Internal and External Motivation

Money truck minature from the gift shop in the U.S. Department of Engraving, photo by author.

Weight = 177.8 lbs, down from yesterday

Coinage = $1.09

Best Find = a quarter left in a newspaper vending machine

Feature Essay:  Motivation System Tweeking

TSA, aka, Transportation Security Agency, reported that $600,000 in nickels, dines, and quarters were left behind in those ugly gray baskets that we use going through Airport Security.  National banking officials report that $300,000 U.S. dollars are lost every day.  In a recent visit to the U.S. Engraving building in Washington D.C., in their 24 hour night and day operation, one billion in new U.S. bills are created; same for their facility in Fort Worth, TX.   Data like these gets the MoneyWalker’s attention. 

Turns out, finding money is highly motivating.  This morning, I met Ned, one of the Dukes of MidCity  New Orleans. At 6:30 a.m. he was checking a catch basin on Canal and Carrollton for paper money.  As I  walked by without prompting or overt signs of interest, Ned told me he recently found $10 dollars, he was obviously looking for more.

Motivation is a tricky concept.  Being motivated to sustain the healthy habit of a daily constitutional walk by finding money is what, external motivation.  But why walk in the first place unless driven by the internally drive to remain healthy. 

Somehow in our society we have made one of these concepts a pejorative term. If we admit to being motivated by the quest for money, prestige and/or power, we are somehow less admirable than when we are motivated by the need to achieve, to be our best.  Truth is, we are all motivated by both internal and external motives and both can be counter indicated if carried to extremes.

So my advice is to unapologetically use both sources of motivation to achieve your goals of a worthy BMI (body mass index) and a body/mind free of symptoms of ill health for the rest of your life.  The MoneyWalker constantly examines his motivation program for effectiveness so as to be able to sustain his walking and resistive exercise regiments. The introspection is necessary to frame his thoughts concerning the effectiveness of all the ways he utilizes internal and external sources of motivation.  If something isn't motivating, change is indicated.

MoneyWalker