Most individuals find it difficult to adhere to their New Year’s resolutions. Although it’s easy to create a list of resolutions, bad habits can’t be changed until the motivation that causes the behavior is analyzed and dealt with. In her latest book, What’s Your Motivation?: Identifying and Understanding What Drives You, Annette Johnson examines how the values that are placed on money, religion, love, marriage, health, communication, children and work affect the
decisions that we make each day. –amir shaw
What inspired you to write this book?
Throughout the years, I have made so many notes in terms of dealing with children, students and teachers. I pay close attention to behavior and the outcome of behavior. I wanted to analyze the most important parts of life such as how we deal with children, marriage, work and the way we communicate. I try to find what it is that drives people to do what they do.
How does this play a major role in how we spend and save money?
As long as marketers understand what people value, they will service you with what you want. That is why there is a Hyundai and a Mercedes-Benz. There are people who value saving money. If your value is to impress others, you will spend money that you don’t have. If you value a car that conserves gas, you will spend what you have. Marketers spend millions of dollars to be able to figure out what motivates people the most.
What is the most important thing that you want readers to get from this book?
I want to help people understand what their motivations and values are. I divide my values into time, thought and money. How much time, thought or money do you spend on things such as shopping or sex? What you value is an expression of those three things. It’s important to pick anything in life and see how much time, thought and money that you spend on it.
Annette Johnson is a former professor at Georgia State University and the owner of Allwrite Advertising and Publishing (www.e-allwrite.com).
