Let’s define motivation as your compelling reason or reasons to do something. Insufficient motivation occurs when reasons aren’t compelling enough. What makes a reason compelling is a combination of personal beliefs, values, and design. Compelling reasons can be rooted internally or externally. For most things, it’s not one reason but the combined weight of both internal and external reasons that give birth to strong and resilient motivation to act.

Effective disciple makers know how to help those they’re discipling unlock greater motivation.

To that end, one helpful framework has been developed by author and social scientist Gretchen Rubin. Her most recent book, “The Four Tendencies”, isn’t intended for disciple makers, but its application is easy to see. Rubin suggests that all of us are primarily one of these types…

Upholders – Fulfills outer and inner expectations.

Obligers – Fulfills outer expectations, struggles to meet inner expectations.

Questioners – Questions all expectations, will turn some outer expectations into inner expectations. In this way, they will only meet inner expectations only.

Rebels – Resists both outer and inner expectations.

Which one are you? If you regularly read this blog, can you guess which one I am? Disciple makers who understand these four types carry a key to help unlock greater motivation in themselves and others.

Let’s examine the key to unlocking motivation for each type:

Upholders want to know what should be done. They enjoy meeting both internal and external expectations. Once they know what’s expected, they thrive on follow-through. Since they’re generally “doers” motivation isn’t a common need, upholders need help prioritizing. Their drive to meet all expectations can result in being overwhelmed as they try to meet all the expectations. Often they do the wrong things. Disciple makers can help most by letting them know what’s expected and then helping them discern and prioritize which demands should get their priority (whether from themselves, others, or God).

Obligers want to know what they’re accountable to do. They are committed, reliable, and the strength of teams. They readily meet the expectations of others but have trouble following through on their own goals. Since they want to please others they are exploitable and may have trouble setting limits on what others ask of them. Disciple makers can help them most by providing accountability to meet their inner expectations and coaching to uncover external benefits of meeting those inner expectations.

Questioners want to know why. Careful thought leads them to develop strong convictions which anchor their motivation despite resistance or conflict. Since questioners are naturally skeptical of tradition and strong-willed they can be off-putting. On the other hand, their honest questions help people consider things from a new perspective. Disciple makers can help them most by patiently providing justifications, using questions to help them find their own why and awareness of how their questions may cause stress to others.