The Motivation Hoax

Book excerpt: Everywhere you look – on posters, in offices, on social media – there’s a motivational quote to greet you. Dreams can come true! Happiness is a journey! Think positive! You can do anything! But how many of these are accurate? How many are wise? And which of them are based on evidence you can actually trust? The answer is depressing: not many at all. The Motivation Hoax exposes and unravels the nonsense that permeates the inspiration industry, and in its place offers a suite of tools and insights that are reliable, credible and, most importantly, tested. Who will benefit from this book? The Motivation Hoax is for you if: You’re a leader who abhors clichés and vacuous platitudes. You’re an employee who desires a realistic guide to workplace success. You find yourself rolling your eyes when you see or hear yet another nauseating motivational quote. You value science over rhetoric, no matter how eloquently worded. A reality check like no other, The Motivation Hoax is among the most refreshing, liberating and surprisingly affirming books you’ll read this year. Dr James Adonis is one of Australia’s best-known leadership educators. His nationally syndicated Fairfax columns reach over 100,000 readers every month. Over the past decade, James has worked with hundreds of organisations – including McDonald’s, American Express, Coca-Cola, Qantas, Optus, Ernst & Young, Gucci, Toyota and many government departments – to help them lead change and improve performance.