Get Motivated!

Key Takeaways

1. Understand Your Motivational DNA to Unlock Peak Performance

Everyone is motivated—but each of us is motivated differently.

Motivational DNA is a unique combination of Drives, Needs, and Awards that determines how an individual is best motivated. By understanding your own Motivational DNA, you can tap into your natural strengths and preferences to achieve peak performance. This system breaks down motivation into six key factors:

• Drives: Connection vs. Production
• Needs: Stability vs. Variety
• Awards: Internal vs. External

Identifying your dominant traits in each category helps you create personalized strategies for success. For example, someone with a strong Production drive may thrive on challenging goals and measurable results, while someone with a Connection drive may be motivated by teamwork and relationship-building.

2. Harness the Power of Connection, Production, Stability, and Variety

What motivates one person can de-motivate another.

Connection-driven individuals thrive on relationships and collaboration. They are empathetic, supportive, and excel at building rapport. On the other hand, Production-driven people are goal-oriented, competitive, and focused on tangible results.

Those with a Stability need prefer structure, routine, and predictability. They excel at creating systems and maintaining order. In contrast, individuals with a Variety need crave change, new experiences, and flexibility in their environment.

Understanding these traits allows you to:

• Tailor work environments to suit different motivational types
• Assign tasks that align with individual strengths
• Communicate effectively with diverse personality types

3. Internal and External Awards Drive Different Behaviors

Internals are mission-minded people with a need to make a positive difference.

Internal Awards motivate individuals through:

• Personal satisfaction
• Sense of purpose
• Contribution to a greater cause

External Awards drive motivation through:

• Tangible benefits
• Public recognition
• Financial compensation

While both types of rewards can be effective, understanding an individual's preference helps in designing appropriate incentive systems. For example, an Internally-motivated employee might be more inspired by opportunities for personal growth and meaningful work, while an Externally-motivated individual may respond better to bonuses and public accolades.

4. Tailor Motivation Strategies to Each Individual's Unique Profile

You must modify how you interact with them—based on their type, not your own—in order to get the best results.

Behavioral cloning is a powerful technique for establishing rapport and motivating others. By adapting your communication style, body language, and approach to match the other person's motivational type, you can create a stronger connection and increase your influence.

Key strategies for tailoring motivation:

• Identify the individual's Motivational DNA profile
• Adjust your communication style to match their preferences
• Offer rewards and incentives that align with their Awards system
• Create work environments that cater to their Drives and Needs

Remember that motivational types can shift in different contexts, so remain flexible and observant in your approach.

5. Apply Motivational DNA to Enhance Workplace Productivity

The difference between how motivated the employees were in the top 25 percent of stores as opposed to the bottom 25 percent amounted to $104 million in sales.

Hiring strategy: Use Motivational DNA profiles to match candidates with roles that align with their natural strengths and preferences. This increases job satisfaction and productivity.

Team building: Create diverse teams with complementary motivational types to maximize creativity and efficiency.

Leadership development: Train managers to recognize and adapt to different motivational styles, improving their ability to inspire and lead diverse teams.

Performance management: Design evaluation systems and incentive programs that cater to various motivational types, ensuring that all employees feel valued and motivated.

By implementing these strategies, organizations can create a more engaged, productive workforce and significantly impact their bottom line.

6. Use Motivational DNA to Improve Parenting and Education

Applaud effort, not intelligence.

Parenting: Understand your child's unique motivational profile to:

• Communicate more effectively
• Assign age-appropriate tasks that align with their strengths
• Provide rewards and discipline that resonate with their Awards system

Education: Teachers can use Motivational DNA to:

• Customize lesson plans for diverse learning styles
• Create engaging classroom environments
• Develop effective reward systems for academic achievement

Key strategies for motivating students:

• Focus on praising effort rather than innate intelligence
• Provide a mix of structured and flexible learning opportunities
• Offer both internal (sense of accomplishment) and external (grades, rewards) incentives
• Encourage parental involvement in the educational process

7. Leverage Motivational DNA for Personal Goal Achievement

Motivational DNA has completely transformed my thinking—not only in relation to my personal goals but also in the way that I interact with others.

Start strong:

• Begin with the end in mind, visualizing your desired outcome
• Take inventory of your resources and strengths
• Identify potential obstacles and plan to overcome them

Sustain action:

• Align your goals with your Motivational DNA profile
• Create accountability systems that match your motivational type
• Adjust your strategies as needed to maintain momentum

Finish first:

• Celebrate milestones in ways that resonate with your Awards system
• Learn from setbacks and use them as opportunities for growth
• Continuously refine your approach based on your evolving motivational needs

By applying these principles, you can create a personalized roadmap for achieving your goals that leverages your natural motivational tendencies.

8. Cultivate a Balanced Life Across Career, Finances, Purpose, Relationships, and Health

As we honestly evaluate our lives, we sometimes need to face the brutal facts, no matter how painful they might be.

Career: Apply Motivational DNA principles to excel in your profession:

• Be enthusiastic about every task, especially unpleasant ones
• Communicate effectively and professionally
• Focus on customer satisfaction and punctuality
• Continuously improve your skills and knowledge

Finances: Develop a strategy aligned with your motivational profile:

• Create multiple streams of income
• Invest for the future
• Live below your means
• Improve your credit score

Purpose: Cultivate spiritual fulfillment:

• Maintain integrity in all actions
• Define and live by your personal values
• Engage in community activities that align with your beliefs

Relationships: Use Motivational DNA to improve personal connections:

• Adapt your communication style to others' preferences
• Show appreciation in ways that resonate with each individual
• Create shared experiences that cater to diverse motivational types

Health: Design a fitness and wellness plan that matches your motivational profile:

• Choose activities that align with your Stability or Variety needs
• Set goals that appeal to your Drive for Connection or Production
• Reward yourself in ways that match your Internal or External Awards system

By addressing all these areas holistically, you can create a well-rounded, fulfilling life that leverages your unique motivational strengths.

Last updated: August 20, 2024

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