Motivation Issues

wrench
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 3:12 pm
Status: Offline

Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:19 am

There are so many good points made in this thread. My leadership style was to get my subordinates to make the decisions I wanted them to make. I believe that a person will try much, much harder to implement their own decisions than the decisions or directives of their leaders. Along that vein, I think Tom had a very good summary answer - accountability to others and self.


User avatar
neverfoundthetime
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
Status: Offline

Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:36 am

This is why re-enforcing the positive negates negative thought. - Tom
Exactly. Treat your mind like binary code or an on/off switch. If you are thinking positive, can-do thoughts, you are not thinking negative can't-do thoughts. That is a choice you can make. And there-in lies our freedom of will. In that moment between action and reaction, you can stop time and make a conscious choice about your next thought. A slave-like reaction, or a considered new action free of the dictatorship of that original incoming action/thought.

Sam, your motivation is just as valid as any winner-type who is accustomed to being on top and achieving his/her goal. You are trying to avoid defeat (not being able to do what another can). Some of the greatest achievers are and have been so construed: Jimmy Conners, "I hate losing more than I like winning" and André Aggasi, "Winning is nowhere near as much fun as loosing is awful". This is powerful motivation and if it gets you there you are so right-on to utilise it.
PS: DO you think I should start printing T-Shirts? :woohoo:


User avatar
crashcup
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:02 am
Status: Offline

Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:28 pm

Hi:

I'm new to the forum, but not to education. I've read through the entire thread and everyone makes good points.

From my perspective, it isn't that people are "reluctant" to practice, it's just that they don't see the value in practice. In my view, the teacher's primary goal is to assign value to the learning/work/practice by ensuring the student understands the "why" and the relevance of the learning to the student's goals: "In order for you to play that song, you need to learn the pentatonic scale." The learning goal, its purpose and the promised return on investment of time must be specific and explicit. "If you learn the pentatonic scale, you'll own that song! It's your highway to being a guitar hero!" Then--and this is essential--show them what they can do with their new learning. Prove that it was time well invested. The rewards will be self-evident.

Secondly, (and I'm sure I'm not telling you guitar teachers anything you don't already know) the learning goals need to be realistic and obtainable. It would be unrealistic to ask a student to commit all pentatonic scales to memory in one week, but charting a learning program that spans several weeks or months and a practice schedule that comprises only a portion of the daily practice time is more achieveable and palatable.

Finally, I'd say the biggest motivator of all is the promise of performance--solo or with others. I believe musiic is best experienced and learned socially, not as a private enterprise. To the degree that individual guitar teachers can create venues for their guitar students to play together, students will build relationships based on accountability and the love for music and their instruments. Social structures can be powerful!!!!

Cordially,

Bill


AndyT
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:06 am
Status: Offline

Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:47 pm

We have two recitals each year. One in spring and one for Christmas. The most practice I've ever seen is in the 3 or 4 weeks leading up to a show.


User avatar
crashcup
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:02 am
Status: Offline

Mon Dec 19, 2011 4:35 pm

That sort of underscores my point. Kudos to you for caring enough to do whatever you can to help your students succeed!!!!

Bill


willem
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:53 am
Status: Offline

Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:00 pm

crashcup wrote:
Hi:

Finally, I'd say the biggest motivator of all is the promise of performance--solo or with others. I believe musiic is best experienced and learned socially, not as a private enterprise. To the degree that individual guitar teachers can create venues for their guitar students to play together, students will build relationships based on accountability and the love for music and their instruments. Social structures can be powerful!!!!

Cordially,

Bill


And there I get to most fun and can check if it was worth the practice,,,

cheers Willem


User avatar
neverfoundthetime
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
Status: Offline

Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:36 pm

Welcome to the forum Bill. Good points made!


RicksPick
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:18 pm
Status: Offline

Mon Dec 19, 2011 7:58 pm

PS: DO you think I should start printing T-Shirts?

T-shirts would be great! My wife has promised me one for Christmas. Can't wait to see what it says.


AndyT
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:06 am
Status: Offline

Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:17 pm

Yeah, When do I get mine Chris? Put a great positive motivator on it.
And a Guitar on back. Let's see..... Gracie. Yeah yeah.... That's the ticket. LOL

Bill,
That is in my job description. I think. I was never actually given one now that it comes to mind. LOL
I was hired into a position that requires at least a B.S. in Music along with a Teaching Certificate.
And all I had was sharing my learning with others in a ministry group. LOL I love it. One of these days they'll wake up and realize what they did. LOL


Post Reply Previous topicNext topic