Preface

Did you make any important decisions today? You may have contemplated what clothes to wear, which foods you will eat, or what time to leave your house, if at all. You may have pondered the challenges in your life and considered which tasks you were ready to tackle. Outcomes from these daily decisions will likely influence what you accomplish, your mood and feelings, your physical well-being, and possibly how others perceive you and your abilities. Conceivably, you may have also thought about some more significant decisions today, such as what school to attend, where to work, or who is worthy of your time and affection. Perhaps you are carefree and resist making concrete plans. Instead, you take each day as it comes and rarely worry about what happens next. Friends may describe you as “having a clear head” or “being a free spirit.” Regardless of your approach, the focus of your thoughts and energy is directed toward reaching specific goals that may range from not getting off the couch to developing a cure for Ebola. But, if you are like most people, you often set attainable targets through conscious planning, deep thinking, and sustained effort as a means to reach those goals.

The design of the book

Three overarching objectives guided the design of this book, starting with clarifying the reasons for individual variation in our own thought and subsequent behaviors. Have you ever wondered why you are interested in some topics but not others, how you decided upon a job or career, or even what contributes to your choice of friends or a partner in life? Answers to these types of questions can explain the intensity and direction of your effort, otherwise known as understanding motivations and motivated action. For example, why might you decline an invitation to attend a wedding, while others in your family attend enthusiastically? Why do you perform better on some tasks than on others? Why is it that some people dominate meetings or classroom discussions while you rarely respond when a question is asked? Do you think you know the motives behind your behavior? Maybe you do, but more likely you do NOT, according to motivational science! As you read this book, you will become increasingly aware about who you are and why you do the things you do. Greater awareness will help you set realistic goals, enhance the probability of reaching your targets, and allow you to consider alternative and efficient strategies to reach your desired objectives.

A second goal of the text is to help you understand the intentions, thoughts, behaviors, and motivation of others. Many of us are responsible for the leadership and guidance of students, co-workers, peers, or family members. As an educator, manager, coach, or parent, you are likely highly influential in teaching others new skills, modeling behaviors or setting performance targets, and helping others achieve their goals. For instance, do you know why some students willingly spend many hours on homework, yet others devote only a few minutes? Why do some employees work better in groups, while others barely pull their weight? Why do some athletes choke under pressure, while others with lesser skills excel? Your understanding of the personal motivation of others is one key to designing customized and optimal instruction, creating exciting learning environments, and cultivating performance excellence.

The third, and potentially the most important purpose of this book, is to deconstruct and describe the latest motivational research and empirically verified motivational strategies to improve learning and performance. Initially, you will learn the foundational principles of motivational science, including how to decipher different types of evidence. Next, you will develop a deep understanding of motivation by exposure to key motivational principles, empowering you to interact with teachers, psychologists, business leaders, athletes, and classmates, or most anyone interested in motivation. By the time you finish the book, you will know how to identify important motivational clues, how to interpret the evidence you discover, and which strategies and solutions work best to enhance performance motivation across a variety of diverse populations, cultures, and settings. Ultimately, you will learn how to apply motivational knowledge to influence change and achieve the academic, business, or personal goals of yourself and others.

The style of the book

Unlike some traditional textbooks, you will not dwell on memorizing theories or interpreting fabricated case studies to understand motivation because, in practice, you assess and mediate motivational challenges by talking with people! You will read candid and revealing stories about how others (including some celebrities) navigated motivational hurdles while attempting to reach their goals. In addition to the latest research and evidence-based findings, you will learn the scientific reasons behind the motivational strategies advocated in this book. You will be exposed to ways of accurately measuring and evaluating motivation, and you will master a host of well-supported diagnostic and interpretative tools to assist you in becoming a motivational expert, what I like to call an “MD,” or a Motivational Detective. Finally, unlike some texts that exclusively address improving academic, business, or sports performance, I examine motivation using a multi-disciplinary lens, including relevant research-based findings from psychology, education, business, and athletics. Additionally, the book includes the latest evidence from neurology and cognitive psychology as a means to boost your motivational intelligence, regardless of your current discipline, job, or existing knowledge of motivation.

The structure of the book

In addition to scientific evidence, this book profiles 12 diverse and unique individuals. Each person was personally interviewed by me and through that exchange, each shared his or her most intimate feelings, passions, and thoughts. Some of the interviewees are the type of people you encounter every day at work or school. Others are celebrities or public figures whom you may recognize. First, you will read their stories and gain insight to their values, challenges, triumphs, and defeats as they share the thinking behind their decisions. Next, you will learn how their thoughts were converted to behaviors and actions, including which strategies they chose to address obstacles and overcome adversity. You will learn how and why each person shifted gears, changed goals, or ultimately gave up. Each person profiled in the book is examined using the exact methods you would likely use if you met the person face-to-face—asking them questions and engaging in conversation. You will learn how to evaluate motivational clues and recognize how backgrounds, experiences, cultures, beliefs, and preferences contribute to motivated action.

Key components of the book

Chapters include the following components to support your motivational mastery:

 Principles (What are the defining concepts you will master?) You will learn 50 key, evidence-based motivational concepts. This foundational knowledge will serve as a baseline of information to help you craft solutions to motivational challenges.

 Terminology (Do you speak the language?) You will learn the language of motivational professionals. Your knowledge of terminology will help you deconstruct and decipher scientific jargon and apply it to your personal and professional practice.

 Evidence (Are your interpretations correct?) You will learn how to interpret and analyze complex scientific data. Your knowledge of evidence will help you avoid common sense errors resulting from media sensationalism and anecdotal conclusions that are often wrong.

 Measurement (How do we know?) You will learn how motivation is measured, including key performance indicators that define adaptive motivation, such as confidence, effort, and optimal thinking. You will have access to a list of measurement instruments that are compiled in Appendix A and described throughout the book.

 Analysis (What’s the issue?) You will know how to analyze the information you accumulate. This approach will provide a “big picture” view enabling you to differentiate the extraneous from the sublime, the fallacies from the reality, and the important from the irrelevant.

 Application (Which solutions are most appropriate?) You will learn which strategies work best, in which circumstances, and when to use each solution. You will avoid haphazard and trial-and-error approaches by amassing a repertoire of justified, evidence-based strategies to solve motivational challenges.

In summary, this book will provide you with a wealth of diagnostic and analytical knowledge, partially revealed through the eyes of motivational leaders, to help you determine and modify the learning and performance concerns you encounter. When you master the content, you will become more aware of your own motivations, understand the thoughts and behaviors of others, and be fortified with a wealth of strategies to qualify you as a bona fide MD.

April 26, 2015