Do you ever say things that cause you to be motivated but they are based on fear? Here are some examples of fear-based motivation that you might be very familiar with:
- If I don’t get the job, then I’m going to be a failure.
- If I speak up for what I believe people are going to stop liking me.
- If don’t workout enough, then I’m going to look horrible, and I need to go to the gym even if it kills me.
Using this kind of motivation is exactly what it sounds like. You cause yourself to do things out of fear for what could happen.
Fear based motivation works in the short-term, but it can cause you to lose out on your performance, the relationships that you are in and even your overall wellbeing.
Can Fear Based Motivation Help?
Even though fear-based motivation is a natural thing, your brain will make sure that you are doing things that will keep you safe. You can use fear to make sure that you are not doing things and staying safe and once you move away from these harmful things, you are safe.
The brain will tell you to threaten yourself so that you can use fear to motivate you to make good decisions. But it can also cause you to have stress and to put your body in danger.
Why is Fear Based Motivation Bad?
If you go to the gym and you have your trainer, say, “It’s time for summer and you don’t want your legs looking like cottage cheese!” And so, you will work harder to do more exercise but also you will think about how people are going to look at your body. This will cause you to be more critical of yourself instead of being stronger.
Dependence on Negativity
Most people will use their negativity to help themselves, but it causes people to base their thoughts on negativity. This can cause you to narrow what you focus on and cause you to be stressed and depressed instead of happy and whole. You wonder what could go wrong instead of what is going right and celebrating that.
Your brain will know when something is threatening, and you will have a desire to get rid of it or to flee from it. You will imagine how much the brain focuses on your experiences and the impact of them.
Costs of Fear Based Motivation
Think about what you do every day. If you are loving your life thinking of negativity and about what bad things are going to come in your life, you will end up being shameful and angry. You will want to hide instead of better your life.
You become focused on how you are going to do things and how things might look terrible instead of focusing on the good things that you can be doing.
How to Lose the Fear Based Motivation
There is nothing wrong with wanting to live your best life and to reach your goals, but you have to learn how to motivate yourself in a positive way. Instead of using shame and fear, use love-based motivation.
Love based motivation is the opposite of fear-based motivation and you learn to find things that you love that will inspire you. This will make your brain want to do things that are good and creative.
What is Love Based Motivation
There are ways that you can use love-based motivation to reach your goals. You can be empathetic, curious, have a vision and take action that works well with your good feelings.
Here are some ways that you need to look at your own life:
What Would You Tell a Friend?
Imagine that you are in a situation, and you need some advice. What kind of advice would you give someone that you loved? Think of how you would talk to them and then talk to yourself like you would a friend instead of talking to yourself like an enemy.
What Makes You Curious?
Think about your goals and the things you love to do. What makes you want to reach those goals and to do those things? Find out a way that you can learn new things in a positive and happy way.
Can You Reach Your Goals and Feel Good?
Yes. You can reach your goals by coming up with creative ways to reach them that are positive and fun. If you want to go to the gym, find classes that you love to take that make you feel alive and free.
What Makes Your Goal Important?
Look deep into your goal and find out why you love it. Find out how you want to reach your goal and why it is important to you. Keep it positive.
How Can Heart Centered Action Help?
Keep your goals but have a good time reaching them. Reach your goals based on love instead of fear.
Finding Happiness and Being Satisfied in Life
Do not use fear-based motivation to reach your goals. Doing this will only help you in the short term and will leave you feeling stressed and anxious. Find ways that you can lead a healthy and happy life for the long-term.
Find motivation for yourself out of love and not fear. Doing this can help you to reach your goals and stay positive the whole time.
The discussion on how fear narrows our focus and promotes negativity is thought-provoking. Integrating more scientific research on the psychological effects of different motivational types could enhance the article’s impact.
The article raises valid points about the potential downsides of using fear-based motivation. It’s interesting to consider how shifting to a more positive, love-based approach could improve overall well-being.
The distinction between fear-based and love-based motivation is well-articulated. The examples provided help to clarify the concepts, although more empirical evidence might strengthen the argument.
While the article offers a clear critique of fear-based motivation, I’m curious about the practical steps people can take to transition to love-based motivation.
Indeed, practical guidelines or strategies for making that transition would be useful. Perhaps a follow-up article could delve into specific actionable steps.
The notion that fear-based motivation can lead to stress and negative self-perception is compelling. The suggestion to treat oneself with the same empathy as one would a friend is particularly insightful.