
I was listening to the Ferriss Team Podcast this Monday morning and he was interviewing Daniel Pink. About halfway through the episode, Tim asked Daniel to describe Motivational Interviewing.
Daniel said that Motivational Interviewing is a therapeutic technique that he learned from a friend at the Yale School of Medicine. The technique is very simple and Daniel thinks that it can be something that can be motivated for going to the gym or trying to get a kid motivated for an algebra test.
The technique does not have to be applied by an external source and notes that it can be great for those that journal their thoughts and experiences. I agree with Tim - this is a great addition to anyone's daily notes and journaling and it's a quick, simple and effective way to root out one's desires and motivations for accomplishing any task.
The Algebra Example
So the Algebra example basically goes like this:
Jack's not doing well in Algebra and his parents and teachers do not know how to get him to sit down and study for his upcoming exam. They 've tried to bribe him and they' ve tried to force him to study but nothing works.
They decided to give him a "Motivational Interview." So they sit down with Jack and ask him: "Jack replies," 3 out of 10 ".
Jack's parents ask him, "why are you a 3 out of 10 and not a 2 out of 10?" Notice that Jack's parents have turned the tables on what one might expect - you'd normally anticipate a demanding conversation where Jack's parents tells her that she is not a fan of Jack's life, right?
But Jack 's parents know better, "reverse psychology" to Jack and ask him why he does not have algebra exam. By doing this, Jack now has to think about why Algebra exam.
Jack can have all kinds of answers for why he's a 3 and not a 2:
"I want to pass the class so I can graduate later on" "If I do poorly on this test, I'll probably do poorly on the following tests" etc etc etc
Jack has just listed all of the reasons why he has now motivated his forefront of his mind.
The Gym Example
I am motivated to do so. I am motivated to do so. I am motivated to do so. I also recommend writing this down, writing things down really solidifies your responses and allowing you a better perspective into your own line of thinking.
Just ask yourself, "On a scale of 1-10, how motivated am I to go to the gym today?"
You write, "I'm a 4 out of 10". Then ask yourself, "Why are not I a 3 out of 10?"
Again you write:
"I'm not a 3 out of 10 because I want to lose weight and look better before the summer is here." "I'm not a 3 out of 10 because I want to live a healthy lifestyle and live longer and happier. "" I'm not a 3 out of 10 because a part of me actually enjoys working out. "" I'm not a 3 out of 10 because after I work out, I always feel 10x better than when I started. " etc etc
I urge you to try the technique yourself. You can either share your responses in the comments below, or keep them to yourself if you'd rather not share your responses. You can just run through the technique in your head, but I recommend writing it down - writing things down makes everything clearer and more solid. Also, if you ever confront the same issue, you can go back to the responses you got your own and re-learn your motivations for doing something !! Happy Monday!

Here's the Question of The Day, do not forget to post your answers in the comments!
Did you try the Motivational Interviewing technique on a task that's pestering you in life right now? Do you find yourself with a clearer motivational picture of why you should do it?