Motivation vs Criticism

In life in general, people are going to need help being pushed forward towards whatever goal they are trying to reach.  Whether it’s on the field or in the gym, having good motivation can greatly help them reach their goal.  It is important to keep in mind that some people can take more ridicule than others.  In my opinion, having someone on your side helping you to succeed is better than having someone calling you out for what you did wrong or saying that you aren’t working hard enough.  Many times, if someone criticizes you too much you will eventually shut down and not want to keep working because you feel as if nothing you do is right or good enough.

 

There are many great ideas to help people stay motivated and great ways for trainers, coaches, family, and friends to help motivate each other.  There are many different motivation factors that we can focus on in order to help someone to reach their goals. There are three participation motivation factors, interest/enjoyment, competence, and body-related motives were measured that people are able to relate to.1 If you are able to identify these motivation factors you can now help them and know what it is that pushes them to the top.

Another aspect that is important to focus on is if your student is wanting to learn and is putting in the same effort you are trying to get them to succeed.  If someone doesn’t want to succeed it is very difficult to have them stay focused and motivated at the task at hand.  Sometimes this may result in a power struggle and should try to be avoided at all costs.  As a teacher or coach it is important to diagnose and improve students' motivation, focus on motivation in academic situations, and give examples from athletic and other achievement contexts.2  This helps to show them the light at the end of the tunnel and will hopefully help them to succeed.

References

1Frederick, C.M. (1993) Differences in motivation for sport and exercise and their relations with participation and mental health. Journal of Sport Behavior. 16(3) 124-146

2Stipek, D.J. (1993) Motivation to Learn. From Theory to Practice.