Expertise is developed through hours of deliberate practise. One dimension is a challenging goal which relies on your nature of motivations. Who are you?
| Optimist | Pessimist |
| take more risks | are more vigilant |
| explore more options | more detail oriented |
| try something new? “Yes!” | try something new? “Is it safe?” |
| “can do” attitude | failure is not an option |
| e.g. developing software | e.g. running data centers |
| promotion focus | prevention focus |
| care about the presence and absence of gains | worry about the presence and absence of losses |
| pursuing opportunities | preventing failure |
| motivators are aspirations | motivators are meeting obligations and fear of failure |
Motivational challenges and behaviors to reach a goal are researched in the Regulatory Focus Theory by E. Tory Higgins (further reading “Beyond Pleasure and Pain“, American Psychologist, December 1977).
So which is better to reach your goals – promotion or prevention? Both work depending on the goal people like to achieve. Some people are more motivated by pursuing opportunities and others are more motivated by preventing failure.
Personal Blog of Patrick Sauerwein 