Motivation Drivers & Goals
Somebody said to me, “But the Beatles were antimaterialistic.” That’s a huge myth. John and I literally used to sit down and say, “Now let’s write a swimming pool”
Paul McCartney, 1996
What motivates you do one activity versus another? Motivation is defined to include the reasons that someone starts or continues some activity.
In the context of this particular write-up, the assumption might be that a reader is trying to learn better ways to turn their energy (and others’ energies) into money. The reasons are going to be varied, from trying to have money for a specific personal purpose, to learning because it’s part of their job or role, to curiosity as to whether or not they should start on a new venture.
Can you control your motivation? In other words, is it possible to decide what will motivate you? Yes, and in the context of setting goals, the goals themselves help shape what is motivating you. And the journey of life – towards these goals – also brings in new chances to determine, understand, and change what is motivating your behavior.
If you are trying to earn more money online, you may be motivated to build a website and set up accounts to generate ads that bring revenue. The motivation is the promise of income. But after you build the website, you may determine that it has a bad look-and-feel. It’s less than what you can do. You may spend time improving the look of the website, even though it is not tied to your original goal of money… it’s tied to pride and personal self-image.
So, as many online entrepreneurs and website owners have learned, the distractions are many. Focusing on the goals, while understanding the motivation that supports your energy, is part of getting to the point where your activities are congruent with your outcomes. The Beatles and other songwriters don’t traditionally find motivation in creating art for a specific purchase. They do what they feel will bring them satisfaction.
Bringing this to a close – understanding what motivates you can help you stay on track with your activities. In the case of someone who tweaks a website for personal satisfaction, it may be less important than creating more great content, or in promoting the site. More on goals, and planning to reach them, in future posts.
