I advocate a new way of thinking about people called motivation analysis. Psychodynamic counselors and therapists ask, “What happened when this individual was a toddler? Deep down, how does this person feel about his/her parents?” These theorists explain adult personality traits in terms of early childhood experiences, anxiety, and defense; they regard many of life's common problems as mild forms of mental illness. In contrast, motivation analysts ask, “What are the individual's life goals and intrinsically held values? What is he or she trying to accomplish with this or that behavior? Do the individual's current work situation and relationships fulfill or frustrate his or her desires and values?” Motivation analysts explain adult personality as habits people learn to satisfy their life motives, psychological needs, and intrinsically held values. Motivation analysts explain many personal troubles as the result of unmet or frustrated needs, possibly including a conflict of values between the individual and his/her current career, social life, relationships, or family life.

The Abnormal Personality

Sigmund Freud (1963/1916) asserted three significant similarities between personality traits and symptoms of mental illnesses: (1) Both originate in childhood experiences; (2) both are manifestations of unconscious mental forces (called psychodynamics); and (3) both are motivated by anxiety or tension reduction. Based on these asserted similarities, psychodynamic theorists have used psychiatric terminology to describe the personality traits of ordinary people.