Motivation:

Motivation is the word derived from the word ’motive’ which means needs, desires, wants or
drives within the individuals. It is the process of stimulating people to actions to accomplish the
goals. Motivation is an important life skill. The reason it’s important is because every person on
this earth is unique and has a purpose. To steward your purpose well, you have to be motivated
to work towards your goals which helps your dreams become a reality.

Types of Motivation:

1. Intrinsic Motivation
2. Extrinsic Motivation

Different types of motivation fall into two main categories. 

Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation is a type of motivation in which an individual is being motivated by internal
desires.

For example, let’s say an individual named Bilal has set himself a goal to begin losing weight
and becoming healthier.

Let’s also imagine that Bilal’s reason to pursue this path of fitness and wellness is to improve his
health overall and feel more happier with his appearance.

Since bilal’s desire to change comes from within, his motivation is intrinsic.

Extrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is a type of motivation in which an individual is being
motivated by external desires.

Rather than being motivated by the need to look better and feel healthier, let’s say that bilal was
feeling pressure from his friend to slim down and improve his physique so that she would be
more attracted to him.

Since this pressure comes from the outside, this is an example of extrinsic motivation.

Minor Forms of Motivation

Here are minor forms of motivation that are capable of making a big impact in your life!

1. Reward-Based Motivation or Incentive Motivation

Incentive motivation or reward-based motivation is a type of motivation that is utilized when you
or others know that they will be a reward once a certain goal is achieved. Because there will be
something to look forward to at the end of a task, people will often become more determined to
see the task through so that they can receive whatever it is that has been promised.

The better the reward, the stronger the motivation will be!

Example: You strive to get a promotion because of the higher authority and larger paycheck that come
with the new role, rather than the increased responsibility and job satisfaction attached to the position.

2. Fear-Based Motivation

The word “fear” carries a heavy negative meaning but when it comes to motivation, this is not
necessarily the case. Anyone who is big on goal-setting and achievement knows that
accountability plays a huge role in following through on goals.

When you become accountable either to someone you care about or to the general public, you
create a motivation for yourself that is rooted in the fear of failure. This fear helps you to carry
out your vision so that you do not fail in front of those who are aware of your goal.

Fear-based motivation is extremely powerful as long as the fears is strong enough to prevent you
from quitting.

Example: The potential loss of livelihood from missing sales quotas can urge you to learn new methods
of winning clients and polish your cold calling skills.

3. Achievement-Based Motivation

Titles, positions, and roles throughout jobs and other areas of our lives are very important to us.
Those who are constantly driven to acquire these positions and earn titles for themselves are
typically dealing with achievement-based motivation.

Whereas those who use incentive motivation to focus on the rewards that come after a goal is
met, those who use achievement-based motivation focus on reaching a goal for the sake of
achievement.

Those who need a boost in their professional life will find achievement-based motivation
extremely helpful.

Example: You could be a scientist whose organization works to create a vaccine that could cure a
deadly virus. For you, the fulfillment is in creating a life-saving product rather than the potential
commercial value of the discovery. An achievement-motivated individual can also be a person who
spends a lot of time to develop a new production process because they want to improve productivity and
reduce waste rather than selling the patent for the invention.
4. Affiliation Motivation

People often say that it’s not what we do but who we know that dictates our success. For people
driven by affiliation motivation, this is most certainly true.

Those who use affiliation motivation as a driving force to meet their goals thrive when they
connect with others in higher power positions than them.

They also thrive when those people compliment the work that they do as well as their
achievements.

Affiliation motivation is a great force to help you achieve your social goals and move up in the
world.

Example: If you are a professional, you can derive motivation from the recognition colleagues and
superiors give you for your contributions to the success of the organization. 

5. Competence Motivation

Competence motivation is a type of motivation that helps others to push forward and become
more competent in a certain area.

This type of motivation is especially helpful when it comes to learning new skills and figuring
out ways around obstacles that one is faced with in different areas of life.

Example: A heart surgeon decides to undergo specialized training in order to perform an advanced
operating procedure.

6. Power Motivation

When you spend hundreds of hours to build your own business or become an expert in your
field, you are trying to gain control over your livelihood. If you strive to control your life and
that of others, your motivation is likely power. You enjoy actions that will make you the sole
determinant of what happens to your money, food, health, relationships and more.

Power motivation can be a positive way of developing your career, but it can also lead to
challenges. Making a conscious effort to secure your source of income and adopt healthy eating
habits is a noble cause. However, it is important to respect people’s opinions about their own
lives, food choices, religion, knowledge and other personal choices.

Example: You would like to advance to a more senior, managerial position in your company so
you can be in charge of a team. To make yourself more eligible for a promotion, you complete a
management training course and apply for an open position in your company.
How you can motive your subordinates and fellows during current situation?
1) Stay Calm & Positive

Given the massive amount of uncertainty that surrounds the coronavirus, your employees may be
more on-edge than usual. Their feelings will range from anxiety, to fear, to apathy. As a leader,
you’ll best serve your team by being a voice of reason and calm. The more you can show up
from a place of empathy, respect, and understanding, the more your team will have the ability to
calm themselves and focus on their work.

Your employees won’t be working at 100% during this time, but by being a source of stability,
you will maximize the productivity that your employees are able to have in this volatile situation.

2) Be Transparent

Don’t leave your employees in the dark about how COVID-19 will impact your business. If
you’re planning to make significant changes to strategy, workforce or daily operations, try to be
as transparent as possible with your team. Ambiguity will most certainly cause stress and anxiety
for your employees, so help reduce the uncertainty by being open and honest with your team.

3) Create Flexible Workplace Policies

Try to be as accommodating as possible when it comes to working arrangements. With so many

schools closing across the country, parents may have no choice but to stay home with their
children. If possible, try to find a way for your employees to get their work done remotely.
Working remote during Coronavirus allows you to practice social distancing and gives your
employees more flexibility. Tools like video conferencing or office chat can help manage the
remote work setup and encourage consistent communication.

If working remotely isn’t possible for your small business, there are still ways to accommodate
your employees at work. Consider flexible working hours or staggered shifts.

4) Focus on Safety

Let your employees know that you care about their safety during the Coronavirus outbreak. Take
the required safety precautions and make sure your workplace is in compliance with state and
federal guidelines.

If your business is still operating on-site, make sure you have hand sanitizer, soap, gloves, and
masks available for your employees. Whenever possible, make accommodations for social
distancing in the workplace.

5) Set small daily goals.

It is important to recognize that these aren’t normal times, and your productivity is likely not at
its peak right now. That’s okay. Setting daily goals can help you to make your day as productive
as possible, but be realistic with the goals you set. Big goals may seem insurmountable right
now; instead, focus on small goals for each day that you can cross off your list. Setting smaller
goals that can feasibly be tackled in a day can help you stay on track. Try to make a short list of
manageable tasks to get through every day.

6) Schedule virtual get-togethers with friends.

Social distancing can be the hardest aspect of this pandemic for many people. Not getting to
spend time with friends can be emotionally taxing. However, social distancing does not mean
you have to totally say goodbye to a social life. Schedule virtual get-togethers with your friends,
and have them often! The promise of a set time and date to get together can be something to look
forward to. Plan Zoom Happy Hours on Friday evenings to celebrate getting through another
week, or have a virtual game night on Saturday with the use of different multiplayer apps.