How Does Motivation Affect Performance?
Motivation influences the level of interest and effort given to tasks, and it is essential in maintaining an individual’s performance. It energizes, guides and sustains one’s attitude. Motivation determines performance in learning by affecting what learners pay attention to and acts like a reinforcement tool for learners to achieve academic success.
Motivation is the desire to do things, and the drive towards a goal. It includes external and internal factors to keep people consistently interested and committed to a task, responsibility or subject, or to put effort to achieve an objective. Motivation is a fundamental ingredient in setting and achieving goals. An individual’s level of motivation can be influenced by himself and by others.
Motivation influences which consequences are reinforcing and which ones are punishing. The more a student is motivated to succeed, the more he is excited for a higher grade and distressed by a dismal performance. Motivation often boosts performance. Learners who are often motivated to participate in classroom discussion and activities tend to be higher achievers.
Motivation enhances initiation and determination in activities. People who are motivated are likely to start a task and pursue it to the end. Employees who are not motivated skip meetings and training workshops and may not perform to their best in their responsibilities. Employee motivation can be increased through employee empowerment and recognition.
