A motivational turbo boost

A model I have developed remains very close to Csikszentmihalyi and the model of tone of the Stangls. I use the terms “learning or flow zone” (1 and 2), the “trauma and trigger zone, or zone of overburdening” (3), and the “comfort zone or zone of low challenge” (4). Since we are talking about existential topics here, I add the “dangerous edge” (5), the “zone of collapse” (6), and the “fatal zone” (7).

We also find the rhythmic balancing movements that we make to keep our organism in balance.

Here we distinguish between healthy swinging (8), massive tilting (9), and emergency program (10). With the latter, our organism sometimes tries to return to the realm of healthy tone via the opposite mode after breaking down. We can also see how the escalation in both directions of low challenge (4) and overload (3) accumulates via the dangerous edge (5) to collapse (6) in the state of zero tone (7).

As a turbo booster, we link this integrated model of tone to the concept of success and learning orientation

In a nutshell, we feel alive and happy when we move toward a (small) goal while oscillating in our rhythm, development dynamics, and amplitude between tension or challenge (1) on one hand and relaxation or solution (2) on the other.

Based on our orientation toward self-efficacy and learning, we can deepen our motivation, well-being, and productivity with an orientation toward flow and a healthy tone. Through the development of our potential, this orientation leads us deeper and deeper into our liveliness and an ever-deeper exchange with people and things.

If we overshoot the mark with flow orientation, we can quickly bring ourselves back to the grounds of minimal motivation with a focus on success and learning. From there, we can then launch new, more moderate initiatives. If we drift into the zone of boredom, we can keep ourselves afloat in terms of motivation with the extended focus on success until we launch new, exciting initiatives.

Overall, this integrative model creates a solid basis for healthy management of tone, happiness, and sustainable motivation. We can use it as a measuring and orientation device.

We can use it, to find out, in which direction we need to direct our tension at a given moment with suitable tasks to have fun at work and to act as productively as possible.