How can you avoid screwing up?

The words “motivation” and “emotion” share the same Latin root: “to move, to be mobile”. Motivation comes from your emotions, irrespective of whether they are positive or negative. But are you hemming and hawing at the moment? Is it that tough to get motivated?

The different emotions that fuel our motivation can co-exist in us, regardless of how many and varied they are. Some are extrinsic, triggered by external factors such as fear (of social pressure, a lack of recognition and so forth); others are intrinsic and originate in you, such as desire (surpassing yourself or a thirst for hard work).

Intrinsic motivation, which is rooted in both your positive and negative emotions, is the most constructive and long-lasting. This includes the fear of failure, which spurs you on to redouble your efforts, or the pleasure you take in heading up a leading-edge strategic project.

Some emotions, however, chip away at your motivation and belief in your own ability: sadness, for instance, or shame. These feelings hold you back, and they need to be neutralized with positive emotions from external sources so you can regain stability and find the second wind required to achieve your goal. But watch out: these extrinsic sources of motivation work like stress: they help you surpass yourself when they’re of a reasonable intensity and temporary. If, on the other hand, they last too long and are too high, they will erode your intrinsic motivation.
After all, as they say, “the dose makes the poison”! It’s up to you to find the right balance!

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