Photo used under Creative Commons License By Roman Pavlyuk from New York, USA (Eyes)
Growth and progress are both excellent goals worth striving for, but often undervalued is the fuel that drives them. Dissatisfaction or discontent is the basis for which much improvement is made.
Modifications and changes made that do not meet a need are seldom needed themselves. It is the discontent with the way things are that says: “To Hades in a handbasket with the status quo!” The greatest inventions throughout history have all come from a problem that needs solving, but the improvements to these inventions have all come from a dissatisfaction with the way the invention solves those problems.
That being said, the best place to be is dissatisfied with the way things are AND able to make change happen.
Then again, those familiar with Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory will not be terribly surprised by this outcome. Essentially, Herzberg saw two factors to motivation.
- The “Hygiene factors” are “maintenance” – that is if these elements are missing, an individual will be de-motivated, but these will not motivate. In a job, this category can include: salary, security, work conditions, relationships with peers or supervisors, etc.
- The “Motivators” are, well…motivational. The presence of advancement, opportunities for personal growth, responsibility, and even the nature of work itself can all be very strong motivators. Motivators give an outlet for productive use of discontent.
While the best customer may be an educated customer, the best entrepreneur/employee is a dissatisfied one…
Reblogged this on The Legal Standard.
This is very insightful. It sheds a new light on being discontent and dissatisfied with the way your life is. Do not just shut down or give up, use it as motivational fuel to do something about it. If we were always happy and content with the way things are, no advancements would ever be made in any field.
Aaron – that’s great application. Contentment really is the enemy of growth. Thank you for your thoughts!