Hello,
I hope this finds you in great spirits. I just had an experience with my 7 year old that showed me how motivation really works.
We are currently working on a project. It is a little mundane and boring but a way to earn a little money with no effort at all, very easy but it will take a while to complete.
So we are working on the project and he is dragging and has no interest at all. He is giving me the "Why am I doing this mom?" attitude or "this is so boring". His lack of enthusiasm has made the project more tedious than it really is.
He asked me a question, " Mom, am I helping you to make money?" I thought to myself yes he is and I told him the same. He gave me a disappointed look like okay I will do this because you are my mom, but this really sucks lol.
So, after a quick second, I said "Hey, if you do this and it works, I will give you $10.00". His eyes lit up and he said with so much excitement, "$10.00!!! I can buy snacks or a toy" From that point he was ready to get this project done. Before I had to tell him to come on let's do it but now I have to slow him down and tell him to wait. He is ready and eager to get this done because now he is motivated because he wants that $10.00.
It was at that moment, I realized that the best way to get people to help you is to offer an incentive to them. Even though ideally we would like help with no expectations but for the most part people help others to get something in return rather it is acknowledgement, monetary or self satisfaction.
Marcee' Bonds
Author of A Single Mother's Point of View Raising a Black Man
www.marceebonds.con
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