Pillars of Motivation

What makes us ‘get going’ & also… ‘keep going’!!!

So we discussed the ‘tower building’ exercise, the ‘three monks’ story’ and various implications of working in a team and how it distinguishes from individualistic approach to an intent. But what remains in the core is the driving force which creates the urge to invest one’s effort to reach a consequence. This force, to term, is known as Motivation.

‘Motivation is the driving force that causes the flux from desire to will in life.’

                                                                                                                            -Wikipedia

As a part of behavioural study, motivation is seen to be induced from various factors, to classify as:

Connecting these dots to the situation of the three monks, we can very well observe the four triggers in play throughout the story. To elaborate:

Scene 1

‘Work to Survive… or you don’t exist’

This situation depicts an absolutely monopolistic, individualistic frame where whatsoever the monk did was solely for his own concern. Here, his goals and incentives associated were interlinked. He aimed at the following:

·         To ensure he reaches the monastery

·         To make his stay in the monastery comfortable, in conformance with the rules of the land

Also there was a sense of power for him to own the place, to be accountable for his survival and maintenance of the place.

This motivated the monk to put in his effort to reach the monastery despite the not-so-favourable conditions and also to arrange the best possible for his survival in the place. He did manage to wake up through the night for something he considered to be his moral obligation. He did tread across the valley to fetch water, well aware of the fact that he had no other option to ensure his steady sustenance.

Scene 2

‘Alone we stand, together we stand tall… and so is to regress’

And here enters the second monk, initially with similar motives and drives as that of the first monk. But the coming of a second player in the situation renders a whole lot of change to the associated dynamics. They begin with an individualist aptitude, but when consequences are shared, responsibilities are expected to follow the suit. However ‘sharing’ can be as disastrous as gleaming it might be. So here,

·         Goal still remains the same, except that the interests of two are involved here.

·         Task is to coexist. It begins with a 1+1=2 which gradually demeans to 1+1=1.

·         Rewards seem to diminish here, as there wasn’t any recognition (extrinsic) to their efforts. As of intrinsic recognition, both had their own motives but instead of streamlining them, they found their own comfort niche in the destined. So intrinsically they’d satisfied themselves in a minimalistic attitude, which was a regressive motion.

·         Power. The initial sense of ownership which the first monk had soon faded away as both had already convinced themselves to the buck-passing attitude.

So, eventually the motivational triggers were gradually diminishing from the picture, which indicated a retrograding course for their metaphorical organisation.

Scene 3

‘Ponder + Explore + Align + Coexist + Collaborate --> Synergize --> Achieve’

And the third monk. Again initial frame of mind was not much different from the others. However, he did come with an expectant mind-set for some convenience with the cognition of other monks inhabiting the monastery already. But as they say, energy is contagious and so is lethargy and so was demotivation. Slowly, the three monks delve into clumsiness to the extent that they were devouring their revered assets (holy water offered to Buddha) and holding back for the rains to quench their thirst. To sum up they were not even willing to satiate their basic needs.

Climax is what the fire in the monastery brought. This is a kind of trying situation where they had no other alternative but to run to rescue. But there was this concern for task to sae the monastery, which they considered as their moral obligation which triggered the ‘get going’ fervour in them. Then came the various factors into play. Once they’d identified saving the monastery as the goal, they started investing efforts towards it. A tinge of calming fire was enough to push them intrinsically and ‘keep them going’. Very soon did they realise that there efforts were not giving the desired results and collaboration enters. They broke the task, took ownership, enjoyed the power of being in control of their part of the task and cumulatively of being in control of the situation and ultimately accomplished the feat of saving the monastery.

But the beauty of effective motivation doesn’t ends here. In fact it lies in the continuum, in the progress. The actual impact that after the rescuing endeavour, they could tailor their existing situation to improve it to higher effectiveness and productivity.