselves because this puts them in a never ending cycle of achievement and frustration. People who are driven by the need to prove themselves seek validation from external sources so they try really hard to achieve a goal which will earn them the respect and admiration they crave, but of course that is always transient, and then frustration sets in, they want the same approval again and so they push themselves to achieve more. this goes on throughout their professional lives. The big problem with this approach is that they peg their emotional well being to external sources which of course are not in their control. As years go by these people become more and more hollow inside seeking to boost their self esteem through ways which only ends up sabotaging it further. Some end up becoming belligerent and obnoxious, others become nay sayers, while others just view everything with total apathy.

It makes me laugh that organizations conduct Emotional Intelligence programs for their people and yet are not willing to actually invest in their emotional well being. Wouldn't it have a more positive impact on organizations if they were able to teach their people how to become Emotionally Independent? If people could truly learn that they are powerful creators of their own realities? If people could learn that their emotional well being and stability comes from inside themselves and the external environment is only a mirror of their own emotions?