This example might be apt.
i) There's a soccer ball, and I identified a goal post, so I want to kick the ball into the post.
ii) There's a soccer ball at my feet, I'd seen star players kicking the ball into the post, so I believe I can kick the ball into the post, too.
The source of motivation arise from the gap between the reality of the soccer ball at the feet and the 'hope' of the ball in the post.
The source of inspiration arise from the believe of being able to perform as others have.
The difference is in the initiatial perception. Inspiration demands actions that arise from the spark of an event, person, or idea, often followed by a strong sense of belief. Motivation is more self-construed.
A volunteer will need alot of inspiration. Not a single explosive kind, but continuous sparkles of firework to last as long as it is able to keep the volunteer at work. This is the hard part- when the days are dry, a committed volunteer will have to find his/her own source of inspiration. The simple things of smile, peers complimenting each other... Unfortunately, if one tries to wait for inspiration to drop from the sky, then volunteering is mostly a thankless job. Not to be discouraged, most things in life are thankless anyway. So a volunteer learn to actively search for signs of thanks. really..
Motivation: A psychological concept with no single universally accepted definition, but which organisational sociologists aver concerns the determinants of intent, effort and tenacity, factors that push or pull us as individuals to behave in a particular manner.
Inspiration:
Well, seems like the dictionary definitaion and derivations of these two words wasn't the same as what I had conceived them to be..
But I guess this is part of the learning process of a volunteer's day..
On a last note, people not only need motivation, they need inspiration. Few will be able to keep on motivating themselves, almost all will need encouragements and sparkles.
This came to my mind about our PM and those in high-post public service. I wonder if any journalist have asked them why they wanted to serve the country. And, being Lee no. 2, criticisms are flaring in the country, this certainly is not good encouragement. But then again, I'm only interested in observing politics..
Inspire you and you will inspire me! SmileUp!
4 comments:
heh... quite interesting ah... but as a linguistic major, i must scold you for anyhow using dictionaries... haha.... your definition for 'motivation' seems to be from a sociological dictionary while the other seems to be from some 'normal' dictionary...
haha... anyway, about 'inspire' and 'motivate'... i wouldnt compare them as you have le. in fact, i dun noe if they are on the same level... but if i have to choose between which is 'stronger' i would choose 'motivate'... as you said, motivation is self-construed, it comes from the self... so by implication, 'inspiration' comes from the outside.
to me, in order to get inspired in the first place, you need that motivation to be inspired. anything and everything out there can be a source of inspiration, but no everyone sees it tt way... why? coz there isnt that motivation or desire or no one feels the need to be inspired in the first place
so, motivation is a stepping stone to being inspired. you need tt motivation first in order to begin the process of being inspired...
Heheh, maybe I purposely used diefferent dictionaries, though I still quoted the sources anyway..
That's a fresh perspective for me. I learnt something new from you today. Indeed, seems that motivation is more powerful than and precedes inspiration. That basically differentiates people who willingly volunteer their time and service from those who can't be bothered.
You helped me clear up my argument between motivation and inspiration. The issue was intended to be the cause factor between being motivated or inspired to serve fellows.
In light of this new revelation on motivation, then my contention would be more appropriate to be: For people who are already motivated by the self to serve, being additionally inspired by external causes would be sustainable than solely motivated by the self.
How does that sound?
Wow, too chim for me.
I go for brevity.
Inspiration is the ignition, motivation is the fuel. Everything else is just scenery.
Hey bird, u inspired me! That matters.
Today got Kidsread boh?
Wa, who's chim.
Brevity.
# the use of brief expressions
# the attribute of being brief or fleeting
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Fleeting ah..
# lasting for a markedly brief time;
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
See, finally linked to Sovil et titus..
Wa, you very chim.
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