News & Blog

July is a special month for me.

This July marks 4 years that I have been with PI Midlantic. July also marks 1 year since I started CrossFit. Both Predictive Index and CrossFit have had a positive and profound impact on my life and are now pretty much the only things I talk about anymore (which I’m sure my family and friends appreciate 😉).

And while I’ve started many workout programs & routines over the years, this is the first time that I have remained committed, excited, and extremely motivated to continue to improve. Whenever one is starting a new workout routine or recommitting to their fitness goals, a common theme is “motivation”.

How will I stay motivated to achieve my new goals?

Being that I spend 40+ hours a week talking about Predictive Index, drives, & motivating needs, it wasn’t hard for me to start drawing parallels between my PI behavioral assessment results & why I enjoy CrossFit.

I’ve had my coach and some of my fellow members at CrossFit Kent Island fill out the behavioral assessment. We all have different patterns. So how do our differing motivating needs correlate to why we continue to show up for class at 5 AM for some intense workouts?

Predictive Index’s Four Core Motivating Needs

For those that are not familiar with The Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment, it’s a tool that helps individuals and organizations understand the drivers of behavior. The tool measures four core motivating needs:

• Dominance is the drive for ownership & control. Individuals with high dominance are typically competitive and goal-oriented. In CrossFit, these individuals may be motivated by setting and achieving personal records or competing with others in their workout group. They love seeing their name at the top of the leaderboard.
  That’s not to say those low in dominance aren’t competitive either. (Just see how much harder they might push themselves during a partner workout!)
• Extraversion is the need for social interaction. Individuals with high extraversion thrive in social settings and may be motivated by working out with a group. They don’t want to be left out missing a particularly fun or challenging workout with their gym buddies!
• Patience is the drive for stability and consistency. These individuals may be motivated by following a consistent training schedule and appreciate the routine of coming to class. And they like knowing what to expect every time they come into the gym (whiteboard overview, warm-up, workout, durability).
  Those low in patience, like variety and change. They may like the variation of programming & movements offered each week.
• Formality is the drive to conform to rules & structure. Individuals who are high in formality value order and clear expectations. During a CrossFit class, someone high in formality may be motivated by working with a coach who can provide guidance and structure to their training. They may also be motivated by tracking their progress using specific metrics, such as the number of reps or weight lifted.

Understanding My PI Results

As an Altruist, CrossFit works for me because of the supportive atmosphere (Low Dominance), friendly community (High Extraversion), variety of movements (Low Patience), and the clear structure (High Formality). Understanding my own drives and motivating needs helps to focus me in staying consistent towards my fitness goals. Of course, my PI profile is only a piece of the puzzle here. It’s also important to find a program that works for you in terms of your goals & interests.

Understanding one’s motivating needs can be a powerful tool in staying motivated in any workout. By identifying the specific drivers of behavior, individuals can focus on finding a fitness program that can tap into their own motivating needs. Whether it’s setting specific goals, working out with a group, or following a structured program, there are many ways to stay motivated and achieve success in your fitness goals.

If you are interested in finding out more about your own behavioral drives—click HERE to take a free behavioral assessment.

Becca VanDerveer is a Client Success Partner & Certified Predictive Index Trainer at PI Midlantic.