EDWARD DE BONO'S MESSAGE
2nd February 1997

What are the restrictions on motivation?

There is 'apathy' which means that someone is really not very interested in the matter. This is 'cognitive' apathy. But there is also 'action apathy'. Here someone is really interested but can never get up enough energy to do anything about it.

There is a closely related 'passivity. Most people prefer to be passive receivers rather than active contributors. Today's society is very much set up to encourage such passivity. You sit there and information comes easily to the screen in front of you. Why should you do anything beyond looking, listening and feeling?

Then there is the 'hassle barrier'. This is very real and very important. If action involves any sort of difficulty then many people are not inclined to make the effort to overcome that difficulty. One of the most useful 'operacy' qualities in anyone is the willingness to go for something whatever the hassle. In my experience, it is a very rare quality. Convenience and ease are high values.

There could be 'lack of confidence'. Many people do not go into certain restaurants because they will such restaurants are 'not for them'. So many people lack the confidence to become involved in things because they feel that those involved must be more talented or more special in some way.

Lack of reward is another possibility. I do not believe this is actually as strong as might be believed. There are a lot of things we all do because we are interested and we want to do them. We do not do then because there is going to be some tangible reward.

First step laziness is a big barrier. This is a sort of 'threshold' effect. We are too lazy to take the very first step. But even the longest and most attractive journey has to start with a first step. Once that step is taken then the journey has its own logic and momentum. There is now a reason to take the next step and so on.

Cost can be a discouraging factor but very often it is a perceptual matter of balance. Many people would be happy to spend forty dollars on a meal for two which would be over in a short time, but very reluctant to spend that amount on a book that would be around for ever. Many people might be willing to spend thousands of dollars on a course that could better equip them for life but reluctant to spend very much less on skill development that was not labelled as a 'course'.

Lack of real need. There are many people who never learn to ski, to ride a bicycle, to roller blade or even to swim. They have never felt a 'real need' to do these things. But if they had made that first effort then the enjoyment of that activity would provide the 'need'. Does this mean that we have to try everything? That would not be practical. At the same time if we only did what we really 'needed' to do then life would be very dull. Who 'needs' to go to a concert?

Who really 'needs' to be creative? Everyone. In personal life and in business, creativity provides that extra 'gear'. Imagine that you are driving behind a rather expensive car which is going fast. You would love to be able suddenly to engage that 'Superman' gear which would allow you to surge ahead. That is what creativity can do for you."

Edward de Bono