When it comes to motivation, we all seek two things: 1- Pleasure or need for achievement 2- Avoid pain or fear of failure People who are motivated by a need for achievement and success place themselves in challenging situations that create opportunities for growth. These individuals don’t like failure, but they’re not afraid of it and are thus willing to risk it. People who are motivated by fear of failure still try very hard but choose less challenging tasks, as a way of protecting their self-esteem – even though this approach can be detrimental to their long-term motivation and overall results.