Principle 21: Throw Down a Challenge

People are motivated by opportunities to prove themselves and to win. Stimulate competition or throw a challenge to appeal to people's desire to be important, to excel and win.

Most people have an innate desire to achieve. Along with that desire often comes a fierce sense of competition - everyone wants to outdo others and be the best.

When nothing else works in winning people to your way of thinking, throw down a challenge.

Frederic Herzberg, one of the great behavioral scientists, did a study of the work attitudes of thousands of people, ranging from factory workers to senior executives. He discovered that the one major factor that motivated people was the work itself. If the work was exciting or interesting, the worker looked forward to doing it.

This is what every successful person loves: the game. We seek a chance for self-expression, a chance to prove our worth, to excel, to win.

Practice Principle 21

When all else fails in motivating your employees or your children to do something, turn it into a game! Offer a reward to incentivize your sales reps to bring in the most revenue for the month, or tell your kids that whoever picks up the most toys gets to choose the restaurant they go to for dinner.