The Development of Achievement Motivation

The impulse to get up and accomplish a given task may seem random and unexplainable, but decades of research by Harvard University psychologist David C. McClelland, the author of "The Achievement Motive," published in 1953, gave it the name of achievement motivation. It is an individual's desire, or lack of desire, to set and complete goals in a consistent manner.

History and Cultural Significance

• The theory of achievement motivation saw its advent as early as the 1930s. A number of questions about human motivation helped to shape early studies that sought to discover whether motivation was intrinsic, coming from within an individual, or extrinsic, as a response to one's surroundings. The theory was also used to account for differences in socioeconomic status and to explain the success of modernized first-world countries.

Traits of the Achievement-Minded

• People who are achievement-minded tend to set goals that are ambitious but realistic. As an individual completes a given goal, feelings of self-worth and capability act as positive reinforcement, encouraging him to achieve consistently. An example of a balanced achievement-minded person is the small-time entrepreneur turned franchise owner. This calculated risk-taker knows when to hold and when to fold.

Goal Overload

• There is a difference between being "goal-oriented" and "goal-obsessed." When an achievement-minded person becomes overzealous in her pursuit of success, whether it be financial or otherwise, other aspects of her life, such as her family or social spheres, may suffer. Unhealthy risk-taking also is a symptom of being overly achievement-minded. McClelland dubs this type of person a "gambler."

Finding a Healthy Balance

• Contemporary psychology states that achievement motivation can be cognitive, which means that it can be learned and practiced. To do this, start small by thinking of personal goals that can be easily achieved. For example, seek to improve your culinary skill or better your golf swing. In the workplace, become a more efficient team member by organizing your space for increased work flow and asking for or accepting more ambitious assignments. As you complete these smaller goals, savor the feeling of accomplishment and revel in a new-found source of encouragement.