Month: June 2016

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Throughout the past couple of decades, many studies have been done regarding the physiological and psychological effects of motivation. Medical professionals and scientists that focus on the areas of neurology, biology, and similar branches of sciences have conducted these studies in an effort to assist individuals who suffer from the effects of low self-esteem, severe depression, and even extreme levels of anxiety. Throughout this article, we will explore the physiological and psychological effects of motivation.

The following was taken from an online report acquired from the ever-popular Psychology Online:

"Although our society is largely extrinsically-motivated by external rewards such as money, fame and power, research has indicated those who are intrinsically-motivated by inner desires for creativity, fulfillment and inner satisfaction are psychologically healthier and happier."

This indicates, based on a number of studies, that we are not entirely driven by the motivation that is considered to be based on external achievements. In most situations, society drives individuals to seek the gratification of these particular types of rewards. Making more money, purchasing a new vehicle, owning a large home, and even achieving a high level of fame does not constitute happiness at all. Individuals who base their happiness in these types of external motivators often find themselves struggling with their self-confidence, and their general perception of life and their place in it.

Individuals who are driven by internal motivators, such as their basic level of creativity and the ability to develop themselves into the absolute best that they can be, are often more content with themselves, and their life in general. Psychologically, these individuals experience a higher level of self-esteem, and a lower level of depression, anxiety, and other types of mental complications. It has also been established by the conclusive studies that individuals who are content on a psychological level are healthier on a physiological level. Psychology experts consistently strive to prove the correlation between our physical health and our mental health. The study of motivation has led these professionals to believe that if someone does have motivation, not only will they be successful in life, but they can also combat stress, mental illness, and even physical illness.

The Power of Motivation

Motivation is a powerful, moving force that we all have to some degree. We put motivation to work for us on a daily basis. It is a key essential to basic survival – psychologically and physiologically. Motivation is the impulse, obsession, or pure desire to achieve specific goals in our life. In order for motivation to be effective in our lives, the energy that each of us has must work together in an effort to put the power behind the motivation. Motivation moves us – it strengthens us – it puts us exactly where we want and need to be in life. If the motivation that we experience is positive, we are able to optimize our physical and mental health in general.

Individuals who lack enough or the right type of motivation often experience a number of complications in their life. These may complications may include negative emotions, lack of self-worth, frustration, discontentment with life, and even depression. In addition to this, physical symptoms and issues such as an elevation in blood pressure stress on the body, and even ulcers may be effects that linger around the unmotivated individual. If you want to optimize your health, it is important to understand the role of motivation when it comes to physiological and psychological aspects of who we are.

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Source by Kevin Sinclair

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Incremental innovations occur everywhere, but revolutionary innovations-the kind that leverage new technologies and business models to drive down costs, increase accessibility, and improve services-are not typical. I believe that the reason for this is an improper realization of the conditions that foster both ability and motivation for innovation. These five conditions include:

• Experimentation
• Phase-out old products and services
• Feedback loops
• Incentives for product or service improvement
• Budget constraints

To illustrate how these conditions affect the innovation process, let's examine each one.

Experimentation. Any organization that wishes to adapt to a changing environment needs a mechanism for experimentation with new technologies and delivery models. Without the ability to develop an experimental infrastructure, fundamentally new and different approaches rarely emerge.

Phase-out old products and services. If an experiment is successful, a new challenge arises. Many organizations lack the ability to freely remove outdated technology and business models. This requires invested leadership with the ability to meet challenges that arise with change.

Feedback loops. It's no surprise that strong feedback between clients and the organization are required to motivate investment into and adoption of the most valuable innovations. Explicit feedback is needed for managers to judge when to focus on the improvement of services versus the reduction of costs.

Incentives for product or service improvement. Equipped with the knowledge of what clients want, suppliers can improve their offerings if sufficiently motivated with access to increased revenue and / or reduced costs. The key to incentives is to appropriately aligned them with the goals of the organization.

Budget constraints. Budgets force prioritization. Not only do limits force people to prioritize, they also create incentives to cut costs. For innovation to take hold, leaders should ensure that budget constraints exist in order to motivate the appropriate prioritization. In some situations, such as individually distributed services, the constraints should be placed on the customers. In other situations, such as in purchasing, the constraint should be placed on the person responsible for the acquisition. Regardless of where the constraint falls, it is vital that budget incentives are used to force prioritization.

These five conditions for innovation make continuous change possible, and the difference between success and failure is the ability to create or preserve most if not all of these five conditions.

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Source by Douglas Rugh, PhD

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Health professionals are constantly in the position to motivate clients to improve their health. There are full workshops on how to help people live healthier and happier lives. Frederick Herzberg developed one of the popular theories of needs-based motivation that managers in the business community use quite often.

In this article, I will explain how Herzberg came to develop his theory, explain how it is different from the other popular theories, and give practical examples of how the theory is put into play.

There are many parallels between Herzberg's theory and the better-known Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory of motivation. Both promote that a person's basic needs must be met before the higher, more enriching needs can be addressed. Herzberg just uses different phraseology, really. The big difference between the two theories is Herzberg believes that you can have dissatisfaction and satisfaction at the same time. Motivation is a very challenging issue. I work to motivate clients on a daily basis, so this theory, in addressing the separation between the two, helps me to consider what may be missing in the basic needs of a client, which may be holding them back from accomplishing a goal they have set.

Frederick Herzberg developed his theory as a result of investigating 200 accountants and engineers in Pittsburgh, PA, and published his findings in the book, Motivation to Work, in 1959. The results of this study proved surprising to Herzberg and his colleagues, but led to what was originally known as the Two Factor Theory, which has been a major influence in how managers think about motivation. Herzberg found that there were entirely two different sets of factors associated with the feelings people had about work. Although the current theory is that there was just a one-dimensional line of satisfaction – a person was either satisfied or dissatisfied in their job- Herzberg felt there were actually two dimensions at play. There were factors that truly motivated people, but then there were other factors that led to dissatisfaction and did not influence motivation. Motivation factors addressed the amount of satisfaction and psychological growth a person experienced, and dissatisfaction was based on hygiene factors. Until the hygiene factors were satisfied, a person would continue to experience some aspect of dissatisfaction. On the other hand, once there was no more dissatisfaction, there was no more point in focusing on improving the hygiene factors, but it was then time to focus on the motivating factors.

Although hygiene factors are not the source of satisfaction, these issues must be dealt with first to create an environment in which personal satisfaction and motivation can even be possible. Examples of hygiene factors include the actual living conditions of the person, the quality of their personal relationships, their income and how they like their job, the status they hold in the community or their job, job security. The absence of these factors leads to dissatisfaction.

How many times have you worked with a client who wishes to lose weight, only to hear about the personal problems they are having at home? These personal problems represent a 'hygiene' factor that must be dealt with before they will ever accomplish more, such as remain motivated to focus on healthy eating and exercise.

Another example of a hygiene factor is their financial position. If they worry about paying the bills, their attention will be distracted from the health suggestions you provide. They may wonder how they can afford to buy more fruit, or, how they can really justify your services right now.

A person's social situation is another area to investigate. Social relationships in both their personal life and their work environment can be a source of support while they work on improving health habits. Many people like to share their goals and challenges with others and some will use that time to use their friends and colleagues as a source of motivation and encouragement. If they lack that support system, it's important to consider how they will stay on track.

Finally, if your client is unhappy with their job or work environment, again, they are dealing with hygiene factors and may appear to be less motivated to work on their health issues.

The above examples are just a few to consider before moving onto the motivating factors. Ignoring these issues could mean failure for your client, which will then ultimately reflect on your practice. Although many of these issues appear to be outside the scope of many health professionals' practice, this emphasizes a need for a wide range of resources you can refer your clients to for further help in various areas. It also points out the importance of really getting to know the needs and concerns of your clients. If you do not understand what else is going on in their lives, you will continue to push them for health changes they just are not prepared to make at this time!

Examples of motivation factors include things that enrich our lives. For clients, this may include such examples as achievement in a personal goal they have set up with you, recognition for that achievement, the amount of responsibility the person has for not only achieving that goal but in coming up with it, themselves. Also included are the interest they have in the task they have chosen, the likelihood of success, and the chance for growth in other areas of their lives as a result, such as increased self-esteem, better relationships with others, etc. The absence of these factors leads to no satisfaction and lack of motivation.

Perhaps most important to client motivation is in helping individuals believe that the work they are doing is important and that their tasks are meaningful. Share stories of success of other clients to show them that their efforts can be successful. Make a big deal out of meaningful tasks that may have become ordinary along the way. Continually encourage and congratulate them for their progress and their efforts.

To help clients feel like they are doing a good job, they should be placed in positions where they are not being set up for failure. Help them set clear, achievable goals and make sure they know what those goals are at each visit. Adjust the goals as needed along the way. Individuals need regular, timely feedback on how they are doing.

Clients will also be more motivated if they have ownership of their work. This means providing enough freedom and power to carry out their tasks so they feel they 'own' the result. They are the ones who should create their goals and strategies for how they will achieve them. Your role is one of motivation, education, and unconditional support. Others in their lives may show frustration at their occasional set-backs and expect more progress, so they need someone 'in their corner', so to speak.

I have taken the Herzberg Theory of Dual-Structure of motivation and applied it to motivating clients in the healthcare setting. In the business community, this theory is applied to employees, but there are many who disagree with this theory, because Herzberg does not include pay in the motivator category. However, just as we could say that if people would improve their health, they would feel better and their relationships, and such, would improve, reality is that until a person has these other 'hygiene' factors under control, they will not be motivated to actually take steps to improve their health.

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Source by Marjorie Geiser