I believe there are four unique types of motivation. Most people agree there is Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in place. While that is true, there are internal and external motivators; I actually believe there are 4 motivations that truly drive people.
Motivational Types
- Self Motivation
- Pleasing People Motivation
- Monetary Motivation
- Rewards Motivated
While the bottom three are types of extrinsic, meaning they are driven by outside forces; the top item is intrinsic. So let’s talk about the bottom three types of motivation here first.
Pleasing People
Many people seek the approval of others. Trying to please people can be toxic to your relationships and hold you back from finding your true self. If you are always seeking the approval of someone else, then you can’t be who you want to be.
If this motivational type describes you here are some tips. Be honest with the people in your life and make sure you are acknowledging your needs. Stop being guilty when you tell people NO to something. It’s not going to dissolve the Earth to put yourself first once in
Monetary Motivation
We all know someone who is driven by money and pretty much only money. Now I’m not talking about those who need to make money to survive and have so much debt all they can think about is money. That’s an entirely different problem.
These people will put everything on the side burner if it means they are making more money. While hurting their relationships isn’t something they intend to do, they often don’t realize they have hurt others until the relationship is past salvaging. While there are many types of motivation, I believe this can be one of the most hurtful to those you love.
If you find yourself in this grouping, make a focus to spend time with those you love to be around. Ensure you find ways to tell those around you what they mean to you.
Rewards Motivation
Now you are probably thinking this is the same as money. After all, money motivation and rewards motivated are tied close together. However, they are different.
Those who are driven and motivated by rewards, don’t care what the prize is. It could be a title, wealth, prestige, or even something small like an extra soda or attention from their boss. This type of person tends to make everything in life into some competition even if they are competing against themselves.
If you find yourself in this group, make sure you are not risking your loved ones by turning things into competitions when they shouldn’t be. These people tend to be exhausting to be around, so watch this if you fall into this type of motivation.
Self Motivation
This is one of the hardest types of motivation to conquer and what we all strive for. Self Motivated people don’t care about what others think, money, rewards or any combination.
These people are only motivated by what they think and their own beliefs. These are often some of the most successful people. By having a positive attitude, you often attract positive people to you and this helps you continue to be self-motivated.
Which of these types of motivation do you feel you resonate strongest with?
