What is Motivation Really?

When you procrastinate an assignment, the general thinking is that you’ll do it later, you have time still. I think also that this is really saying that you’re simply not motivated to do it yet. In this case the main motivator is the deadline which is still too far off to have the same motivational effect as it will the night before it is due and you scramble to finish the assignment. There are still other reasons that motivate us, achieving a good grade, passing the course, and earning your degree. There are also many other things that we are motivated to do in some fashion or another. Motivation is the reason we as students push ourselves to study long hours and juggle many other responsibilities. Really we will not do anything unless we were motivated to do so, no work or assignments or activities. Motivation is thus incredibly important to understand and foster in the workplace. Speaking of the vast amount of research on the subject, John Hinrichs sumarizes it like this, “Everyone recognizes motivation as the glue that holds an organization together; it is the stuff of progress.” (1974) He is explaining how motivation is absolutely essential for the existence of an organization. If the people in an organization are not motivated to do their jobs, to be a contributing part of the organization, the organization will begin to fall apart.

I think that this is important to realize when studying motivation, though simple, it really makes sense and shows the importance of motivating yourself and the need to motivate others.

References:

Hinrichs, J. R. (1974). The motivation crisis; winding down and turning off. New York: AMACOM.