What Top Performers Know About Motivation That You Don’t

What Top Performers Know About Motivation That You Don’t

INTRODUCTION

Motivation has many misconceptions, and here's one of them: everyone should be self-motivated, and if you're not, there's something wrong with you.

In psychological research, there's a distinction made between you and your circumstances when it comes to motivation. They're referenced as stable (your personality traits) and unstable (effort you put into something and circumstances that may motivate you automatically).

Today's newsletter dives into one of the parts I found most interesting in the stable vs. unstable causes.

3 IDEAS FROM ME

Understanding Stable vs. Unstable Causes: To manage your motivation effectively, it's important to recognise what drives it. Stable causes, like your inherent personality traits or abilities, are consistent factors that shape your long-term motivation. On the other hand, unstable causes—such as the effort you put in or the environment around you—tend to influence your motivation in the short term. This distinction helps in understanding why some motivations are fleeting while others persist over time.

How Stable Causes Shape Long-Term Motivation: When you attribute your successes to stable causes, like your skills or core traits, you’re more likely to maintain motivation over the long term. This belief reinforces your confidence and encourages sustained effort. However, it’s crucial to be mindful of how you interpret failures. Attributing failures to stable causes ("I'm not a motivated person") can be demotivating in the long term, so it's better to focus on how these traits can be leveraged positively to keep moving forward ("I'm someone who can put in effort and that is a foundation to motivation").

Using Unstable Causes to Kick-Start Action: Sometimes, the hardest part is just getting started, and this is where unstable causes can be particularly helpful. A change in approach, a different environment, or even the pressure of a deadline can give you the push you need to take action. While these factors might not sustain long-term motivation, they are effective in overcoming being stuck and building initial momentum. Remember, taking action—even if driven by something temporary—is better than staying inactive.

2 KEY TAKEAWAYS

Balance Your Attributions: Striking the right balance between stable and unstable causes is key to maintaining consistent motivation. By valuing both your inherent abilities and the effort you put in, you create a more resilient and adaptable approach to motivation that supports both short-term gains and long-term growth.

Leverage Unstable Causes for Immediate Results: Unstable causes like effort or changes in your environment can be powerful tools for overcoming initial resistance and getting started on tasks. While they may not sustain motivation indefinitely, they’re effective for creating the momentum needed to move forward.

1 QUESTION FOR YOU

How can you leverage both stable and unstable causes to create a balanced and sustainable approach to motivation for yourself and your team?

Until next week,

Patrick

Leticia Souza

Chief Financial Officer at SAVii | Tyme Group

3mo

This article was exactly what I needed to read right now. As an individual that is always aspiring to be what we call “high achiever” I’m always navigating the cycles of progress/rest. It’s a dangerous zone when I get into the ‘rest’ mode and question altogether the purpose of work - specially after some recent frustrations with long lasting professional relationships. For me, the main stable cause of motivation would be having goals that are way bigger than myself - maybe being a good professional and model good principles for my daughter. Keep on sharing the good stuff PMC!

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John McNamara

Co-Founder @ Performance Nerds | ICF PCC Certified Executive Coach | Phd Candidate in Human Performance

3mo

Really good piece Patrick.

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