Motivation

How to use your brain to Motivate Yourself!

In order to get what needs to be done actually done, we have to:

Motivation is just another word for Drive and ‘Hunters‘ have an abundance of Drive.

The Good News is that we all have access to our ‘Hunter Brain‘ and so we can tap into this abundance of drive whenever we need it. Hunter/Experts ‘drive’ for materialistic gain from achieving the highest standards of excellence. Hunter/Performers ‘drive’ to be rich and famous. Hunter/Gatherers ‘drive’ to fight to protect others.

The Not-so-Good News is that life experience tends to over develop certain areas of the brain leading to an under development in others. For example:

Hunter/Experts may create profitable and efficient businesses, but may lack the empathy to treat their employees fairly (Gatherer) and the creativity (Performer) to adapt to new trends/opportunities in the market. Hunter/Performers may become famous celebrities, sportsmen, or artist, but may lack the sensitivity (Gatherer) to notice others ‘look up to them’ and lack the intelligence (Expert) to realise that getting caught behaving irresponsibly in their private life could wreck their career.

The Great News however, is that some people have learned how to use all 4 of the different brain types to create success in not only their life, but also in the lives of others.

Terry Fox was an amazing young man who was ‘Wired4Action’

Terry used the ‘drive’ and ‘courage’ associated with his Hunter brain, the ‘creativity and leadership’ associated with his Performer brain, the ‘planning and know-how’ associated with his Expert brain and the appreciation’ and ‘kind-heartedness’ associated with his Gatherer brain to inspire the world to make a positive difference through his actions. Terry Fox was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) in his right leg in 1977 and had his leg amputated 15 cm (six inches) above the knee. While in hospital, Terry was so overcome by the suffering of other cancer patients that he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He called his journey the Marathon of Hope. To learn more about Terry Fox, the Marathon of Hope and other Pathfinders visit Pathfinders TV

What motivates us?

Some of our drives are instinctive to SURVIVE, to be LOVED and LOVE others, to gain KNOWLEDGE and LEARN, to EXPLORE, CREATE and DISCOVER. Other ‘drives’ are learned as we develop and are connected to the need to win and avoid losing, or to gain acceptance from others and avoid rejection, or to be right and avoid wrong-doing and failure, or to be free and therefore avoid conformity. We are motivated by both external and internal factors for example is it the money and perks you get from doing your job that ‘drives’ you, or the sense of achievement and knowledge that you are providing a service for others that motivates you most?

If  you answered money and perks, then it is more likely that your brain is wired to seek out external factors. Those of you who are more interested in a sense of achievement and gain reward from serving others are more likely to have a brain wired to seek out internal factors.

How are we motivated?

You may have heard the phrase ‘Carrot and Stick’ associated with motivation. The phrase first appeared in the late 1940s when behavioural scientists started to study motivation in more depth. It describes a method of offering a combination of rewards and punishment to induce behavior. It is named in reference to a cart driver dangling a carrot in front of a donkey and holding a stick behind it. The donkey would move towards the carrot because it wants the reward of food, while also moving away from the stick behind it, since it does not want the punishment of pain, in this way the cart gets pulled. Scientists discovered that both reward and punishment work in different ways for different people.

Discover how external and internal motivation and the  ’carrot’ and ‘stick’ principle may have shaped how your brain is wired.

If you are interested to learn more about the brain and my training and coaching services get in touch via my contact page.