Is it a Weakness When a Child Lacks Self-Motivation?
Today I’m going to provide a somewhat complex answer to a seemingly simple question.
Does a child have a weakness when he or she lacks self-motivation?
My answer is somewhat complex because this question can not be answered with a simple yes or no response. But this assumes we can agree on the definition of weakness. If you agree with me on the definition, then you will agree this is not a simple yes or no question. If you don’t, then obviously you won’t agree with my answer either.
Now that we have those caveats out of the way, here is my definition of a weakness.
Weakness: A physical, mental, or emotional characteristic that hinders someone from achieving a goal.
This definition is derived from my belief in Strengths Based Parenting, a parenting approach championed by Gallup through their StrengthsFinder program.
Using this definition to define a weakness means two things:
- If a child doesn’t have well defined goals, then you really can’t say that the lack of self-motivation is a weakness.
- If the lack of self-motivation is not hindering your child from reaching their goals, then it’s not a weakness either.
When either of the above statements are true, then the child only has a non-talent, not a weakness. Non-talents are simply those physical, mental, and emotional characteristics that are not innate. Furthermore, a non-talent today could surface as a weakness tomorrow and vice versa.
In short, lacking-self motivation may or may not be a weakness. The ultimate answer comes down to goals, environment, and values. Assuming your child has goals, then as long as your child is in the right environment and you’re instilling the right values, lacking self-motivation will not be a weakness in the short run.