Countless books and posts have been written on motivational techniques and, despite everything, the vast majority of them are useless. Either they proclaim things that do not work and have no basis (neither scientific, nor logical) or they cite motivational tactics that are not very applicable in real life.
And motivation is the most important thing, let's not fool ourselves. Fundamentally if you are an entrepreneur, motivation is the fuel to keep going, to climb the hills and to persevere when things get ugly or results are not seen. Something that happens most days.
More than once I have said that the main "game" of entrepreneurship is internal and mental. When the entrepreneur falters, the entire company does. That is why, today I want to show the 10 motivation techniques that do work in the real world, proven both in studies and in personal experience.
With these 10 motivational techniques we will have that extra fuel to reach our goals. We have all felt the power of those days when motivation drove us. Invincible days when we were capable of anything. With enough motivation, you don't need much more, so let's get started with what really works and is proven.
1. Change your mindset to apply motivational techniques
One of the main drawbacks with the most common motivational techniques is that almost everything taught on the subject is wrong. That is why, the first motivation technique to apply is to understand how it really works.
The traditional way of clarifying motivation is this: "You have to be motivated to do something."
Nonetheless, it is a fundamental error. When motivation is studied seriously, without phrases made that basically sound good, turns out it works just the other way around.
The correct order is this:
When you do something, motivation is born.
The usual direction of causality is reversed and the true one is based on another fundamental principle:
Success breeds success.
When have we been most truly motivated to continue? When did we not need encouraging phrases? When we've had real success at something. When we have achieved that sale, that appointment, that achievement. In that moment, our brain has made a connection, has liked that feeling and automatically says: "I want more", really motivating you to get it.
In the real world, the phrases of encouragement and how good they sound do not matter: Either we have any real sense of accomplishment or we will end up unmotivated. And that feeling is achieved by doing things and finishing them.
There is an excellent book by James Haden on the subject: The motivation myth. The studies and the theory that corroborate all this we are talking about, for those who want to know more, are masterfully displayed in its first 100 pages. But what interests me now is how to put this motivation technique into practice.
The first thing we have to do is stop believing in all those fairy tales that sound good. The motivators, coaches and others have grown like mushrooms in the shadow of the word undertake, but they are simply useless. Passion, freedom, great ideas ... they repeat these things constantly but all that does not matter without action. This is something that any serious entrepreneur (who doesn't make a living from marketing smoke to others) verifies in their early days.
The second thing is to encourage action above all else. When we go home with the feeling of accomplishment and work accomplished, we are filled with the true motivation to continue the next day. How to apply that in practice?
2. The ladder of small successes
The ideal to be motivated is to receive reward and external accreditation. If we want to be motivated to market, the most effective thing is to close sales. What happens is that we cannot depend on it because it is something external outside of our control.
Podemos hacer la acción de comercializar, pero que eso finalice con éxito depende del client. Así, no lograremos tener nunca una motivación constante.
What do we do then if we cannot get reliable external motivation? We use internal motivation.
When our brain finishes something and crosses off the task that we had pending, it receives a small positive dopamine boost that makes it want more and want to cross another. Success in completing one task begets more motivation to finish another.
To set in motion this «ladder of small successes» that motivate us, we have to:
- Have a point-to-point plan. If we do not have it, it is time to do it with detailed instructions and clear objectives. Without this, it is difficult to act and motivate ourselves because we are basically working on an amorphous mess that we do not know how to get into or when it will end. And that is demotivating.
- Break up tasks until they are ridiculously small. This is the basic remedy against procrastination, which is what prevents action and, therefore, the real motivation, which does not arise if that action does not exist first.
- Review the successes and what has been achieved so far. Because most of the time we focus on what we have yet to do and that causes frustration, because it seems that what needs to be done is never finished.
La recomendación principal es pues dividir lo que tenemos que hacer en partes tan pequeñas, que be casi imposible no terminar una tarea en 5 minutos. Así aprovecharemos una primera sensación de logro, de éxito realizando cosas. Eso nos motivará a seguir por esa escalera ascendente de pequeños logros y completar otra de las diminutas tareas en las que hemos dividido lo que tenemos que hacer.
This tactic to motivate us seems simple and it is, because the complicated, basically, does not work.
By this ladder of small successes we will get very high in motivation.
(* 10 *) 3. Develop a mastery of what we do
Another one of the books that I always recommend on motivation and productivity is So good they can't ignore you by Cal Newport.
There is another important point to know the motivation techniques that work:
When you start to master something and be good at it, passion and love for that activity arises..
De nuevo, la causalidad real está cambiada en la mente de la mayoría. En realidad, uno de los peores consejos que se le puede dar a alguien es el de: «Sigue tu pasión». Resulta que esa pasión nace de la maestría y el domain. Sin ella, es imposible sentirnos motivados.
If we do something, we have to strive to be the best. Because here is another truth: "If you are not into it to undertake to be the best, then you better not even try." Seriously. The market is already saturated with mediocrity that just wants to keep someone's money and work the bare minimum. We have all seen those behind a window who are there just to collect the payroll for the month. Not to add value, or to provide a service, or to care about the person who comes to them.
¿Cuál es el nivel de motivación general en esas persons? Nulo, debido a que falta esta técnica de motivación.
If we do not have a commitment to be better, always be aware of the latest news and be the best experts in our field that we can be, we are going to fail and be demoralized. But if we care about mastering and becoming experts, here is an award that many find unexpected: When we acquire mastery in something, the motivation for that something appears.
Here's a more in-depth explanation of why "following the passion" is a disaster and how that mastery leads to motivation.
4. To be motivated it is essential to have autonomy
La autonomía es otro componente clave de la motivación personal y la productividad. Estudios millonarios sobre el terreno como los de Google lo demuestran y, es por ello que, en nuestra compañía debemos favorecerla. Pero entendiéndola bien.
Autonomy does not mean that everyone does what they want, that does not work and, without limitations and restrictions, we will have the recipe for disaster.
Autonomy means the ability to choose within the work that is done.
Dicho de otra forma, que yo puedo poner un target o encargar que un proyecto se lleve a cabo en tal fecha, pero mientras se cumplan unos requerimientos básicos, el cómo se haga es una cuestión del equipo o la persona encargada. If that person does not have any autonomy when it comes to doing something, they will not have the motivation to do it.
As a motivational tactic, autonomy is applied in practice in two ways:
- If we are entrepreneurs, we will regularly already have that autonomy to develop our work in the desired way. If not, because the client is too ironclad, we must set limits to act freely or we will soon be demotivated.
- If we have people in our charge and we lead teams, we must grant that autonomy as a fundamental motivational tactic for those who work for us. Thus, we will obtain results in practice. That's great because, as we've seen, they are also an effective motivational technique.
5. The Motivational Technique of Having a Purpose
Another motivational tactic that works is for our work to have a purpose. This means that what we do is at the service of something bigger than ourselves and transcends money.
From a good cause to something that improves the lives of others, we must go beyond the mere monetary. Moreover, it has been shown time and again in studies that money, once we receive a fair and sufficient amount for our work, is not a good motivational technique.
A long time ago, I started my activity as an entrepreneur in "traditional" consulting. Accounts, taxes, etc. I had to quit, not just because it wasn't motivating me at all, but because it was killing me. That is what can cause us not to perceive a purpose in our work.
To begin with, I didn't even feel like I had too much autonomy, which made things worse. It is true that I organized myself as I wanted and truly that was the motivating element that was most present, but despite this I felt trapped, to the rhythm of the quarterly, account presentations and deadlines that clients and the law gave me.
To go on, I had no incentive to be better at what I did, as it is quite a mechanical task.
He never neglected it, decidedly, but an accounting entry is an accounting entry here and in Compostela, and the tax laws put what they say, without giving margin to freedom. At the same time that I didn't feel like I was using my skills on something that really mattered or mattered..
In short, he also did not think that what he was doing had a greater purpose or that it provided a fundamentally important good to anyone. Let's face it, it's not that I wanted to build a linchpin in the "grand scheme of things," but you don't feel like you're doing something big between ledgers, closings, and taxes.
The motivation was money, but again, that alone is useless.
This is not mindless self-help. If we look again at Google's experiments on productivity, we see how purpose was fundamental and was always present in the most motivated and productive teams.
6. Connect with those around us
The life of the small entrepreneur can be lonely. In that case, loneliness, isolation and disconnection with others must be mitigated, because if not, it will take a huge toll on us, starting with demotivating us. As with the case of purpose, it is not only that it does not motivate us, it is that it can become demoralizing.
In the case of working with others, the fundamental motivation technique is to connect with those around us.
As an example, in the company Gore-TEX anyone who wants to move up and start leading teams he should gather a group of people who are willing to work with him.
The key is that there is a united team, because anyone who sits apart and disconnected will automatically be unmotivated.
If we want to motivate, we must make the team connect. If we want to connect ourselves, we must make an effort for that connection. Isolation is the enemy.
7. Visualize, but correctly, because it is one of the most widely used motivational techniques
Visualization has often been talked about as a motivational technique. In spite of everything, the visualization that is usually taught out there not only does not motivate, but it produces the opposite effect.
The motivational tactic of visualization works when performed just as it is in elite sports performance. This means visualize the procedure working perfectly, but not the result.
In other words, that to motivate ourselves we should not visualize the promised reward, we should not see ourselves swimming in money or on a beach overlooking the Pacific. What works is visualizing the process of having a motivated and productive work day. In the same way that elite athletes visualize themselves playing well, hitting the passes and doing teamwork (and not lifting the trophy), to motivate ourselves we must dedicate, before work, a few minutes to see ourselves motivated, working well, carrying out tasks with mastery.
That visualization of elite sports psychology has been proven effective, that of self-help books of materializing a Ferrari at the door with the force of thought is basically a hoax.
8. Use affirmations but again in the way they work
This motivation technique is an extension of the previous tactic. Again, the key is not to repeat a thousand times in front of the mirror that we are the best. Not only does that not work, but in the studies it has been shown that it is specifically harmful for those who have less self-esteem.
And who are the ones who usually use this motivational technique? Exactly those who suffer from that lack of confidence and incentive, which is why we are shooting ourselves in the foot with motivational affirmations.
Despite everything, another experiment gives us the key to use this motivational technique and make it work. In a recent macro study, with more than 44,000 members, 3 motivation techniques were tested ..
- The affirmations or "talk to yourself."
- Imagine or visualize.
- The planning «If ... then ...», which is about plan what you are going to do when a certain situation occurs.
Those three techniques were tested in turn in four different ways:
- To help improve the procedure. Which means repeating yourself: "I can react faster," "I can write the report better," or "I can control the ball better."
- To drive the bottom line. Which would mean saying to yourself: "I'm going to try to win."
- To boost control / excitement of the situation. Which in practice would mean saying something like, "I'm motivated and energetic."
- To drive homework instruction. Que en un ejemplo de trabajo como el de redactar este contents significaría decirse: «He de centrarme en repasar bien lo que escribo y utilizar un lenguaje claro».
In the results, the easiest motivation technique was, fortunately, the most effective: affirmation, or talking to yourself, whatever you want to say.
Actually, best results were achieved when it came to procedurally focused self-talk. In other words, the two options with the number 1 out of all the ones we have seen.
In turn, imagining also gave good results when it was approached with respect to procedure, corroborating that the visualization of the previous point works as a motivation and productivity technique ... when it is done well.
9. The deadline is close and we have a stake in it
I will not deny that, because of my personality type, this motivation technique works quite well for me. For me (and for many others) fear of ridicule and disappointment is a powerful motivator.
That is why, all these years, what has worked best for me to motivate me has been:
- Put on a sensible aim. One that you can accomplish, but not very easily either, in other words, that requires a bit of effort.
- Put a deadline on that goal that is not too far (to feel a little pressure and positive stress, or as it is technically said, from eustress). If we set a date too far, procrastination will make us save it for last anyway.
- Publicly commit of the above in front of people I know and that I care about (for example, my clients).
Once I have exposed myself to others with that public commitment, I almost never fail except for reasons of force majeure.
The secret to making this work is based on the fact that the opinion of others should matter to us and, therefore, we put it at stake. If, by way of example, I promise to release a product on a certain date in front of my clients, not doing so will make them think that I am not fulfilling what I promise. That is very bad for my business and my sales, because your perception will affect my results. When I tell them that I can provide the result they want, they will not believe me, since they have visualized that I do not deliver what I promise.
For this motivational technique to work, I have to risk and risk my skin, because a commitment to strangers, that I will never see or that I do not care what they think of me, will dilute the motivation tactic, since there will be no real consequences of not doing what I said I am going to do.
9.1 The other side of the coin: Set goals and shut up
The motivational techniques of publicly engaging and risking embarrassment as a negative outcome work only with a personality type like mine.
Some studies advocate the opposite for other types of people and, in them, they have proven that keeping quiet is the best way to achieve goals.
In other words, the motivational tactic would be the same, but without the public commitment part.
I invite you to test both sides of the coin and begin by exposing yourself and making a public commitment. If the issue of shame is not your strong suit, you can also bet something more material. As an example, money. If you don't achieve what you said, you will have to pay someone something, or do the work for free.
We have to pay attention that people motivate ourselves more not to lose something than to gain something.
10. Get rewards, but not monetary
It is shown that getting rewarded for accomplishing something works. The curious thing according to studies is that these rewards, when they are monetary, they don't work well to motivate workers. Despite everything, allowing ourselves a little whim does motivate us.
We can perform as with the objectives and the ladder of small successes that we have already seen, in other words, set ourselves small and immediate rewards over time. Nothing from a future vacation for months to come.
Why? For what is called "hyperbolic discount." In other words, the human tendency to value the immediate more than the future. As an example, we value more than 50 euros today than 100 euros in 30 days. Many people who are offered both options will take the 50 euros today, because they go with them in hand and know what will happen in a month.
The application of this is clear. Let's offer instant rewards, the more they are, the more motivation.
And at the same time, we offer rewards that are not only monetary, but they have to do with the motivational techniques that we have already seen that work: granting autonomy, connection, authority, public accreditation ...
The subject of motivation is sadly one of the least understood and worst applied. Many try to motivate with money alone, and are surprised that it quickly stops working or doesn't work at all. Others try empty techniques, like telling themselves a thousand times in front of the mirror that they are the best, and later that not only does not motivate, but it takes its toll.
That is why, here are these 10 motivational techniques that do work. Not just from my own experience using them, but because they have been proven by science.
So now we know, we started to apply them in practice. After all, as we have also seen, action is one of the best motivational techniques that exist.
