(Day 7) 17th March - EQ and Motivation

 17 March: Sensory Design CPD

• A topic I’m interested in
• Learning to listen and try not to dominate 
• Patience 
• Noticed my effort once it was a topic of interest in comparison to the other topic

Today's session within the group indicated me when it is a topic of interested my effort naturally increased. I knew I was passionate and had ideas for the topic so I tried not to dominate. I listened to everyone patiently, even if they were slight off course. 

Whether the group felt the same, it was clear which topic has the most understanding and effort in. I am unsure how much impact I had on this but the group had a stronger grasp of this topic for the CPD brief. 

Reflecting on my EQ, my passion heavily fuels my intrinsic motivation and if I am uninterested it is clear in my efforts, as I don't see why? If I'm honest with myself, being in a strong group can also make me lazier as I know I can rely on other people. Therefore, a focus is too look how I can stay intrinsically motivated in topics I am uninterested in. This will then prepare me for the next session (22 March) where we should find out which topic we are focusing on. I know the uncertainty has also held me back of making an effort as I don't want to put my heart into a topic which may not our end focus. 

When looking into the effects of choice on intrinsic motivation, Cooper, H,. et al (2008) the research shows having choices promotes happiness and it can have a powerful motivating effect. Choice enhances intrinsic motivation, "conditions that are experienced as controlling will also diminish intrinsic motivation". This could reflect that at the beginning of the module it seemed like we were able to choose which topic for CPD we wanted to do. Therefore, as I was not 'choosing' the previous topics I was not intrinsically motivated and I did not mentally open to the idea of them. Now, as we may not be able to do the topic of our choosing, I do not feel motivated to work on any topics as it feels like a waste of time. If the choice wasn't there from the beginning and I wasn't learning about other topics, I would have no choice to get on with it. 

Now, I need to understand what intrinsically motivates me when I may not choose something or I am not passionate about the topic. This will prepare me for the next session if I am to progress onto a topic I am not interested in. 

Behrouz Moemeni (2018) talks about being intrinsically motivated when starting his scary, risky business. He was driven by "autonomy, challenge and purpose". He describes intrinsic motivation as a "desire to engage in the activity, as the activity itself is enjoyable" and the "activity continues without external factors". Research continually shows intrinsically motivated people perform better, are more resilient, experience less burn out and have more job and life satisfaction. This is interesting as I found myself feeling more lazy and tired quicker when I am not intrinsically motivated. Activity and engagement persist, this is how top performs "maintain dedication and achieve the level of mastery". This is referred to state of flow in psychology (being in the zone). 

Dan Pink (2009) speaks about the 'puzzle of motivation', in correlation to Moemeni he believes we are more motivated by intrinsic motivation. He furthers this by breaking down motivation into 3 elements: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. It's interesting when Pink says to make students feel like education is a choice, not a requirement which compliments Cooper, H,. et al (2008). 

I feel the the extrinsic motivation for the live client CPD brief is that it is the base for the Part A submission, therefore to meet the brief requirements the work has got to be done. However, I need to work and focus on being intrinsically motivated throughout. I know mindset is key for me, I need to be in the right mindset before the session begins and keep an open mind throughout. As I am extremely passionate about design management it is easy to remind myself of why I am doing this course. Therefore, before the next session on 22 March I am going to ensure I am in the right frame of mind, with a fresh perspective of the brief. Make sure an bad associations are gone and listen to music and have a dance to release endorphins. Laugh to release positive chemicals and most importantly, remind myself of my academic achievements so far and where I want to go. Looking past the brief, and seeing the bigger picture, remind myself how I feel when I reach my academic goals. This is a learning journey and you get what you put in! 

References: 

Dan Pink (2009) The Puzzle of Motivation. Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_the_puzzle_of_motivation?language=en [Accessed March 2021]

Behrouz Moemeni (2018) Intrinsic Motivation: The Key to Revolutionize Education, Work and Life. Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/behrouz_moemeni_intrinsic_motivation_the_key_to_revolutionize_education_work_and_life [Accessed March 2021]

Cooper, H,. et al (2008) 

The effects of choice on intrinsic motivation and related outcomes: A meta-analysis of research findings". Available at: https://web-b-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.bcu.ac.uk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=6b309a24-e67f-45f1-8245-bf7f9766582f%40pdc-v-sessmgr01 [Accessed March 2021]