Motivation-the 3 Aspects of Human Behavior You Must Know to Succeed

Motivation can be defined in numerous ways, but there

are two basic definitions or descriptions.  It can be

defined as the main reason or reasons that individuals

partake in a certain behavior, specifically human

behavior pursuant to the study of psychology or

neuropsychology.  It can also be defined as the driving

force that initiates and drives an individual’s behavior.  

It is the internal energy that propels us to achieve our

goals.  Typically, it is considered to be a dynamic state

of mind not concerned with personality.

There are three aspects of human behavior that

motivation is based and founded in:

1. arousal of behavior
2. direction of behavior
3. persistence of behavior

Arousal of behavior relates to a specific thing that

activates behavior whereas direction of behavior

relates to what is responsible for directing the behavior.

Persistence of behavior relates to how the behavior is

sustained.

What drives an individual to be successful is referred

to as motive.  Usually, all motives fall into one of three

categories and are considered to be physiological or

psychological in nature:

1. homeostatic motives – hunger, respiration, thirst, etc.

2. nonhomeostatic motives – curiosity about the environment, seeking shelter, etc.

3. learned or social motives – achievement, approval, power, social affiliation, etc

In any endeavor that an individual undertakes,

motivation (or the lack thereof) is the key element

behind the success or failure of the endeavor.  It plays

a key role in the workplace where the effective

performance of an employee is concerned.  

Management or supervisory personnel have a direct

impact and play a significant role in employee

motivation in that they employ different motivational

techniques to raise productivity levels.  It also follows

that this has a direct effect on the cooperation levels

between the employer and the employee.

Motivation can also be classified as

1. negative or positive
2. obvious or subtle
3. intangible or tangible

Education or learning is also interrelated with

motivation and instructors will oftentimes employ

motivational techniques to get their students to learn.  It

can benefit the student by making them more

competent as well as encouraging confidence and the

ability to solve problems.

Self-motivation has also been classified into two

different types:

1. Extrinsic – generated by external factors

2. Intrinsic – generated by internal sensations and is

longer-lasting than extrinsic

Self-motivation is considered to be intrinsic in nature,

and originates from an individual’s internal drives.  It is

the basis for overcoming obstacles in the path of

achieving one’s goals.  Additionally, certain external

factors are responsible for driving a person into

undertaking a new project or to move in a positive

direction.  Characteristically, self-motivation is

comprised of three factors:

1. beliefs
2. desires
3. values

Since an individual cannot rely on others for motivation,

self-motivation has to come from within.  It plays a key

role wherein the individual gathers the courage and

strength to achieve certain goals, and is essential for

developing new undertakings or making a positive

change in one’s lifestyle.  Training programs have been

proven to be the best way to educate oneself in order

to improve motivation and self-motivation.