Some people wanted to find out why two brothers from the same parents, brought up in the same environment, could be so different. The first one was asked, “How come you do what you do? You are a drug addict, a drunk, and you beat your family. What motivates you?”
He said, “My father.” They asked, “What about your father?” The reply was, “My father was a drug addict, a drunk and he beat his family. What do you expect me to be? That is what I am.” They went to the brother who was doing everything right and asked him the same question. “How come you are doing everything right? What is your source of motivation?” And guess what he said? “My father. When I was a little boy, I used to see my dad drunk and doing all the wrong things. I made up my mind that that is not what I wanted to be.”
Both were deriving their strength and motivation from the same source, but one was using it positively and the other negatively.
Negative motivation brings the desire to take the easier way which ends up being the tougher way.