Motivation

Motivation and aspirationsSome ideas on how to achieve your goals

Nigel Gibson

What is motivation?• An incentive for doing things, it directs our behaviour and

is why we do things.• In part it’s related to our concept of self and who we are

(and want other’s to think we are)• Argyris talks of “psychological success” which is

experienced if:– We set a challenging goal for ourselves–    We determine the methods of achieving that goal–   The goal is relevant to our self concept

What we’ll be doing• Looking at goals and how to set them• Then looking at ways to work out how to achieve them

Goals• It’s easier to achieve something if you know what you

want to achieve• That might sound obvious but…..• Unless you decide where you are going it’s difficult to

know how to get there!

Setting goals• A Goal should be SMART

–SPECIFIC – Does it define a clear, precise outcome, rather than a single vague intention?

–MEASURABLE – How will you know when achieved the objective, what noticeable change will you expect?

–ACHIEVABLE – Is it possible for you to do it?–REALISTIC – Are you confident that you will have

the commitment to see it through?–TIME LIMITED – Does it include a date/time when

you should achieve it

Steps• The steps to goals are called objectives• Because objectives are smaller – little gobbets of the

goal – they are easier to “see”

An example

Concorde 001 took off on it’s maiden flight on 2nd March, 1969 flown by Andre Turcat. It first flew faster than the speed of sound on 1st October, 1969

Concorde • First supersonic passenger

aircraft• Flew a transatlantic service for

27 years• Cruised at 2.04 times the

speed of sound for optimum fuel consumption (1,350 mph)

• Pioneered a number of new technical developments

But it didn’t just arrive• Some of the steps include the work of Sir Isaac

Newton in 1687 and Daniel Bernoulli in 1739• That’s a while before Concorde flew!• We’ll come back to Sir Isaac later

Apples – that’s all anyone

remembers

Apples – that’s all anyone

remembers

Fast forward• 17th December, 1903. Two brothers who had been

working for years at building a flying machine faced failure because they had promised their father that they’d be home for Christmas

• They were in Kitty Hawk in North Carolina and had to get back to Dayton, Ohio

• They had been there for weeks but hampered by mechanical problems, bad weather and a crash

• The weather was still bad but they decided to risk everything on one last chance….

First flight

With Wilbur at the wingtip Orville piloted the “Wright Flyer” for 120 feet on a flight lasting 12 seconds. Later flights on the same day lasted longer and were further, the longest being 200 feet at an of about 10 feet off the ground

Even faster forward• Within 15 years of the Wright brothers flight the Royal

Airforce was formed (1st April, 1918)• Aircraft had already been fighting over the trenches of

the Somme • The first jet turbine-equipped aircraft was the Heinkel

He 178 and flew in August 1939• Wars are very good at accelerating technical

developments

Timeline• Concorde flew 30 years after the first jet aircraft• 66 years after the first heavier than air, powered,

manned flight• 230 years after Bernoulli’s Theory• 282 years after Newton’s First Law• But without them it wouldn’t have happened (in the way

it did – it might have happened but in a different way)

PlanningGoal: Well paid jobGoal: Well paid job

Identify jobsIdentify jobs

Talk to friends

Use the web

Adverts

Get qualificationsGet qualifications

SkillsSkills

Driving licence?

?

IT?

You might think that some of these tasks are in the wrong order but we’re trying to catch all the things that are linked at this point

You might think that some of these tasks are in the wrong order but we’re trying to catch all the things that are linked at this point

Qualifications• We left that blank on purpose• We sometimes find that what we have isn’t what we

need• Don’t think that what you have is all you can ever get –

think about how you might add to and improve your skills

• Throughout your life!

Your goals• Think about your goal for being successful in your

GCSEs• Think about some of the steps – write them down• Think about how you might achieve those steps• try and fit this into SMART….

Sometimes……..• Things don’t always go to plan• When things go wrong learn from

the mistakes• Don’t fear failure

Try it• Think about something you want to achieve• Think about some of the steps – write them down• Think about how you might achieve those steps

Some thoughts• “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't

work.” Thomas Edison• “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine

percent perspiration.” Edison again• “I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and

an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.” Frank Lloyd Wright. He was an architect and designed………

Falling Water

• And he did it by working hard and planning and using the work of others – including Newton – and testing and iterating

• And being jolly good at maths!

Summary• Work out your goals• Set your objectives• Find out how to achieve them• Reach for the sky

Any questions?• Thank you