Motivation Triggers

I am raring to go for 2008. I have a novel crit to finish and the last 15K of my pirate novel and then I can attack the year with gusto. I was telling Greg I needed two more days in 2007, but I'll have to make do.

We have decided to keep Bony, the dog that came to our front door two days before Christmas. He is such a sweetie and doing much better. His ribs no longer stick out and he can walk without stumbling.

Greg took him to the vet yesterday for shots and a complete physical. He'll need some surgery to remove some bad lumps and a steady dose of meds for his weak joints, but the old guy is a trooper. He never complains and is always so happy to see us.

The poor beastie is profoundly deaf, so when we got an ID tag engraved for him, I added: DEAF DOG. Should anyone find him, they won't wonder why the old fella doesn't respond.

It makes me sad that we haven't found his owners. I would've been sick with grief scouring the city if one of my guys wandered off. No matter. Bony is ours now and we'll take care of him to the end of his days.

*****

On the writing front, I started 2008 out on good note. This month in Vision: a Resource for Writers, I have a new article out titled: Motivation Triggers: Carrot or Stick.

This article touches on how to identify the triggers that motivate us. We all have goals and some of us are better at reaching them than others. You could chalk that up to luck, or you might notice that those who reach their benchmarks regularly, seem to instinctively know how to keep themselves motivated.

I happen to know that guilt works wonders for me. ~grin~ The stick is always in my periphery, knowing it could come down and bash me over the head at any time. I don't like to let myself or other people down so when I promise a crit, an article or a completed novel, I go out of my way to reach my deadlines—and avoid the stick of shame.

My husband, Greg is the opposite. He works off the reward system (the carrot). He keeps his motivation up by knowing there is a reward at the end of the job. Most people I know are like this or a combination of carrot and stick.

Knowing what will keep you motivated is helpful in fulfilling your goals. Go over and read the short article and see if you are a carrot or a stick person.

Hope it's helpful.

Comments

Mike Keyton said…
Nice article, Maria. I wonder whether there's any correlation between stick, carrot and religious background.
Mike.
Maria Zannini said…
heh...I always say there's nothing guiltier than a good (or bad) Catholic. It's in the holy water. LOL

Don't stand next to me anytime soon. Lightning bolts and wrath of God. That sort of thing. -grin-