Master Your Motivation

About the Author

Susan Fowler is a renowned senior consulting partner for The Ken Blanchard Companies, a respected leadership consultant, and a motivational coach. She holds a professorship in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program at the University of San Diego. Susan is widely recognized as an expert in motivation and personal empowerment, having published extensively in peer-reviewed academic journals. She is also a co-author of several influential books with Ken Blanchard, including Self Leadership and The One Minute Manager, Leading at a Higher Level: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations, and Empowerment.

Main Idea

Motivation is the driving force behind all actions and desires. In Master Your Motivation, Susan Fowler argues that the traditional ways we motivate ourselves are often ineffective. The essence of motivation lies in its quality rather than its quantity. High-quality motivation, according to Fowler, is a skill that can be learned and applied by satisfying three fundamental needs: choice, connection, and competence. These needs fuel optimal motivation, which leads to sustained high performance, creativity, well-being, and fulfillment.

Table of Contents

1. The Truth About Motivation
2. Motivation Is a Skill
3. What’s Stopping You?

The Truth About Motivation

Three Scientific Truths

The core of mastering motivation lies in understanding three scientific truths:

• You need to create choice: Perceiving that you have options and control over your actions is crucial. This sense of autonomy fuels your energy and commitment.
• You need to create connection: Feeling a sense of belonging and genuine connection to others, along with aligning your goals with meaningful values, is essential for sustained motivation.
• You need to create competence: Developing and demonstrating skills, experiencing progress, and feeling effective in managing situations are vital for maintaining motivation.

Understanding Choice

Creating choice involves recognizing and embracing the options available within any given situation. Even in restrictive circumstances, as Viktor Frankl illustrated in Man’s Search for Meaning, one can choose their thoughts, reactions, and perspectives. This perception of autonomy is empowering and essential for high-quality motivation.

"I am the source of my behavior." - Susan Fowler

To create choice, you must perceive you have choices within boundaries and feel in control of your actions. This approach involves asking yourself targeted questions:

• What choices have I made regarding my goal or situation?
• If I made choices I’m glad about, why am I glad?
• If I made choices I wish I hadn’t made, why do I wish I hadn’t made them?
• What different choices could I make going forward?
• If I perceive I don’t have any choices, is it true, or is it just my perception?
• Do I feel the goal or situation was imposed on me? Why?

By reflecting on these questions, you can uncover ways to regain your sense of autonomy and make more empowered choices.

Understanding Connection

Connection means authentically caring for others and feeling cared for in return. It involves aligning your actions and goals with meaningful values and a noble purpose. This sense of belonging and contribution enhances the quality of your motivation.

"What I do to others, I do to myself." - Susan Fowler

To create connection, consider these questions:

• Can my goal or situation give me a greater sense of belonging or genuine connection to others involved?
• Could my active involvement contribute to the welfare of others?
• Could this goal or situation lead to a bigger purpose? Why might that be important?
• Is it meaningful to me? Why?
• Are important values aligned to it?
• Do I feel what is being asked of me is fair and just? Why?

By contemplating these questions, you can identify ways to strengthen your connections and find deeper meaning in your actions.