Results = Motivation? Maybe Not.

Can results actually be demotivating?

I can understand and appreciate the importance of results as the ultimate goal of our efforts, but what if by focusing only on results that we may be unknowingly demotivating people and getting worse results?

Let’s take a step away from the work world for a moment and use the example of golf and exercise.  For golf the result is shooting a good score and for exercise let’s just use weight for simplicity.

On a day where you shoot a good score in golf you may be motivated to practice more and golf more, but what about if you shoot a bad score?  You might actually want to quit or at least take a break versus doing the work necessary to learn and improve.

Or for exercise, after working out for weeks and watching what you eat, you get on the scale only to be frustrated by the fact you haven’t lost a pound - probably not even worth trying anymore….

What if instead you approached your golf game, your health, or your work responsibilities with a much more intentional focus on learning, using results as a form of feedback?

Instead of asking only, “What was the result?”

Ask:

• What did I learn?

• What was challenging?

• What worked?

• What didn’t?

• Where do I need to adjust or put in more effort?

This gives you a clearer sense of what to double down on or focus on in future work which is motivating.

And the cycle continues - do the work, learn, adjust, and keep going, which is more consistently motivating than focusing on results alone.

But you don’t have to take my word for it.  Here’s a few additional examples to support the idea.

• CAMERON MCCORMICK Golf

• Dweck’s Social-Cognitive Model of Achievement Motivation in Science

• How Self-Determination Theory Explains Motivation

Learn In The Flow of Life

Jason