Two types of thinking that affect motivation: get to know your
Motivation / / January 05, 2021
Understand yourself so that you are more willing to take on work tasks and easier to find a common language with colleagues.
Let's say you received a difficult task in some area that you are not very familiar with or have never encountered before. What motivates you to roll up your sleeves and get down to business? That in the process you will develop some skills and broaden your horizons? Or that you will impress the person who assigned you the task and earn praise? The answer depends on the type of thinking. When they talk about the approach to work, they distinguish two: prone to learning and prone to reward.
1. A type of thinking inclined to learn
People with this type are motivated by the desire to become more competent and learn something new. They do not expect loud praise for the information they have gathered, but feel satisfaction from improving their skills and expanding knowledge. This is the main reward for them.
Signs
- You spend a lot of your free time studying various things, even if it does not provide any particular benefit. You just like it.
- It is to you that your colleagues, and perhaps the manager, turn to you when they need information. They are convinced that you know how to find it, and they consider you a source of knowledge.
- When faced with a difficult question or unfamiliar topic, you feel joyful anticipation, not fear.
pros
- You are constantly developing.
- You accept criticism more easily because you see it as an opportunity to learn something.
- You are more likely to retain information in your long-term memory because you are not trying to use it only for fleeting gain.
Minus
- The almost constant urge to learn and improve skills can be overwhelming or even exhausting. The brain requires more energy than any other human organ. It is spent on itAppraising the brain’s energy budget 20% of calories consumed by the body. If you load the brain without a break, you can bring yourself before burnout.
2. A reward-minded mindset
People with this type are more motivated by recognition and praise. They are not satisfied with the acquisition of new knowledge, but the approval that they are rewarded for the completed task. It is important for them to get a favorable opinion of their competence (and avoid negative judgments).
Signs
- You feel most satisfied when you receive positive feedback and recognition from colleagues.
- You readily agree that other people's opinions of you are very important to you.
- You are always looking for an opportunity to share your knowledge and teach someone.
pros
- You are very conscious about how your colleagues evaluate your actions.
- You are well developedThe science of motivation short term memory. So if you constantly need to memorize and give out new information at work, this is a great advantage.
Minus
- If you consistently rely on external approval, you are more likely to experience disappointment and frustration. Not everyone knows how to give positive feedback. According to the surveyWhy Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise?, 37% of executives never do this at all.
Why is it important to know your type of thinking
This is not to say that one type is better than the other: they are different and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, you can lean towards one or the other, depending on the situation. But anyway, some of them will appear more often. That's why it is worth determining your dominant type.
You will find the best way to motivate
Before you scold yourself for laziness and apathy when I have no desire work, think about what exactly motivates you: training or encouragement. Then it will be easier to find the right "carrot" to force yourself to get down to business.
Find out more😐
- What to do when there is no motivation at all
You will improve your relationship with your boss.
Ideally, he should strive to understand what motivates you and helps you perform better. Otherwise, you should tell him about it. If you find that you are inclined to learn, offer to assign you to work on large, difficult questions or research. If you are rewarding, let them know that positive feedback motivates you and ask them to share it more often (and not just point out your mistakes).
This conversation may sound scary, but you both win in the end. The manager will understand how to better formulate tasks for you in order to further interest you in the business, and you will get more comfortable working conditions.
It will be easier for you to communicate with colleagues
With some of them, you will certainly not have the same type of thinking, and this can lead to conflicts. Understanding your own motivation will help you get to know others better and build communication with them.
Read also🧐
- 14 ways to develop analytical thinking
- 7 tips for those looking to develop positive thinking
- How to change your mindset and make your life better