Motivation 101 helps clients begin to think about aspects of motivation that govern decisions to change behavior. It utilizes node-link mapping and related cognitive strategies (see Mapping the Journey) to engage clients in discussions of motivation.

As part of this introductory process, clients are invited to make a commitment to a behavior or attitude they are willing to work on and report to the group about over the course of the 4-sessions in the module.

This session features a leader’s script, with notes and suggested discussion questions for exploring the meaning of motivation and the ways in which clients develop it and put it into action.

The information is explored from a strength-based perspective that encourages clients to consider goals they are willing to work on. In addition to leader materials, handout materials for participants are included at the end of the session.

Step 1 - Introduce the session topic.

The subject we will cover over the next few weeks is motivation. Other words for motivation include inspiration, enthusiasm, driving force, desire, will, purpose, and incentive.

We’re going to put motivation under the microscope and examine it, so to speak. That’s because this thing called motivation has fascinated human beings ever since human beings have been around.

For example, Leonardo da Vinci defines the problem this way: “I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”

And from the ancient Greeks (Aristotle), an idea about how to fix it: “First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, develop the necessary means to achieve your ends – wisdom, patience, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end.”

Motivation is often discussed in terms of accomplishments, our desires for the future, our dreams, or reaching goals. For example, on one Sunday once a year two national football teams are extremely motivated to take home THE trophy and the rings.

We also talk about motivation in terms of making personal life changes, improving our health, sticking to a program – in other words, being motivated to do the hard work that is usually necessary for making life style changes.

For example, John wants to lose weight and start exercising to help control his newly diagnosed diabetes. John prefers to watch movies than workout, his wife is a great cook who loves to fix 3-course meals, and his Mama expects the whole
family every Sunday for a big dinner and a rich desert.

We can see in this example how John will need both motivation and determination to make some changes that will improve his health.

A plan or idea about what might work will also help John, along with the self confidence that he can succeed if he tries. We also get a hint of the notion that the people around us can strongly influence our motivation (both in positive and negative ways).

“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self.” - Aristotle

To help take the mystery out of motivation, it’s helpful to think about how we define motivation and the things that help motivate us. I’m interested in how this group would define motivation. What are some ideas?

Step 2

Distribute What is Motivation worksheet and ask participants to complete it by adding boxes as the group talks. On eraser board or flip chart paper create a group definition of Motivation using a nodelink mapping format as shown below. Use the group’s own words to complete the map. Prompt as needed and add any key points that members might have overlooked:

MOTIVATION [diagram - see source document]
Believing you can do it
Stick to it
Other people
Keep PO happy
An inner drive
Will-Power
A kind of stubbornness
Being serious about success
Determination

Use the group’s responses to create a “working” definition of motivation. Summarize the discussion: The mapped definition we’ve created points to motivation as being made up of things like: believing we can do it, sticking to it, wanting to please other people (even POs), and inner drive.

Motivation can include a kind of stubbornness, determination, will power and being serious about success.

The dictionary defines motivation as: A conscious or unconscious need or drive that incites a person to some action or behavior or goal.

Lead a brief discussion. Use 1 or 2 of these to poll the group:

Who in your life has taught you the most about motivation?

Among your family and friends, who do you see as being highly motivated?

What does this person do that makes you see them as motivated?

Step 3

Distribute What Motivates People worksheet and ask participants to complete it by adding boxes as the group talks. On eraser board or flip chart paper create a summary of What Motivates? using a nodelink mapping format as shown. Use the group’s own words.

Prompt and suggest other key ideas as needed.

We’ve come up with a fairly broad definition for motivation. For this next exercise, let’s think about what kinds of things motivate people. Think about people you know of who have made big changes. What do you think motivated them? Equally important is your own personal experiences.

What motivates you, both now and in the past, for example?

Summarize the group’s ideas about things that motivate people:

It’s probably fair to say that different people are motivated by different things at different times in their lives and in different situations. Some of the things we can agree on that motivate people include goals, money, faith, people we love and care about, wanting to do better, wanting to get ahead, or wanting to prove ourselves.

We can also be motivated by things like fear, guilt, or avoiding the legal system.

Lead a brief discussion. Use 1 or 2 of these to poll the group:

Those times in the past that you were really motivated by something – what did other people notice about you that told them you were motivated?

When you think about people you know who are motivated and get the job done, what could you learn from them?

Who motivates you the most when you are working on personal changes or goals? What does this person say or do that is helpful and useful to you?

How do you help motivate other people you care about?

WHAT MOTIVATES?  [diagram - see source document]
To prove ourselves
Money
Stay out of jail
Family; Loved ones
Having a goal
Faith; God
Fear
Desire to move ahead
Guilt

Step 4

Distribute What Hurts Motivation? worksheets and ask participants to complete it by adding boxes as the group talks. On eraser board or flip chart create a summary of What Hurts Motivation? using a node-link mapping format as shown. Use the group’s own words.

Prompt and suggest other key ideas as needed. Ask participants to provide their ideas.

The final idea we want to consider today, on the topic of motivation, is: What kinds of things can hurt or damage motivation? In your experience, what sort of things take the “wind out of your sails” when it comes to motivation?

Summarize the group’s ideas.

Our list or map of the kinds of things that can hurt motivation includes ideas that most people would agree with. Certainly, things that make us feel bad or lose hope can hurt motivation, as can criticism, “the system”, and things other people may say or do.

WHAT HURTS MOTIVATION?  [diagram - see source document]
Fear
Nagging
Laziness; Procrastination
No recognition of progress
Bureaucracy
Harsh criticism
Losing hope
No support
Feeling like a failure; shame

Lead a brief discussion. Use 1 or 2 of these to poll the group:

How come these kinds of things damage motivation?

What can we do to not allow these things to hurt our motivation?

What’s the best way to stay motivated when we hit these kinds of roadblocks?

Summarize key points from these mapping exercises on motivation:

As we can see, motivation is made up of many things and it can be impacted by many things. Motivation includes our inward drive, the goals and people that motivate us, and the things others do or say to excite our motivation.

There are also things that can hurt motivation. The group has noted that harsh criticism, nagging, no recognition of progress, and not feeling supported can hurt motivation.

From inside ourselves – feeling like a failure, losing hope, fears and insecurities, and plain old laziness can deter motivation. In some cases, dealing with “the system” or bureaucracy cools off motivation.

It’s fair to say that motivation comes from within us and from outside, and that there are things that nourish motivation as well as things that have a negative impact on motivation.

For each of us personally, the key to strengthening motivation will be different.

But there are many common factors, too. These sessions are designed to help you learn more about what motivates you individually and how you can build motivation to accomplish important life goals that lead to the future you want to enjoy.

For many, this may include making changes in drug and alcohol use as well as other changes you may want to tackle during treatment.

The important thing to focus on is that motivation is not a mystery and it isn’t something people are just born with. Motivation is learned and grown, it can be developed and there are things we can do to increase our motivation and put it to work for us.

[continued]

Excerpted from Getting Motivated To Change - A collection of materials for leading counseling sessions that address motivation and readiness for change.
http://www.ibr.tcu.edu/_private/manuals/BriefInterventions/BI(06Sept)-mot.pdf