We Are Motivated by Necessity.

When my eldest daughter was doing rhythmic gymnastics there was a family there with two girls who were pretty talented, particularly the younger one. They had qualified for nationals and represented the state the previous year and this particular year the younger girl was getting some of the best scores in the country. Unfortunately, mum couldn't really afford to pay for them to go to nationals again.

The coach was Ukrainian and in her eyes this competition should have been so important that if need be you should takr out a loan to get your daughters to an event like this. At the time this seemed such a crazy idea! In Australia gymnastics is more an interest and isn't seen as that important compared to academics which are more likely to be useful in a child's future. After all, even if someone could reach a point where they make the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games, it's not something that will help gain them a money earning career, other than demonstrating a good work ethic and there are easier ways to do that. Add to this the chances of them even getting that far are minute. Plus making the Olympics will only get you earning opportunities if you get a medal. Just scraping in won't cut it.

It got me thinking about what motivates us. We don't push things like this all that much here, because there's not much gain from it. As things currently stand, we are pretty comfortable in the knowledge that we are unlikely to end up in a tough situation. In the eastern block countries, particularity back when the USSR was in full control, people would go to any lengths to get into a position that commanded more respect, because that meant potentially escaping a tough life. It was the same in China. Getting to a position of respect meant you got to eat regularly and enjoyed some comfort. Sometimes it also offered a chance to be allowed out of the country, which for some offered a chance of defection, like Nadia Comaneci did all those years ago.

Apart from a few exceptions, most people are only motivated to do really tough things by necessity. Those sisters, I mentioned, slowly lost interest in their gymnastics, especially with that kind of pressure going on and quit the following year as finances got tighter anyway. They decided to focus on dancing, something which offers a possible future in the entertainment industry, and academics.

As parents, we can give our children the opportunities that we wished we had growing up, then wonder why they don't have the drive and appreciation for it that we expected. They've known no different though. It's not important to them, because it's available to them. You don't want what you already have and if it's not an escape from a hard life or offering the chance of escape from a tough existence, then I guess the drive’s not there to make the most of it.

As parents, perhaps it's also up to us to allow our children motivation by not providing everything for them, as hard as that sometimes is. Give them chance to get bored by not always structuring their time or entertaining them. Certainly take those devices away for a bit. Boredom allows for creativity and having nothing provided to help relieve that boredom means they might just create their own things to relieve it. A budding archer might make a bow and arrows and how often do children practise handstands and cartwheels when let loose in a wide open space? What's the likelihood that parkour came from kids who wanted to do gymnastics, but couldn't afford to attend official training?

Even as adults we often need something to motivate ourselves. Have you ever thought it would be nice to do something, but ended up not because, let's face it, there are easier things to do?

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