There are many things that can motivate a person. Below is a list of some of the most important human motivators.
- Living. When people are alive, they tend to want to stay that way. The will to live is a fundamental motivator. There may be a time when extreme suffering eliminates this motivation, leading to extreme depression and sometimes death. If you lose this one, the other motivators might not have much of an affect.
- Survival. Everyone alive needs to survive. This is a base need. Some people have more difficulty with it than others. It might be because of health issues, food shortages, extreme poverty, homelessness, etc. If you still have a will to live, you will be motivated to survive.
- Liked. People want to be liked by others. They will often go to great lengths to be liked. Sometimes it is because they want to be accepted by their peers, be one with the group, or in some cases, just have mass appeal and popularity. The like button is popular for a reason. People are motivated to be liked, and it improves their chances for survival.
- Love. Some people are engaged in the pursuit of finding true love. This is a pretty big motivator for me personally, I must admit. It’s very elusive. It also requires a mutual feeling, which makes it even more challenging. Even when you have it, you question, are they in it for the same reasons? Will it last for both of you? It can be very fragile.
- Sex. It is often associated with love, but is definitely a different thing. It’s also closely related to lust and beauty. It can become an obsession and lead to addiction, constantly pursuing the next conquest, living only for sensual pleasures. It’s definitely a huge motivator for human beings.
- Materialism. I’m not a very materialistic person, but a lot of people are highly motivated to buy material things. They are like a maximalist I guess. Their garages become brimming over with junk at some point, then it’s off to the landfill, but it keeps the economy going I guess.
- Wealth. Not everyone wants to collect tons of material objects. Some people want to collect money, and lots of it. When they get there hands on it, they invest it to make even more money. It might eventually become even more money than they can spend. It can greatly aid survival, and is definitely a huge motivator.
- Power. Wealth can lead to power, and money might actually be a storage system for power, because if you have enough money, you can get people to do things for you. Power is the ability to control those around you, and society at large. It is definitely a big motivator, especially for the control freaks.
- Perfection. Making really bad mistakes can reduce your chances of survival. Most people try to act wisely and make good decisions. This can be perfection in daily tasks, or even extend into the realm of morality. Perfection can never be had, of course, but perfectionists are highly motivated by it.
- Meaning. Sooner or later, someone will ask the question why. Why am I here? What is the purpose of all this? For some reason, people get tired of doing the same old thing forever if there is no greater meaning to it all. Having a sense of purpose is a great motivating factor, and can come from various sources, like family, religion, afterlife, humanitarianism, spiritual attainment, etc.
Possible discussion ideas.
- Do you think this list is accurate?
- Would you add something to this list?
- Which are your biggest motivators?
- Do you think your motivations change?
- Are any of them irritating to you?
- What is the meaning of life?
Can’t wait to hear what you have to say! Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
Ken's Life 