A. Harrison Barnes, CEO of Employment Research Institute as he analyzed in a webinar whether you are motivated more by your own thinking or by the opinion of others.

Harrison feels there are two kinds of people: those who are internally motivated and those who are motivated by what others think of them. Internally motivated people are most likely to make decisions based on what they think is right or wrong. For these people, their own opinions and manner of thinking takes precedence. They depend almost entirely on their own judgment when making choices. Some examples of internally motivated people include artists. In general, Harrison feels, you could make out good artists by their complete ignorance of others’ opinions. In contrast, externally motivated people depend heavily on others’ opinions. This is often apparent in the way they dress, talk, or even work. The actions of externally motivated people are often dependent on what they feel others will think of them. Relating his experience in the men’s clothing section of a store, Harrison relates how externally motivated men are often driven by fashion trends and will wear baggy trousers or wrinkled clothes if these are said to be in vogue.

Most people in the world will generally belong to one group or the other. However, it is important to understand yourself and to embrace your own natural tendency. You have to realize for yourself whether you are guided by your own instincts or whether you look to the outside world for guidance. Harrison feels that it is almost certain that you cannot change the person you are, which is why it is more important to accept yourself and to make the most of it.