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Also false. Would you bet your life that you could demotivate me and prevent me from sweeping my apartment floors tomorrow morning? What about demotivating me

Also false. Would you bet your life that you could demotivate me and prevent me from sweeping my apartment floors tomorrow morning? What about demotivating me and keeping me from eating dinner tonight? You can create a situation where I can become demotivated but ultimately I set my own level of motivation.

JohnFen 3y ago
Maybe I couldn't demotivate you when it comes to your personal stuff, but I bet I could demotivate you in the workplace. Well, maybe not you -- you might be an exceptional person in this regard -- but the majority of people.
- paulcole 3y ago
  Yes, I generally agree with that. But the fact that you are able to take an action that leads to people being demotivated doesn’t mean that you demotivated those people. The people demotivated themselves as a result of your actions. They could’ve just as easily remained motivated — they just chose not to.
BobaFloutist 3y ago
That's like saying nobody can ever steal from anyone else because I wouldn't be willing to bet my life that I could steal your wallet from you. Just because things aren't 100% reliable, doesn't mean they're not possible.
- paulcole 3y ago
  OK then how much would you be willing to bet that you could demotivate or motivate me? The difference in the wallet theft vs. motivation idea is that you have 0 control over my motivation. I am in 100% control of my motivation. You may be able to try to increase or decrease my motivation but you can’t control it. Motivation’s not a thing you can pick up and take like a wallet. It’s not real and it’s mine.
  - BobaFloutist 3y ago
    I think if I were your direct supervisor I'd be about as confident in my ability to demotivate you as I would be in my ability to steal your wallet if I were a proficient pickpocket.
    - paulcole 3y ago
      And you’d be wrong, in my opinion. If you’re a proficient pickpocket you’d be able to use your skill to take my wallet. I have no skill at actively protecting my wallet or knowing anything about pickpocketing. If you’re my boss, I’m very confident that my ability to maintain my motivation is superior to your ability to demotivate me. I’d confidently bet $5,000 on that — not that it’s a wager we can play out unless we work together one day.
betenoire 3y ago
I mean, I get what you are saying I think... but was is the practical difference between "you can put me in a place where I become demotivated" and "you can't demotivate me"? The whole industry of coaching seemingly contradicts this take. I can become motivated from someone sharing a vision of what is possible that I didn't understand or believe in, and I can become unmotivated from eating dinner from watching a documentary on the food industry.
- paulcole 3y ago
  > you can put me in a place where I become demotivated You’re leaving out an important word there. > you can put me in a place where I can become demotivated It’s not a foregone conclusion that I become demotivated because of your actions. Because your actions don’t guarantee my reaction. > I can become unmotivated from eating dinner from watching a documentary on the food industry. Yes, except that the demotivation is your action. Many people can happily eat dinner after watching the same documentary. The movie maker can try to influence your reaction but they don’t dictate it.

JohnFen 3y ago

Maybe I couldn't demotivate you when it comes to your personal stuff, but I bet I could demotivate you in the workplace. Well, maybe not you -- you might be an exceptional person in this regard -- but the majority of people.

paulcole 3y ago
Yes, I generally agree with that. But the fact that you are able to take an action that leads to people being demotivated doesn’t mean that you demotivated those people. The people demotivated themselves as a result of your actions. They could’ve just as easily remained motivated — they just chose not to.

BobaFloutist 3y ago

That's like saying nobody can ever steal from anyone else because I wouldn't be willing to bet my life that I could steal your wallet from you. Just because things aren't 100% reliable, doesn't mean they're not possible.

paulcole 3y ago
OK then how much would you be willing to bet that you could demotivate or motivate me? The difference in the wallet theft vs. motivation idea is that you have 0 control over my motivation. I am in 100% control of my motivation. You may be able to try to increase or decrease my motivation but you can’t control it. Motivation’s not a thing you can pick up and take like a wallet. It’s not real and it’s mine.
- BobaFloutist 3y ago
  I think if I were your direct supervisor I'd be about as confident in my ability to demotivate you as I would be in my ability to steal your wallet if I were a proficient pickpocket.
  - paulcole 3y ago
    And you’d be wrong, in my opinion. If you’re a proficient pickpocket you’d be able to use your skill to take my wallet. I have no skill at actively protecting my wallet or knowing anything about pickpocketing. If you’re my boss, I’m very confident that my ability to maintain my motivation is superior to your ability to demotivate me. I’d confidently bet $5,000 on that — not that it’s a wager we can play out unless we work together one day.

betenoire 3y ago

I mean, I get what you are saying I think... but was is the practical difference between "you can put me in a place where I become demotivated" and "you can't demotivate me"? The whole industry of coaching seemingly contradicts this take. I can become motivated from someone sharing a vision of what is possible that I didn't understand or believe in, and I can become unmotivated from eating dinner from watching a documentary on the food industry.

paulcole 3y ago
> you can put me in a place where I become demotivated You’re leaving out an important word there. > you can put me in a place where I can become demotivated It’s not a foregone conclusion that I become demotivated because of your actions. Because your actions don’t guarantee my reaction. > I can become unmotivated from eating dinner from watching a documentary on the food industry. Yes, except that the demotivation is your action. Many people can happily eat dinner after watching the same documentary. The movie maker can try to influence your reaction but they don’t dictate it.