Blueprint for motivating others

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If humanity is going to solve all its problems, we’re going to require a lot of highly motivated people. We need brains and perseverance to make it through the 21st century in one piece

The problem, of course, is actually getting people motivated in the first place. It’s an age-old question. What’s the best approach? 

The answer is quite annoying: it depends on who you’re trying to motivate. The tactics that work for one person might not work for another. 

This post collects all the best methods for motivating people and presents them in a way you can understand. You can then deploy them on a case by case basis.

Be Inspirational
For some people, inspiration is the best tactic you can use. 

What’s great about this method is that it forces people to internalize their desire for success. You’re not dangling something in front of them, like money. Instead, you’re finding common ground with them and getting them to align their goals with yours. With proper inspiration, they’ll want to work hard and achieve the objective because they believe it is valuable in its own right. 

Challenge People
What’s the first thing people learn on personal training courses? The answer is the importance of challenging people.

It’s a fine balancing act, though. Pushing people too hard stresses them out and causes them to throw their hands up in the air and give up. Not pushing them enough makes them feel like they’re stagnating and failing to make progress. 

The key is to find the sweet spot between the two. You want to create just enough resistance that they can achieve some success while also feeling like they’re growing as people. 

Celebrate With Them
When people achieve something great, it is vital to celebrate with them. It helps to recognize their contribution and shows your appreciation of what they’re doing. 

For many people, this type of affirmation is the most important part of their work. They want to feel emotionally valued for what they’re doing. In some cases, it is even more critical than money. 

Provide Feedback
Another strategy is to inform the people you’re trying to motivate about the differences that their efforts have made. In other words, you’re showing them the real-world effect of their actions and how they’re making a difference. 

Remember, the vast majority of people want to believe they’re making an impact. They want to feel like their work matters. But sometimes, they can’t see the effects of their action.  Providing feedback helps with this. It shows people that what they’re doing is making a difference. It reveals how their hard work is paying off.

Be More Trusting
Trusting people is always a challenge, especially when so many of them will let you down. But it is also critical if you want to motivate people. You have to make them feel as though they can make decisions by themselves and aren’t just carrying out your orders. ]

Try loosening the leash a little bit by giving them more autonomy. Once they experience ownership of a task, it’ll become more personally important for them.