Article
By Michael Adedotun Oke
Motivation is a powerful driver that pushes individuals, communities, and even animals towards their goals. However, cultivating motivation wisely is crucial to ensure efforts are sustainable and lead to positive outcomes. The cattle herding practices in Gwagwalada, Abuja, offer valuable insights into the importance of managed motivation.
In Gwagwalada, cattle roam freely, grazing on available grasses and seeking out water sources. This “free-range” approach highlights a basic form of motivation driven by immediate environmental needs. However, when this approach clashes with settled agricultural practices, conflict arises. The cattle, driven by their basic need for forage, unwittingly become agents of conflict, destroying farms and livelihoods.
This scenario illustrates the critical difference between unmanaged, instinctual motivation and strategically directed, managed motivation. To understand these dynamics more deeply, let’s consider a few key motivational theories. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs suggests that the cattle’s immediate search for grass and water aligns with physiological needs, the most basic level of survival. Expectancy Theory proposes that individuals are motivated to act when they believe their efforts will lead to performance and desired outcomes. Self-Determination Theory emphasizes the importance of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in fostering intrinsic motivation.
To cultivate wise motivation, we must identify sustainable goals that fulfill our immediate needs and contribute positively to our broader environment and community. We should develop effective strategies to achieve our objectives, rather than relying on traditional methods. Understanding the impact of our motivated actions on others and striving for solutions that benefit all stakeholders is also crucial.
This approach can lead to more productive and harmonious outcomes, where individuals and communities thrive without causing harm to others. The key is to shift from reactive, instinctual motivation to proactive, strategic motivation, just as developing managed pastures can provide quality feed for animals, reducing conflict and increasing productivity.
*Oke is the Founder of Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation
Plot 232 Kaida, Along Old Kuntunku Gwagwalada
P.O. Box 11611, Garki Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria
Phone: +234 802 714 2077, +234 805 271 9697
Email: maof2020@gmail.com
