Ambition is the lever of all motives –
Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviours. Motivation is what causes us to act, whether it is getting a glass of water to reduce thirst or reading a book to gain knowledge. Ambition is not so much the wish to achieve, but the action or method of getting to that desire, without the action it is simply a dream.
David McClelland has developed an achievement motivation theory. According to this theory, an individual’s need for achievement refers to the need for personal accomplishment. It is the drive excel, to strive for success and to achieve in relation to a set standard. People with high achievement motive like take calculated risks and want to win; they like to take on personal responsibility for solving problems and want to know how well they are doing. High achievers are not motivated by money, but instead, employ money as a method of keeping sure of their achievements. Such people strive for personal achievement rather than the rewards of success. They want to do something better and more efficiently than has been done before.
Need for achievement is simply the desire to do well not so much for the sake of social recognition or prestige but for the sake of an inner feeling of personal accomplishment. It is the need for achievement that motivates people to take a risk. People with a high need for achievement behave in an entrepreneurial way. Need for achievement stimulates the behaviour of a person to be an entrepreneur.
The following psychological factors contribute to entrepreneurial motivation:
(a) Need for achievement through self- study, goal setting and interpersonal support.
(b) Keen interest in situations involving moderate risk.
(c) A desire for taking responsibility.
(d) Concrete measures of task performance.
(e) The anticipation of future responsibilities.
(f) Energetic or novel instrumental activity.
(g) Organizational skills, etc.
Some societies produce a large percentage of people with a high need for achievement. Entrepreneurship becomes the link between need achievement and economic growth.
