Does Positive or Negative Motivation Make Us Ahead in Our Competitive Life?

The achievements we aim for in our daily life or business life are the sources of motivation we create for ourselves in order to ensure the continuity of the work we are doing. We think that achieving something has positive feedback for us. So, is it possible for us to have a source of ‘negative motivation’ while trying to reach it?

Positive motivation – Negative motivation

Positive (positive) motivation is the incentive rewards we put in achieving our goals and are happy to think we can have. The basis of positive motivation is an expectation of reward. To explain more narrowly, rewards that have a material value enter into positive motivation.

Negative (negative) motivation is a type of motivation that has a punitive sanction at the end of an event. In fact, punitive sanction is knowing that the result will return to the person as a punishment, which motivation is encouraging because the result is feared. For example, a student who does not want to come to class has to attend the classes because he knows that the condition of passing the class is related to his attendance at school. While there may be a condition in punishment (obligation to attend school), we can talk about the existence of negative motivation in situations that will either be good or bad. In this case, the following can be said; We earn money based on the hours we work, if the people who work hard get more, the result of those who work less gets less will be an example of negative motivation.

“I saw nine out of ten things I did fail, I didn’t want to fail, so I worked ten times as hard”. – Bernard Shaw

Which Type of Motivational Source Is More Efficient?

Positive motivation and negative motivation are the other sides of a coin. Knowing that there will be rewards after success is encouraging and positive motivation. When it is unsuccessful, having a difficult result (including punishment) is also a driving force and negative motivation.

Even if you are not aware of it, the events that happen to you in your daily life contain examples of positive and negative motivation. While taking part in the new project that is starting at your workplace will enable you to rise, failing to take part will cause you to be fired. Getting a promotion is an example of positive motivation, while getting fired will be an example of negative motivation.

In this case, it would be correct to measure the person’s reactions to events, the intensity of their emotions and the intensity of their desire to make a decision. In some cases, positive motivation is a source of happiness, while in other cases, negative motivation can work wonders.