IMPORTANCE OF MOTIVATION

Motivation is extremely important in our daily lives. The degree to which we are, or are not, motivated is the driving force behind everything we do from the simple act of putting our feet on the floor in the morning to the last activity of the day and everything in-between. Motivation not only determines whether we begin an activity, but also how well we perform and if we finish what we begin. As children, the majority of our extrinsic motivation came from the adults in our lives such as parents and teachers (Maslow, 1968). Now, as adults ourselves, we have to be self-motivators and, if we are teachers or managers, we must be able to motivate others.
Motivation of others can be difficult because motivation is a very individual experience for everyone. Some are motivated by rewards, some by public recognition, and others just by feeling like they have done well at a particular task. Student motivation—or the lack thereof—unquestionably plays a role in spurring academic performance. It is also very important for young students to feel like their efforts are recognized by parents, teachers, and adults in the community. The education challenges facing our country at the present are too large for only schools and educators to solve them on their own. Families and communities must also become involved in order to foster a collective sense of motivation for our nation's young learners (Ormrod, 2008).

                                                                   References

Ormrod, J.E. (2008). Human Learning (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Prentice, Hall.

Maslow, Abraham H.  (1968). Toward a Psychology of Being. Van Nostrand, Princeton, N.J.

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