My Theory on Motivation....

Successful people in life, are very good at SEIZING opportunity when it is presented. They understand when a situation is presented, and more often than not - can identify and execute, to build something very good, or great.

But, what PUSHES people to be better than the masses, or average workers around them?
What makes a person work harder?
What makes a sales person, MAKE THE EXTRA COLD CALL?
What makes a doctor, see the extra patient?
What makes a builder, build a better house?
What makes a developer, write extra, better code for a technology?
What makes a marketing executive work harder, to differentiate the company message and brand, from the competitor?
What makes a LEADER in business, successful?

Assumption here, all of these people (workers) are self respecting, good people.....but, keep in mind, I am asking, WHAT MAKES THEM SUCCESSFUL, and NOT part of the average masses, in their respective fields?

What seperates them, from everyone in their business?
Why are they "BETTER", than the rest....

2 key ingredients.

Firstly, every interview I conduct - I ask the following question.


"If you had to identify yourself with one of the two following traits to characterize yourself, and describe what makes you BETTER than other people in business -- do you find that......(you have to choose one)

GREED, motivates you?
Or
FEAR OF FAILURE?"


The candidate MUST choose one. (Even if they feel it is NOT applicable, they need to choose the one that they feel most connected to, and the trait that makes them stand apart from the rest)


Based on the answer - THIS MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF DATA YOU WILL EVER GET FROM THIS PERSON -- it will tell you how to MANAGE AND WORK WITH THEM.


Here is WHY.


Greed, is the desire to have more than others. There are many successful GREEDY people, and it is not a bad trait. In fact, when you want to build a company, in the early stages - greedy people are very good self motivators, as they want to make more money, and that VERY activity, effectively BRANDS your new organization, well to prospects. I respect candidates who can admit they are GREEDY, and that money motivates them to want to do better. Bottom line, it's all about making more money.


Fear of Failure. This is a bit more complex. In a nutshell, fear of failure is the motivating factor in almost ALL very successful people. People do not want to fail in the eyes of their peers. They believe rightly, that respect that they receive from their friends and family, comes from their personal success. THEY DO NOT WANT TO FAIL THEMSELVES OR OTHERS -- as they believe that this is NOT AN ACCEPTABLE OUTCOME. Fear of Failure, can be understood best, as a son, who wants to please his Father - and will do just about ANYTHING to make him proud. This carries over to business - and fosters itself in the corporate world.


Greed, or Fear of Failure.

Two key elements when identifying why someone has, or will be successful in the business world.

(There are many more, but these are 2 elements that I've identified in watching what makes people do MORE in their lives, more than the AVERAGE)

One key piece of this.

Once you have acquired this critical piece of information from the person you may hire......you now know, PRECISELY HOW TO MANAGE THEM.....based on their motivating trait -- greed, or fear of failure.

VERY different attributes for success, and very different ways to work with a successful person.

Which do you identify most with?

I can tell you -- I FEAR FAILURE, MIGHTILY.

To me, failing is not acceptable - and in order to look good for my family, my peers, my investors - and most of all, myself - failing is NOT a option.

I work harder, and push myself, to try to lessen the probablity, and chances of failing.

Fearing Failure is a big MOTIVATOR in life.

It is for my life..