This book is well complemented by:
The Psychology of Achievement
Heidi Grant Halvorson
Flexible mind
Carol Dweck
Make yourself
Tina Seelig
Motivate yourself and influence others using two different worldviews.
Tori Higgins
Heidi Grant Halvorson
To our family members, deceased and living, who have shaped the way we see the world and how we relate to life, and our family at the Center for Motivational Sciences, for bringing us joy, and we are honored to work with you.
Introduction
The weekly meetings at the Columbia University Motivational Science Center (MSC) are always fun and educational (and not just because our research topic is “ Why do people do what they do"– much more interesting than, for example, “ Advances in modern accounting”). Our underground conference room is lined with chairs, with a long table in the middle, often littered with papers next to glasses and plates of food. The boards are adorned with curved charts and graphs (which we've been discussing for months). Every week, some daredevil presents his work to the rest of the group - then he is forced to answer hard-hitting questions and listen to criticism, which often turns into flattering reviews or banter.
Although each of us at the Center has our own habits of speaking (often excessively loud or verbose) and dressing (not always stylish or just neat), in the way each of us works, we quite clearly divide into two camps, in other words, into two class (in fact, it turns out that most people in any society, in any job or in educational institution belong to one of these two classes). The difference between the designated classes is best illustrated by introducing John and Ray, two of our brightest (and strong-willed) colleagues, whose names we have changed to protect the innocent (ourselves).
John is one of those people who many would call "difficult", although he himself (and we) would prefer the word "skeptic". It's not easy to talk when John is around - in the middle of a sentence, he will interrupt you to state that everything said from the very beginning was complete nonsense. He is always immaculately dressed, carefully chooses his words, and never puts anything on the back burner. By nature, he is pessimistic (“protective type”, we will explain what this is later) - try to tell him that everything will be fine, and watch how he becomes uncomfortable for you because you look at things like that reckless and naive.
Now you probably think that working with John is a terrible bore, and, no doubt, it sometimes is. But knowing him closer, you will understand why it works exactly like this determined never be wrong. He dislikes even the thought of a mistake. (Did we say that he's a little uptight most of the time? He is.) As a result, his work is usually flawless—ideas well articulated and painstakingly backed up by research, statistics so perfectly put together that even an accountant would smile with satisfaction. He criticizes our work with the sincere intention of helping to avoid mistakes. His words are not always pleasant to listen to, but believe me, it is worth doing.
Ray is the exact opposite of John. He is the real anti-John. Don't know, bothered Does Ray have anything and ever. He is just as smart and motivated, but he approaches work (and life) with an endless optimism that is impossible not to envy. He does not spray on trifles - he thinks in big categories, but sometimes this lightness does not justify itself. He was forced to mark all his belongings with the inscription: "If you find this, call Ray: 555-8797", because he always forgets where he left them. At a time when every sophomore prepares a presentation of his term paper in PowerPoint with all the bells and whistles, Ray's talk was accompanied by two slides with headings and sticky notes, and, aside from style, it was the most impressive work of ideas that year.
Ray's work is creative and full of new ideas - he is not afraid to tread unworn paths and take intellectual risks, even though sometimes it is a waste of time, a dead end. As for appearance... One day at a lab meeting, John noticed that Ray's shirt was so rumpled that it looked like it had been in his trouser pocket all morning - neatness had never been strong point Ray.
At first glance, John and Ray are two talented people who strive for the same goal: to become an outstanding scientist. When you want to influence another person (whether you are a psychologist, manager, marketer, teacher or parent), you usually first understand what this person wants and then use that knowledge to understand and predict its behavior. But if John and Ray want the same thing, then why are they Total so different?
We know that people want the good (they want good products, ideas and events) and tend to avoid the bad. How lucky psychologists (as well as managers, marketers, teachers, and parents) would be if there was nothing more to know about motivation—if motivation were such a simple thing. But she's not like that. In order to understand John, Ray, and other human beings, we'll start with an idea that occurred to one of the authors of this book (Higgins) over 20 years ago: there are two very different types of good (and bad).
Two types of good (and bad): the desire to succeed and the desire to avoid failure
People like Ray only see the "good." Goals for them are an opportunity to achieve success or move forward. In other words, they are tuned in to all the good that will happen to them, what they will achieve - for benefits and rewards. They are focused on winning. When people are attracted to this type of "good" we say they are attuned to striving for success. Research in our lab (and now many others) shows that people who strive for success respond best to optimism and praise, take risks and seize opportunities more often, and are more creative and innovative. Unfortunately, their willingness to take risks and positive thinking makes them more prone to making mistakes, they are less likely to think things through and usually don't have a "Plan B" in case they fail. For people who are determined to succeed really bad don't win - do not use your chance, do not win an award, miss the opportunity to move forward. They would rather say "yes" and pay for it than not answer the call of His Majesty the case.
Why do some people rush into everything new with their heads, while others are cautious to the last?
What do many books on motivation miss when they tell you to “be optimistic”?
How to learn to understand people who are not at all like you and influence them when you need it?
We all want to experience pleasure and try to avoid pain. But there are actually two kinds of pain and pleasure that motivate us. If you are motivated to achieve, then you do your best to avoid missed opportunities. If you are motivated to avoid failure, you try to minimize mistakes and want to leave things as they are.
Using numerous examples from completely different life situations from marketing and sales to managing people and raising children, the authors show how to correctly determine the motivational setting (for oneself and others), how to change it, and how to use this knowledge to improve communications and gain influence.
PSYCHOLOGY OF MOTIVATION will be useful to anyone who is interested in the nature of human behavior and ways to influence someone else's choice.
After reading this simple and practical book, you will be able not only to see what is happening “on the surface”, but also to understand the hidden reasons for actions.
Introduction
The weekly meetings at Columbia University's Motivational Science Center (MSC) are always fun and educational (and not just because our research topic is " Why do people do what they do"- much more interesting than, for example, " Advances in modern accounting”). Our underground conference room is lined with chairs, with a long table in the middle, often littered with papers next to glasses and plates of food. The boards are adorned with curved charts and graphs (which we've been discussing for months). Every week, some daredevil presents his work to the rest of the group - then he is forced to answer hard-hitting questions and listen to criticism, which often turns into flattering reviews or banter.
Although each of us at the Center has our own habits of speaking (often excessively loud or verbose) and dressing (not always stylishly or just neatly), in the way each of us works, we quite clearly divide into two camps, in other words - into two class (in fact, it turns out that most people in any society, in any job or educational institution belong to one of these two classes). The difference between the designated classes is best illustrated by introducing John and Ray, two of our brightest (and strong-willed) colleagues, whose names we have changed to protect the innocent (ourselves).
John is one of those people who many would call "difficult", although he himself (and we) would prefer the word "skeptic". Speaking when John is around is not easy - in the middle of a sentence, he will interrupt you to state that everything said from the very beginning was complete nonsense. He is always immaculately dressed, carefully chooses his words, and never puts anything on the back burner. By nature, he is pessimistic (“protective type”, we will explain what this is later) - try to tell him that everything will be fine, and watch how he becomes uncomfortable for you because you look at things like that reckless and naive.
Now you probably think that working with John is a terrible bore, and, no doubt, it sometimes is. But knowing him closer, you will understand why it works exactly like this determined never be wrong. He dislikes even the thought of a mistake. (Did we say that he's a little uptight most of the time? That's right.) As a result, his work is usually flawless—ideas articulated and painstakingly backed up by research, statistics so perfectly put together that even an accountant would smile with satisfaction. He criticizes our work with the sincere intention of helping to avoid mistakes. His words are not always pleasant to listen to, but believe me, it is worth doing.
Ray is the exact opposite of John. He is the real anti-John. Don't know, bothered Does Ray have anything and ever. He is just as smart and motivated, but he approaches work (and life) with an endless optimism that is impossible not to envy. He does not spray on trifles - he thinks in big categories, but sometimes this lightness does not justify itself. He was forced to mark all his belongings with the inscription: "If you find this, call Ray: 555-8797", because he always forgets where he left them. At a time when every sophomore prepares a PowerPoint presentation of their term paper with every bells and whistles imaginable, Ray's presentation was accompanied by two slides with headings and notes on a self-adhesive piece of paper, and, aside from style, it was the most impressive work in terms of the number of ideas in year.
Ray's work is creative and full of new ideas - he is not afraid to tread unworn paths and take intellectual risks, even though sometimes it is a waste of time, a dead end. As for appearance... One day at a lab meeting, John noticed that Ray's shirt was wrinkled, as if it had been in his trouser pocket all morning - neatness had never been Ray's forte.
On the surface, John and Ray are two talented individuals with the same goal: to become an outstanding scientist. When you want to influence another person (whether you are a psychologist, manager, marketer, teacher or parent), you usually first understand what this person wants and then use that knowledge to understand and predict its behavior. But if John and Ray want the same thing, then why are they Total so different?
We know that people want the good (they want good products, ideas and events) and tend to avoid the bad. How lucky psychologists (as well as managers, marketers, teachers, and parents) would be if nothing more needed to be known about motivation—if motivation were such a simple thing. But she's not like that. In order to understand John, Ray, and other human beings, we'll start with an idea that occurred to one of the authors of this book (Higgins) over 20 years ago: there are two very different types of good (and bad).
The Psychology of Motivation - Heidi Grant Halvorson (download)
(introductory fragment of the book)
Current page: 1 (total book has 19 pages) [accessible reading excerpt: 5 pages]
Heidi Grant Halvorson, Tori Higgins
Psychology of motivation. How deep attitudes affect our desires and actions
Heidi Grant Halvorson, E. Tory Higgins
Use Different Ways of Seeing the World for Success and Influence
Published with permission from Hudson Street Press, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. and Andrew Nurnberg Literary Agency
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Hudson Street Press, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
© Halvorson H. G., Higgins E. T., 2013
© Translation into Russian, publication, design. LLC "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber", 2014
All rights reserved. No part of the electronic version of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use, without the written permission of the copyright owner.
© The electronic version of the book was prepared by LitRes
* * *
This book is well complemented by:
The Psychology of Achievement
Heidi Grant Halvorson
Flexible mind
Carol Dweck
Make yourself
Tina Seelig
Motivate yourself and influence others using two different worldviews.
Tori Higgins
Heidi Grant Halvorson
To our family members, deceased and living, who have shaped the way we see the world and how we relate to life, and our family at the Center for Motivational Sciences, for bringing us joy, and we are honored to work with you.
Introduction
Weekly meetings at Columbia University Motivational Science Center (MSC) 1
Columbia University's Motivation Science Center - MSC. Note. ed.
They are always fun and instructive (and not only because the topic of our study is “ Why do people do what they do"– much more interesting than, for example, “ Advances in modern accounting”). Our underground conference room is lined with chairs, with a long table in the middle, often littered with papers next to glasses and plates of food. The boards are adorned with curved charts and graphs (which we've been discussing for months). Every week, some daredevil presents his work to the rest of the group - then he is forced to answer hard-hitting questions and listen to criticism, which often turns into flattering reviews or banter.
Although each of us at the Center has our own habits of speaking (often excessively loud or verbose) and dressing (not always stylish or just neat), in the way each of us works, we quite clearly divide into two camps, in other words, into two class (in fact, it turns out that most people in any society, in any job or educational institution belong to one of these two classes). The difference between the designated classes is best illustrated by introducing John and Ray, two of our brightest (and strong-willed) colleagues, whose names we have changed to protect the innocent (ourselves).
John is one of those people who many would call "difficult", although he himself (and we) would prefer the word "skeptic". It's not easy to talk when John is around - in the middle of a sentence, he will interrupt you to state that everything said from the very beginning was complete nonsense. He is always immaculately dressed, carefully chooses his words, and never puts anything on the back burner. By nature, he is pessimistic (“protective type”, we will explain what this is later) - try to tell him that everything will be fine, and watch how he becomes uncomfortable for you because you look at things like that reckless and naive.
Now you probably think that working with John is a terrible bore, and, no doubt, it sometimes is. But knowing him closer, you will understand why it works exactly like this determined never be wrong. He dislikes even the thought of a mistake. (Did we say that he's a little uptight most of the time? He is.) As a result, his work is usually flawless—ideas well articulated and painstakingly backed up by research, statistics so perfectly put together that even an accountant would smile with satisfaction. He criticizes our work with the sincere intention of helping to avoid mistakes. His words are not always pleasant to listen to, but believe me, it is worth doing.
Ray is the exact opposite of John. He is the real anti-John. Don't know, bothered Does Ray have anything and ever. He is just as smart and motivated, but he approaches work (and life) with an endless optimism that is impossible not to envy. He does not spray on trifles - he thinks in big categories, but sometimes this lightness does not justify itself. He was forced to mark all his belongings with the inscription: "If you find this, call Ray: 555-8797", because he always forgets where he left them. At a time when every sophomore prepares a PowerPoint presentation of their term paper with every bells and whistles imaginable, Ray's presentation was accompanied by two slides with headings and notes on a self-adhesive piece of paper, and, aside from style, it was the most impressive work in terms of the number of ideas in year.
Ray's work is creative and full of new ideas - he is not afraid to tread unworn paths and take intellectual risks, even though sometimes it is a waste of time, a dead end. As for appearance... One day at a lab meeting, John noticed that Ray's shirt was wrinkled, as if it had been in his trouser pocket all morning - neatness had never been Ray's forte.
At first glance, John and Ray are two talented people who strive for the same goal: to become an outstanding scientist. When you want to influence another person (whether you are a psychologist, manager, marketer, teacher or parent), you usually first understand what this person wants and then use that knowledge to understand and predict its behavior. But if John and Ray want the same thing, then why are they Total so different?
We know that people want the good (they want good products, ideas and events) and tend to avoid the bad. How lucky psychologists (as well as managers, marketers, teachers, and parents) would be if there was nothing more to know about motivation—if motivation were such a simple thing. But she's not like that. In order to understand John, Ray, and other human beings, we'll start with an idea that occurred to one of the authors of this book (Higgins) over 20 years ago: there are two very different types of good (and bad).
Two types of good (and bad): the desire to succeed and the desire to avoid failure
People like Ray only see the "good." Goals for them are an opportunity to achieve success or move forward. In other words, they are tuned in to all the good that will happen to them, what they will achieve - for benefits and rewards. They are focused on winning. When people are attracted to this type of "good" we say they are attuned to striving for success. Research in our lab (and now many others) shows that people who strive for success respond best to optimism and praise, take risks and seize opportunities more often, and are more creative and innovative. Unfortunately, their willingness to take risks and positive thinking makes them more prone to making mistakes, they are less likely to think things through and usually don't have a "Plan B" in case they fail. For people who are determined to succeed really bad don't win - do not use your chance, do not win an award, miss the opportunity to move forward. They would rather say "yes" and pay for it than not answer the call of His Majesty the case.
People like John think that a goal is an opportunity. execute their obligations without being harmed. They are set not to win, but to don't lose . More than anything, they seek security. When people strive for this type of “good”, we say that the main thing for them is desire to avoid failure. Our research has shown that people who are determined to avoid failure are more motivated by criticism and the possibility of failure looming ahead (if they don't do a good job, for example) than by applause and sunny prospects. Such prudent people are more likely to be conservative and not ready to take risks, but they work more carefully, more accurately and better plan their actions. Of course, too much caution and over-vigilance can kill all potential growth, creativity, and innovation in the bud. But for those who are determined to avoid failure in every possible way, the worst thing is the loss that he could not prevent: a mistake made, a punishment received, a danger that was not avoided. Such a person would rather say “no” to an opportunity than get into trouble. The one who first said "choose the lesser of two evils" would have earned John's warm approval.
Members of the Motivational Science Center (MSC, as we will call it from now on) and many other laboratories in different countries world for 20 years tirelessly explore the causes and consequences of striving for success and the desire to avoid failure in various aspects of life. We know that although every person cares both success and failure, most people have a dominant motivation that tells them how to deal with life's difficulties and requirements. It is also true that motivation can depend on the situation: there are people who strive for success at work, and at home with children they try to avoid failure. Each wants to succeed when he fills out a lottery ticket, and seeks to avoid failure when standing in line to get a flu shot.
After the main discovery, we conducted hundreds of studies, and it became clear to us that what kind of “good” you strive for affects everything connected with you. It depends on what you pay attention to, what you value, what strategy you choose (which, in fact, will work for you), and how you feel when you succeed or fail. It affects your strengths and weak sides both in personal and professionally. It affects how you manage your subordinates, how you raise your children (and why your spouse's decisions and preferences seem so strange). It is no exaggeration to say that your dominant motivation affects everything.
In the first part of the book, we will explain what the nature of the motivation to strive for success and the desire to avoid failure is, how it works - and you will see yourself and other people in a completely new light. Things that didn't make sense before will become meaningful. You will finally understand why it is difficult to be in your place both in big things and in small things. Why impulsive people don't keep a checkbook. Why do you either underestimate how long it will take or overestimate the complexity of the task - and why those who are different from you seem so strange to you. You will understand why you do exactly like this choice why exactly this you are attracted to, and why you prefer one brand over another. You will be able to use what you learn, and life will sparkle with new colors and become much more productive.
Boost your influence
It will be especially helpful to understand about such a drive to succeed and avoid failure if you have to influence other people as you inform, persuade and motivate on a daily basis. (This applies to teachers, coaches, parents, and not just marketers, managers and lawyers ... In fact, most people influence each other in one way or another. If you live alone on a desert island, this book can be used to crack coconuts.)
Products, activities and ideas can refer to such personal factors of a person as the desire to succeed or the desire to avoid failure, depending on what is “good” or “bad” in them. Some things are obvious: seat belts, home security systems, and mammograms are designed to avoid losses (prudence), and suburban summer houses, lottery tickets and facelifts are associated with potential acquisitions (striving for success). Other products can satisfy the pursuit of success or the desire to avoid failure, depending on which side you look at. When a toothpaste promises "a whiter smile" and "fresh breath" it's a product for those who strive for success, but when it "prevents cavities and fights gum disease" it's for the prudent.
As the research we'll cover in Part 2 of this book shows, you can learn to speak in the language of motivation the person you are trying to influence. By articulating your message (or experience) to match his motivation—the kind of “good” they seek—you make them believe that that's how it should be. We call it compliance motivation, and over 10 years of research suggests it can help you increase credibility, believability, engagement, and eventual value. Wrongly formulated messages and experiences that do not match the motivation will seem to the person to whom they are addressed, incorrect and flat (unfortunately, this happens all too often). Let me explain what we mean by using the example of "safe sex" - when using a condom corresponds situations and when not.
The case of condoms
Here's a paradox for you: why do condom sales rise in tough economic times, despite the fact that financial problems make people less have sex? The answer is not as obvious as it seems. Yes, in bad economic situation people want to have fewer children because they need to be supported, but if the desire to avoid unwanted pregnancies was enough for people to start using condoms, then in a strong economy they would also be bought much more often.
Once again, it comes down to matching motivation. In good times, sex is more about pleasure, sex is pleasurable (or at least that's how it's supposed to be). The use of condoms does not satisfy sex (and no pun intended) because it is not associated with pleasure - this is the source security. But you will understand that the means to an end for people with one motivation is terrifying for those who are otherwise motivated. Therefore, if at the moment when you decide whether to use a condom as a means of contraception, that this decision does not correspond to your mood, you don't want take advantage of them.
Certainly not in hard times. A stagnant economy makes you feel intense anxiety every day, and this feeling pervades your sex life as well. Even if sex is still mostly about pleasure for you, entire life in an economic downturn, calls for safety and security. Condoms are a great way to achieve this, so they are more in line with the motivations that certain types of people have that make it feel right to use a condom.
Practical value
This book - practical guide by understanding your personal factors and working with the drive to succeed or the desire to avoid failure. Use this knowledge every day and you will be able to achieve your goals more effectively. Use them to influence other people and you'll build trust, value, and performance. from nothing. It's like magic. But it's true.
Part I
Striving for success and the desire to avoid failure
Chapter 1
Focus on success or on avoiding failure?
Every person wants to be happy. He enjoys shopping and anything that lifts his spirits and boosts his self-esteem. But the example of our MSC colleagues, John and Ray, shows that people's motivation tends to take two completely opposite forms - it can be based on what they have has already, or to have more.
Striving for Success makes you want to win and seize opportunities. If, like the optimistic Ray, who is accustomed to think in large categories, we are set only for success, then we decisively move forward, not retreating in our desire to realize a dream or earn approval.
Desire to avoid failure forces a person to try to minimize losses, to make sure that the “cogs of being” spin smoothly. In an effort, like the cautious and corrosive John, to avoid failure, we try to protect our well-being, not make mistakes, do our duty. We want to be reliable.
How you communicate with the world around you (what you pay attention to, how you perceive it, how much it affects you) is largely determined by your motivation at one time or another. In this chapter, we will focus on the definition of motivation the desire to succeed and the desire to avoid failure, explain why it takes these two forms, and describe how each type of motivation affects us in everyday life.
Why are there two types of motivation?There are two needs in human life, the satisfaction of each of which is necessary for the survival of our species. These are the needs for care and security. In other words, we need to be cared for and protected.
You are taken care of and you are happy, because it means that someone gives you everything (good) that you want: you are fed, watered, clothed, hugged and caressed; you are cared for and maybe supported financially. Through caring, you get an opportunity to achieve something.
Security is also great, because ... it is clear that a serious danger can become fatal. The protector will protect you from that (bad) that can harm you: predators, poisons, sharp objects - these are just a few points. You are safe, and thanks to this you can avoid failure.
You don't have to be a psychologist or a philosopher to say that we all want to have fun and not feel pain. Less obvious, though true, is that there are two kind pleasures and pains, each of which is associated with basic human needs: the pleasure of being cared for (the pain of being taken care of). don't care), and the pleasure of being safe (pain due to insecurity). You will understand what this difference consists of by recalling examples from your own life. A colleague praises your work, and you are pleased. It's not at all what you feel when you get home the moment before a downpour hits the ground. Both make you happy, but in completely different ways. (This is the difference between "Hurray! Victory!" and "Ugh, I almost got wet!")
However, it is unlikely that you have thought about the fact that, trying to experience such pleasant feelings on two different occasions, you are looking for different information, act differently, and perceive different motivational signals.
The desire for success, in fact, pushes us to satisfy the need for care. It makes you fill your life with positive: love and admiration, try to achieve your goals, move forward and develop. The goals that you set for yourself, tuning in to success, perfect(for example: “Ideally, I would like to be thinner…” or: “Ideally, I would like to date her…”, etc.). When we achieve the good things we strive for, we are overcome by intense, positive emotions: we are happy, cheerful, excited. Or, as Ray would say, we are "overwhelmed."
The desire to avoid failure, on the contrary, leads us to satisfy the need for protection. We do everything necessary for life "within the limits": to avoid danger, to fulfill our duty. We obliged achieve the goals that we set for ourselves, trying to avoid failure. They are associated with a sense of duty, obligation or responsibility (for example: “I absolutely need to lose weight ...” or: “I just have to date her ...”, etc.). Being safe, protected, we experience restrained emotions rest: calmness, relaxation, relief. (These restrained emotions, however, bring great satisfaction - ask a tired working mother who goes out of her way to get everything done, what she would like most, and she will answer: “To be able to relax and be at peace.”)
Before we continue, answer a few questions. Be honest - your answer cannot be wrong.
Motivation experts Heidi Grant Halvorson and Tori Higgins have written their findings in The Psychology of Motivation. How deep installations influence our desires and actions. This book is not so much about how to find the strength to act in yourself, but rather about how to understand yourself and other people.
Of course, any adequate person wants to be happy. Thus, all his actions should be aimed at achieving success, improving the situation. But these actions are different. The researchers were able to identify two groups of people who have different approaches to the implementation of their plans. The first group includes people who are focused on success, we can say that their motto is “Win”. The second group includes people who concentrate on avoiding failure, that is, their motto is "Do not lose." It may seem that this is the same thing: if you won, it means that you did not lose. This is not entirely true. The difference is not so much in the result, but in the very perception and approach.
People from the first group tend to offer ideas, make spontaneous decisions, and take advantage of emerging opportunities. For them, there is nothing worse than missing their chance. People in the second group will procrastinate, think things through, and in the end, most likely, they will say no. The first are stimulated by success, praise, prize; the second - fines, difficulties. So, for example, a leader must understand who is in front of him in order to know how to influence a person. Each type of person has its own advantages. The former are better at introducing new things, the latter are carefully considering the details. The former lose interest in failures, the latter, on the contrary, strive to do everything perfectly by eliminating errors. Behavior may change, but the basic attitude remains.
The book will help you understand some of the nuances of your motivation, pay attention to the behavior of other people. The knowledge gained will help not only leaders, but also managers, people of other professions, and will be useful in everyday life, personal relationships and raising children.
The work belongs to the genre Psychology. It was published in 2013 by Mann, Ivanov & Ferber. The book is part of the series Good translation!]". On our site you can download the book "Psychology of motivation. How deep attitudes affect our desires and actions" in fb2, rtf, epub, pdf, txt format or read online. The book's rating is 3.48 out of 5. Here you can also refer to the reviews of readers who are already familiar with the book before reading and find out their opinion In the online store of our partner you can buy and read the book in paper version.
Every day, most of your time is spent making decisions, except for breathing, of course.
Every person wants to be happy. He enjoys shopping and anything that lifts his spirits and boosts his self-esteem. But the example of our MSC colleagues John and Ray shows that people's motivation tends to take two completely opposite forms - it can be based on what they already have or on having more. Striving for success makes you strive to win and seize opportunities.
If, like the optimistic Ray, who is accustomed to think in large categories, we are set only for success, then we decisively move forward, not retreating in our desire to realize a dream or earn approval. The desire to avoid failure forces a person to try to minimize losses, to make sure that the “cogs of being” spin smoothly. In an effort, like the cautious and corrosive John, to avoid failure, we try to protect our well-being, not make mistakes, do our duty. We want to be reliable.
Drop dead book about two types of dominant human motivation: striving for success and avoiding failure. I can’t specifically recommend it to designers and all related professions due to the large amount of information for personal perception of what is written. Probably, if you make a serious blog post out of the book, highlighting only what was useful for professional purposes, you could get by with 5-6 screens of text with speaking examples. The rest can be used only for personal purposes to understand your own actions and motivate people around you.
Despite the rather light style, my book came with a creak. Too much is chewed up and repeated. It seemed that I had already read it, well, why should I tell about it again? Being in such a stupor, I usually begin to approach the book formally. Or I close it and do not open it again, switching to the next one in the list. Or I give her half an hour in the morning, afternoon and evening. Thus, one and a half hours of reading a day for an “uncomfortable” book is enough to read it quickly and without much effort, half an hour is quite a bit.
Somewhere after 30%, the same fate befell the Psychology of Motivation. I couldn't put it down, it's a good book. What is most useful, in my opinion, is not bare theories and yet another evidence of British scientists, but rigorous factual studies and their developments, coupled with a large number of proven examples. This book perfectly complements the model and recently mentioned by me.
P.S. Well, if one of my colleagues on e96.ru reads me (for those who are in the subject), then the Psychology of Motivation gives an exhaustive answer to why negative reviews are needed on the site;)
People almost never make decisions based on rational considerations - we know this for sure. But our preferences and choices are not random—they are driven by systematic and predictable biases.
How you communicate with the world around you (what you pay attention to, how you perceive it, how much it affects you) is largely determined by your motivation at one time or another.
Why are there two types of motivation? There are two needs in human life, the satisfaction of each of which is necessary for the survival of our species. These are the needs for care and safety. In other words, we need to be cared for and protected. You are taken care of and you are happy, because it means that someone gives you everything (good) that you want: you are fed, watered, clothed, hugged and caressed; you are cared for and maybe supported financially. Through caring, you get an opportunity to achieve something. Security is also great, because ... it is clear that a serious danger can become fatal. The protector will protect you from that (bad) that can harm you: predators, poisons, sharp objects - these are just a few points. You are safe, and thanks to this you can avoid failure.
People tend to have different dominant motivations in different areas of life. A person may strive for success at work, but at home or in financial affairs try to avoid mistakes. But even if you are cautious by nature, and your wife is generally obsessed with making sure “something doesn’t happen” to the children, you may find yourself striving more and more for success over time, just to balance your wife’s constant fears.
A success-minded person is ready to make a mistake as a result of exceeding his authority, but does not want to make a mistake due to an oversight. Nothing frightens him more than a miss (that is, not firing when the enemy is approaching), as this means that he has missed an opportunity to win.
People who are driven by the avoidance of failure are usually cautious and considerate, they will prefer to say “no” if they are not completely convinced.
The mood for success makes you energetically take the bull by the horns - you will start a new business with sincere enthusiasm. It is necessary when you start to make an effort to lose weight or quit smoking, it helps to remember the gain as a result of achieving the goal. But energy will not help you to keep the habit of healthy lifestyle life - in order not to go the distance, you will need caution and prudence. Thus, an attitude of avoiding failure is ideal for building on success.
Note that a success-minded person experiences a surge of energy, blood boils in his veins when he achieves what he aspired to. In other words, it is at this moment that he is most deeply involved in the situation. But the one who is aimed at avoiding failure is at the peak of emotions when things go wrong; that is when he is most involved in the situation.
Success-minded people strive forward if they feel that they are succeeding. Optimism and self-confidence spur their zeal, motivation and performance skyrocket.
Those who seek to avoid failure, on the contrary, receive a signal to act when something does not add up. The likelihood of failure spurs both their motivation and performance.
Oddly enough, the most best couples(and by "best" we mean "the most adaptive and mutually satisfying") are couples in which partners have different dominant motivations.
Paired with mixed motivation, you won't have to turn into the person who does everything. Each of you takes on the tasks that he is best at and knows that the partner will do the rest. (He can suggest a plan for a great vacation, and she can make sure they take everything they need with them.) This is especially true for spouses who set goals related to both development and safety. They help each other fulfill their dreams as well as fulfill their obligations.
The family life of couples with mixed motivation is in greater balance - children know what optimism and realism are - as parents take into account the point of view of both striving for success and avoiding failure. And each of the spouses always has a person who will remind you that life is not only winning or foresight in everything.
Success-oriented people usually make decisions based on the answer to the following question: “Why do X - a good idea, and what will I miss if I do not agree to it? (Why should you watch this movie, and how good would it be? Why does it make sense to go on this "blind" date? What are the benefits of the vaccine?)
Failure-avoidant people tend to make decisions based on the answer to another question: "Why shouldn't I do X, and what kind of trouble would I get if I do it?" (How much will it cost me to go to the movies? How uncomfortable will I feel on this date? Will the injection be very painful?) If the answer doesn't scare them too much, they act.
It turns out that by emphasizing the big picture (why) or revealing the details (how), you will not only make the product more attractive to people who strive to succeed or avoid failure, but also more effectively motivate them to do something, for example, exercise. .
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So, with the phrase “Exercise will help you maintain your desired weight,” you are more effective in motivating people who are set on success: you explain to them why it is worth exercising. But by saying "Exercise will burn 400 calories an hour," you're more likely to strike a chord in those who tend to avoid failure by letting them know how exercise works.
The majority opinion is much more inclined to avoid failure than we expected. Most are worried because, in fact, he has nowhere to go but down. And the status quo suits them just fine...so much so that they want to keep it. Therefore, members of the majority usually have a strong motivation to save what they have. And striving for success is the mood of a minority. Due to the fact that the power is not in their hands, they have nowhere to move but up. The status quo does not suit them, they want changes that will improve their position in society. The desire for power, for progress is the path to success and achievement, but when people get there, they have only one thing left to do - to defend their place, not letting others in.
People can be oriented towards success by asking them to make a list of positive things that can be revealed to them in an appropriate context. So, in order to set yourself up for success when planning a vacation, you should list all the pleasant things that you are going to do on vacation (for example, feast on delicious food, sleep, read on the beach, etc.). If you list the negatives that you want to avoid on vacation (for example, a round bill from a hotel, poisoning, etc.), then you will be more motivated to avoid failures.
If the achievement of results is perceived as a win, people tune in to success. If the lack of intended results equates to failure, people try to avoid failure.