Motivation Marathon Introduction

Motivation is a word that is used commonly in the workplace, classroom, athletics, and in parenting.  When we seek to motivate someone or seek motivate ourselves, we do so to accomplish great acts or to form new habits.  Motivation is not a one-time event; it is like a long distance run. Although there are millions of texts, workbooks, and self-help guides that talk about motivation—several of which we will reference—did you know that the Bible has a lot to say about our personal motivation and about motivating others?  Together we will explore a few basic principles of motivation according to the experts and according to biblical principles in these brief devotional thoughts.  Are you ready to begin your Motivational Marathon?  You won’t be alone.  Every human being requires motivation at some time; you have a whole world running in the same marathon and God is both your cheerleading section and the arms that will enfold you at the finish line. Ready, Set, Go!

123photo.com (n.d.). Race runners. [Graphic]. www.123photo.com.

What is Motivation?

We cannot understand how to motivate someone or to motivate ourselves without first understanding the definition of motivation.  Webster’s Dictionary defines motivation as, “The act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something: the act or process of motivating someone.”  There are many reasons for “doing something” listed in the Bible.  The most significant reason for being motivated to perform with excellence is to recognize that all that we do is reflective of our love for God. 

Colossians 3:23–24 “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ” (New Living Translation).

Motivation (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivation.

It’s All In Your Mind

My husband has the unique ability to take what I might consider to be a broken pile of junk and find a new and functional use for it. The inside tub from a washing machine transforms into a barbeque pit, circular plastic shower curtain hooks on a clothes hanger become a necklace organizer, broken pen caps have become anchors for wall screws or the perfect way to carry a small stack of toothpicks out to the picnic area. He has never met a jar or container that could not be put to good use.  Thinking “outside of the box” does not happen easily for everyone.  There is a term in motivation and psychology called “functional fixedness.” It is a cognitive occurrence that causes one to see only one “fixed” use.  In functional fixedness creativity is stifled.  Daniel Pink in his book, Drive:  The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us equates functional fixedness with a block wall to motivation.  Do you ever find yourself in a place where you cannot see beyond your current situation or you feel that there is only one possible solution?  Ask God to help you to retrain your thoughts and to give you a burst of creativity. 

Isaiah 43:18–19a “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (New International Version).

Pink, Daniel H. (2011). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. [Kindle Fire Edition]. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Motivation to Build Upon a Firm Foundation

In 1943, Abraham Maslow introduced a theory of motivation known as the Needs Hierarchy.  Maslow suggested that motivation is based on a set of five specific needs.  The needs hierarchy is based on the requirement that each need within the hierarchy—from the bottom-up— must be filled to motivate one to move to the next level and ultimately achieve maximum growth and potential.  The five-stage hierarchy of needs from the bottom up: (1) physiological needs such as food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex and sleep; (2) safety needs such as law, security, and lack of fear; (3) love and belonging needs such as intimacy, affection, friendship, family, work, and romantic relationships; (4) esteem needs such as mastery, achievement, status, self-respect, and respect from others; (5) self-actualization needs, which includes reaching one’s full potential.  If at any time, one of the layers of the foundation—most often depicted in the shape of a pyramid—is not fulfilled, motivation wanes and Maslow suggested there is a risk that the person may be stuck on one level of the hierarchy permanently. 

The Bible talks about the importance of building upon a firm foundation.  When our foundation is sure, we are equipped to weather any battle and we are motivated to keep running the race.

Luke 6:48 “It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the flood waters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built” (New Living Translation). 

Motivation Money Matters

There is no disputing the fact that money makes the world go ‘round.  Without it, we cannot live.  The poverty rate is rising at rapid rates and reinforces the use of money as a motivator.  After all, we use money to motivate our children.  We pay for household chores and favors with the intent of teaching our children how to manage money and that it will motivate our children into action.  Daniel Pink suggests that the use of money or any extrinsic motivator can actually have negative effects. Extrinsic motivators are also short-term.  Motivators such as money motivate for a little while.  The motivation wanes and there is never enough money to fill the need.  According to Daniel Pink (2009), monetary rewards must be high enough to “take the issue of money off of the table” (Pink, 2009, Kindle Location, 479).  Identifying how much is enough, can be the challenge. 

The Bible talks a lot about what happens to people when the focus of motivation is on things that are temporal and meaningless. Rather than a marathon, the motivational race becomes a sprint leaving the runner with little energy to finish the race.  Begin to take an inventory of your own life.  Do you look for external rewards that seem to have big pay-off, but last only a short time?   

It is by changing one’s outlook from the outward—extrinsic—aspects to the internal—intrinsic— motivations and rewards that begins to affect change.  Matthew 6:20­–22 says, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light” (New International Version). 

Pink, Daniel H. (2011). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. [Kindle Fire Edition]. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Cardstock.com (n.d.) Chasing money [graphic]. 

http://www.canstockphoto.com/downloads.php?tor=1.

Motivation with Purpose—The Last Few Miles

Daniel Pink (2009) shares that it is within human nature to seek purpose.  When we know that our goals, achievements, and our very lives contribute to the common good or to “something larger than ourselves” we are motivated for the long-haul.  To quote Pink (2009) “Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives" (Pink, 2009, Kindle Location 957). The more that we center our lives of God and on biblical principles, the more our characters are fashioned to exhibit Christ-like characteristics; we are then connected to the ultimate purpose.  

Ephesians 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (New International Version).

1 Corinthians 15:58 “. “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (New International Version).   

Pink, Daniel H. (2011). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. [Kindle Fire Edition]. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Motivation—Crossing the Finish Line

Malcolm Gladwell in his book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants warns us that the motivation marathon path may at times be traitorous, but the end result is worth the journey “. . .because what is learned out of necessity is inevitably more powerful than the learning that comes easily” (Gladwell, 2013,  p. 113).  The Bible too encourages us not to give up.  Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (New International Version).

If you continue to seek the opportunity to connect to a greater purpose that is founded on Christ, you will cross the finish line and bring others with you.  I pray that you will feel God’s presence with every step and that you will finish the race with joy.

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (New Living Translation).

Gladwell, M. (2013). David and Goliath: Underdogs, misfits, and the art of battling giants. [Kindle Fire Version]. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

Canstockphoto.com (n.d.). Crossing the finishline. [graphic]. 

http://www.canstockphoto.com/downloads.php?tor=1.