Understanding Motivation Highs and Lows

Reeta Banerjee

A New Framework for Understanding

Of Motivation

the Highs

And Lows

BJ Fogg describes this phenomenon in the Motivation Wave

Motivation fluctuates throughout the day

If motivation goes up and down throughout the day…

How can you predict when motivation will be high

or low?

Motivation is based on

how much youanticipate doing

the action

how much you dread NOT doing

the action.+

We can visualize motivation on a graph as a function of Anticipation and Dread

When Anticipation and Dread are low, you are below the curve and are unmotivated

When Anticipation and Dread are high, you are above the curve and are motivated

Motivation = Anticipation + Dread

(even if dread is low)

+ =

Example: You have a high anticipation for how great it will be to have the new iPhone

Example: You have a high anticipation for how great it will be to have the new iPhone

Even if you aren’t thinking about the negatives of not getting it, you can still be motivated.

HighAnticipationàMotivation

(even if anticipation is low)

+ =

Example: You dread what will happen if you don’t take out the garbage

Example: You dread what will happen if you don’t take out the garbage

Even if you don’t think it will be very fun to do, you still may be motivated to take out the garbage.

HighDreadàMotivation

If you don’t have enough

OR

YOU WON’T CARE

Anticipation for doing the action

Dread for NOT doing the action

How does this Motivation Model explain commonly known motivators?

How does this Motivation Model explain commonly known motivators?

• Social• Competitive

• Impact

How does this Motivation Model explain commonly known motivators?

• Social• Competitive

• Impact

Let’s see a few examples…

ü you anticipate that it will be fun and social

You will be motivated to go running with a friend if

ü you anticipate that it will be fun and socialor

ü you think you would feel guilty if you didn’t go

You will be motivated to go running with a friend if

You will be motivated to compete if

üYou anticipate that you will feel victorious

You will be motivated to compete ifüYou anticipate that you will feel victorious

or

üYou dread that you will feel left out if you don’t compete

You will be motivated to join a walkathon if

üYou anticipate feeling proud for doing good

You will be motivated to join a walkathon if

üYou anticipate feeling proud for doing goodor

üYou dread that you will feel disappointed in yourself if you don’t join

Questions/Comments?I want to hear them!

Reeta Banerjee reeta@alumni.stanford.edu

@ReetaTweets