How Do Motivational Posters Work?

These days it is nearly impossible to ignore the motivational posters and inspirational signs hung on the walls in offices, hospitals, and other public spaces. Additionally there’s a ton of motivational quotes painted with graffiti on the roadside, and hundreds of motivational images on social media.

And, there is an abundance of inspiring and motivational quotes in magazines, commercial ads, and other print media.

But have you ever wondered what motivation is exactly and whether motivational signs work? Whether you think motivational quotes are just wallpapers, or they actually work for people, know that your surroundings are compelled by motivational quotes. So yes, there is a good chance that these posters and signs really work on the majority.

Of course, there aren’t many reliable scientific studies for this, but there are a few non-scientific studies that have been conducted to establish a theory. Before we delve into how motivational posters work, let’s first examine what is motivation exactly.

What is Motivation?

Motivation is best defined as a process that initiates goal-oriented behavior among individuals.

It involves the biological, cognitive, emotional, and social forces of a person. It could be subjective or objective, given what a person wants to achieve. 

Let’s say you feel thirsty. Ideally, you should get up and have a glass of water. But what drives you to get up and drink? It is the motivation to quench your thirst in order to feel good. 

But what is it that drives you to do such acts? Well, it is your motivation that can be understood by spreading it on a broad spectrum. To further broaden our understanding of “What is motivation?”, we discuss the different types of motivation in the next section.

Types of Motivation

Broadly, there are three types of motivation: 

Extrinsic Motivation:

What is extrinsic motivation? Extrinsic motivation is a kind of motivation by which you seek an external gain somehow. For instance, you study to achieve better grades in your class, you lose weight to look more attractive among your friends and you perform your job duties because it’s a highly paid job. All of these scenarios are a common example of motivation with some sort of external gain. Most of the time, the things we do in our daily lives are extrinsically motivated.

The thing is when there is a better outcome of some effort, we are motivated to do it. It could be difficult at times, but it is totally attainable. So, for those asking is motivation a skill? Can motivation be taught?

Yes, it is, and it can be taught somehow in this scenario.

Intrinsic Motivation:

What is intrinsic motivation? Intrinsic motivation is the total opposite of extrinsic motivation - it’s the motivation that comes from within. It can be referred to as something that comes from the inside and motivates you to do something regardless of any outwardly gain.

For example, eating your food. You eat steaks because it makes you feel good about you. You enjoy its deliciousness and you don’t care how it is going to add calories in your daily calorie intake. In the same way, you study hard to secure a spot as a doctor because it was your desire to become someone who could help people. You had a purpose and it derived you to become a doctor. According to a few kinds of research, this can get you far more than extrinsic motivation.  

Family Motivation:

Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can be hard to spot for many people because maybe it doesn’t work for them. Why doesn't motivation work for them? Well, there is another way that can inspire individuals and it is related to extrinsic and intrinsic motivation but it’s slightly different. It is family motivation. Family is the most valued for many people and it plays an important role in shaping the role one plays outside. If a person is doing a mediocre job but he/she provides for his/her family, he/she is gonna feel respected and affirm his/her role as a family person. Being a family person makes them feel important and creates a sense of belonging.

What are the Characteristics of Motivation?

Now that we’ve gained an understanding of what is motivation, let’s delve a bit further into its traits. Motivation is a broad phenomenon and it certainly has its own characteristics. For both personal and professional life goals, a person has to be positively motivated towards the goals. But since it is a process and not just a revelation at one point, a person should continue with the process, taking the good and bad outcomes along. Coping with bad energy and being able to change it into positive outcomes is important because the world is not fair to everyone. You have got to give your best towards your goals.

Why is Motivation Important?

Understanding the answer to the question, “What is motivation?” is just a start. To fully understand the concept, it is important to also get a sense of why it is important. People ask, is motivation a personality trait? One should know that motivation is not a personality trait but a life skill and an important one. However, some people are motivated on their own while some need to get motivated to achieve their goals.

By understanding the motivation types, it is clear that everyone needs motivation in his or her life to serve his or her purpose. It doesn’t matter which type because different types of motivation could be needed in practical life. In order to keep up the productivity and performance, people need motivation in the workplace.

If we talk about professionally, many offices use motivational quotes for employees. These could be hung on the wall, printed on calendars, or displayed somewhere where everyone can see it and get the daily dose of motivation. The same goes for your gym where you go on your very first day scared and think how I am ever going to fit like these super fit people in there. But then you see motivational posters that state “It takes effort to be all you can” and you feel optimistic about your plan to get fit. 

But it is not just the offices, professional workplaces, schools, or gyms where motivational posters are required. There are several other venues where motivation posters can ignite the spark you needed. For example, you own personal space as in your own bedroom or home, it can be a fantastic space but could be lacking the motivation for being productive for work in the morning. The dullness with the rainy atmosphere, messed up bed and surroundings, and your own state of low productivity could all be the reason for not being motivational in the morning. But a motivational wall poster of inspiring words could be the motivation for the day for you and having a few of them can really make you think about all the things you can achieve by getting up and going to work.  

How Does Motivation Work for People Through Motivational Posters?

Everyday hustle to keep a balanced life could become pretty dull and tiring but motivational posters can have a great impact on your mind according to researchers. 

Although there are plenty of things that can make anyone feel dull and not motivated. It includes poor lighting, either cold or hot temperature, rainy weather, uncomfortable seating, noise, and a few other things in your home or the workplace. So, you better fix them and add a few motivational posters to boost morale.

Usually, short motivational 3-word quotes like motivation “You got this”, “Hang in there”, “Be the change”, “Make it happen”, or 4-word quotes like motivation “You can do it” can be the boost you required to get on with your day. Some of them can change on a daily basis while some are constant to remind you of your goal. 

Make sure to add a bunch of them on different walls within the office or your home. This way it wouldn’t be too much at one place and more like a step by step process for strangers. By looking at them you feel an internal motivation to make an effort for your long-term goals. It doesn’t give you an instant realization but provides you energy to go back on the path that takes you towards achieving your goals. 

What Kind of Motivational Posters Should You Buy?

There are so many motivational quotes written on posters when you are out in the market for buying. Since every person is unique, it is possible that there are some quotes that make you feel more motivated than others, so you should always go for the ones that make you feel motivated if you are buying for your own room or your home. But, if you are buying a motivational poster for an office space or a place that is visited by other individuals too, make sure you stick with short and meaningful motivational quotes that are relevant to everybody.

With so many options, it is obvious to get overwhelmed but concise motivational quotes never hurt anyone and are easy to relate to. These could be simple, short, and one sentence long. It doesn’t have to include word motivation used in a sentence. Also, there is no age filter for having motivational posters, you can have one for yourself at any age and at any time. Even for children at school, they have made motivational videos for students so they can get motivated to study better and become successful in life.

Motivational Prints for Office

If you’re looking for a range of office motivational prints to choose from, you’re at the right place. As a leading provider of motivational signs and prints, King Props presents a range of motivational posters to suit different work cultures and needs - it’s one of our key areas of specialization.

From witty to funny and downright inspirational, our collection is sure to blow your mind. And there’s one for every type of situation. At times, a huge dose of motivation is required to help teams ride out the bad times, and the current pandemic is one such example. As employees are struggling to keep themselves afloat under the wave of uncertainty and loss of life, motivational quotes can help them navigate these challenging times.

In other cases, when businesses are launching new projects or implementing change, teams could do with some pep talk or rather “quotes.” And what better way to do that than with the help of motivational signs designed to increase productivity and inspire employees?

Looking for some beautiful and inspiring signs and posters for your professional or personal space? Don't forget to check out our exclusive Motivational Posters range. It’s simply amazing!

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