1. Reeta Banerjee
A New Framework for Understanding
Of Motivation
the Highs
And Lows

2. BJ Fogg describes this phenomenon in
the Motivation Wave
Motivation fluctuates throughout the day

3. If motivation goes up and down
throughout the day…

4. How can you predict when motivation will be high
or low?

5. Motivation is based on
how much you
anticipate doing
the action
how much you
dread NOT doing
the action.
+

6. We can visualize motivation on a graph as a function
of Anticipation and Dread

7. When Anticipation and Dread are low, you are
below the curve and are unmotivated

8. When Anticipation and Dread are high, you are
above the curve and are motivated

9. Motivation = Anticipation + Dread
Reeta Banerjee

10. (even if dread is low)
+ =

11. Example: You have a high anticipation for
how great it will be to have the new iPhone

12. Example: You have a high anticipation for
how great it will be to have the new iPhone
Even if you aren’t thinking about the negatives
of not getting it, you can still be motivated.

13. High AnticipationàMotivation

14. (even if anticipation is low)
+ =

15. Example: You dread what will happen if you
don’t take out the garbage

16. Example: You dread what will happen if you
don’t take out the garbage
Even if you don’t think it will be very fun to do, you
still may be motivated to take out the garbage.

17. High DreadàMotivation

18. If you don’t have enough
OR
YOU WON’T CARE
Anticipation for doing the action
Dread for NOT doing the action

20. How does this Motivation Model explain
commonly known motivators?

21. How does this Motivation Model explain
commonly known motivators?
• Social
• Competitive
• Impact

22. How does this Motivation Model explain
commonly known motivators?
• Social
• Competitive
• Impact
Let’s see a few examples…

23. ü you anticipate that it will be fun and social
You will be motivated to go running with a friend if

24. ü you anticipate that it will be fun and social
or
ü you think you would feel guilty if you didn’t go
You will be motivated to go running with a friend if

25. You will be motivated to compete if
üYou anticipate that you will feel victorious

26. You will be motivated to compete if
üYou anticipate that you will feel victorious
or
üYou dread that you will feel left out if you
don’t compete

27. You will be motivated to join a walkathon if
üYou anticipate feeling proud for doing good

28. You will be motivated to join a walkathon if
üYou anticipate feeling proud for doing good
or
üYou dread that you will feel disappointed in
yourself if you don’t join

29. Questions/Comments?
I want to hear them!
Reeta Banerjee
reeta@alumni.stanford.edu
@ReetaTweets