Page:The Art of Helping People Out of Trouble (1924).pdf/218

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

tiveness both allays fear and provides an additional reason for seeking admission.

As a positive stimulus fear is one of the strongest of motives. It is responsible for many successful careers, careers that have found their genesis in the very fear that they would not be successful. The fear of what people might say, the fear of consequences has been a stabilizing force in countless lives and many a boy and girl brought up in country, village, or town has learned the beginnings of foresight and thrift through the haunting fear of the poorhouse.

Powerful though this motive is the use of it is the least desirable of all the ways of influencing individuals. Back of an appeal to it usually is the implication of force, and to apply force, as pointed out in Chapter X, is generally to confess a lack of skill and understanding. The use of all other motives partakes in greater or less degree of the nature of inspiration. To arouse fear is to command. The appeal to most motives leaves a man free to choose. It is a form of leadership. Fear drives.

Reward is a far sounder method of reinforcing an individual's desires. Lacking the same compulsory element, it can be used with greater justi-