[February 9, 2022] I discovered long ago that motivation makes the difference in how well or poorly we all live our lives. I also found that avoiding personal destruction and failure was the most common motivational factor for leaders; not struggling for success, not happiness, not good feelings, and not helping the world.
That’s right. The fear of failure motivates the vast majority of humans to succeed. True enough, when people are asked about their accomplishments, many will deny that fear motivates them, and, most likely, they will say it’s some higher purpose that drives them. They will say fear has no part in it but, instead, they are motivated by “cultured ideals.”
Reading about personal motivation in the literature (there’s a lot of it), you are likely to discover something different. I’m in the minority here, and that is okay. My experience is on-the-ground work with thousands of Soldiers for 40 years, during peace and on the battlefield. The ‘experts’ will tell you that money, helping others, power and fame, recognition, and passion are the end-to-end-all in motivation.
Yes, these incentives do play a part. With my blog, I also listed similar factors that motivate. I’ve discussed taking responsibility, being accountable for your actions, telling the truth, learning from failure, and so on. We should push ourselves to achieve noble goals. However, for the most successful among us, we are not only “pulled” toward success, but we are also “running” from failure and personal destruction. Fear is, I believe, the chief factor. Negative emotions are always the biggest motivators.
There are also several “don’ts” to consider. Don’t accept failure. Don’t self-sabotage. Don’t set impossible goals. There are many more that I easily list. Why do these appeal? They appeal because we will surely not have a proper and satisfying life when we accept failure or anything like it. I find it surprising how many young people are caught up in such a vicious cycle.
Hang in there. Recognize fear for what it is and learn that it is a part of us all. Embrace the fear and learn how to harness its power.
The higher your motivation, the better you will live.
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Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” at Amazon (link here).
Ha, folks just won’t do the right thing and get trapped in a downward cycle. Stupid can’t fix stupid but good leadership can.
Thanks Gen. Satterfield, great article. Another powerful piece of advice.
Exactly why we keep coming back to his leadership website. Gen. S. is da man! I also read his book. If you are reading this and haven’t ordered his book off Amazon, then please do so as a favor to him. Then, surprise surprise, you will enjoy every page you read. Each page is another story. Gen. S. is a great story teller. Just type in his name or the book title in the Amazon search feature. The book will pop up.
This is getting to the point quickly, Gen. Satterfield but, alas, I believe folks will just slide by and not pay attention. The young, who are the main target to improve their lives, will go on without a real goal in their lives, never establishing what failure or success really is, or taking responsibility for what they do or don’t do. sad. yes but not irreversible.
Overlooked? Yes, but purposefully. As psychologists say, “willful blindness.”
Interesting take on the idea of personal bettterment. Let’s hope folks take a lesson from your article. Well done!
Interesting article from a true American Patriot.
Support the Canadian truckers! Hooah!!
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Yes, and be sure to read today’s article (Friday) that addresses whether one should join the US Army. Worth reading in its entirety. Be sure not to miss the three reasons Gen. Satterfield delayed publishing the article. Those three are an article in themselves.
While I agree with Gen. Satterfield, in principle, I’m not so sure that negative emotions (as he calls them) are primary. I think it might depend more on the person and the person at a particular time of their life, maturity level, stresses in their lives, etc. We are exactly the same every minute of the day.
I think that the many of the “pull” or positive factors that Gen. Satterfield lists (and has written about regularly) are the most common to find is that many authors want to focus on the positive, as opposed to the negative. The latter can be seen a fear (as Gen. S) notes or could be evil (earlier articles on this website), or perhaps something else. Keep in mind that he is trying to open our minds to some different kind of thinking and we should appreciate it. I for one, happen to agree with his assessment. In the past, long ago, fear surely was the primary factor. Now that we live in relative peace, perhaps less so. But fear will always be there. it is a human condition.
Excellent analysis, as usual, Max. While people from long ago, let’s say 1,000 years ago, may be very similar to us today, they were also different in some ways. We don’t really know how much they are the same or different. We barely know ourselves.
Good points Max and thanks for adding to the conversation. Gen. Satterfield continues to hit us with some thoughts that actually make sense. The fact that he based his view on thousands of interactions with soldiers, has some powerful support behind it.
Well written and persuasive. Thanks Gen. Satterfield for putting up a different idea than we normally get to hear or read about.
Correct, and I like his list of “dont’s” too.
Same here, thanks Rev Cain. You sure do know how to support Gen. Satterfield and I appreciate you doing so. Keep up the good works you are doing here in the forum.
Me as well. thanks Greg.
That’s exactly why I read this website (mostly daily). I keep coming back because each time I read an article, I have to sit back and say, “wow” I didn’t know that or that makes the think in a different way. I’m learning more process than rote facts. 👍👍👍👍
The main message that I see with this blog post by Gen. Satterfield is that we should just recognize that fear is a big force in our motivations. Bigger perhaps than we have thought about in the past.
I don’t think too many psychologists or philosophers would disagree with Gen. Satterfield’s comment, “Negative emotions are always the biggest motivators.”
I may be older than most of the folks here but I am not always in agreement with Gen. Satterfield on is ‘philosophical’ views, and in this case I disagree. I think we are ‘pulled’ more than ‘pushed’ (by fear) to achieve our goals. Just my observation of life.
I got it. Yes, there is certainly an argument either way (and Gen. Satterfield acknowledges as much). But he is telling it from his view and having that many soldiers to lead and then to see what they see and understand their deepest desires, means a great background for his conclusion.
Gen. Satterfield getting philosophical again? Hey,sir, well done! I agree with you as well although I don’t believe many will be as kind as I am.
Yep, well said Fred. I too agree. Of course, I’m a product of an upbringing by two wonderful parents and plenty of uncles and aunts who helped educate me in the ways of the world. They were able to show that love makes the difference but that to be really motivated was to understand that fear plays a big part.
Eric, spot on comment. You are one of those who regularly have a knack for driving right to the heart of an argument and putting a period at the end.
Good one, Eric. Thanks!!!
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Me too, I agree with Gen. Satterfield on this idea that fear is the biggest motivator.