THE TASK V'S EGO MOTIVATED PLAYER



It's important to understand what motivates
each player, and also what demotivates them



Learning what motivates each player to train hard and compete strongly in competition is critically important to a coach. Understanding what dominates a player’s mindset allows us to “push the right buttons” when needed.

I like to assess players based on their motivation for playing in the first place. I look at two forms of stimulation, Task or Ego motivation; their motivation to train and compete will be driven by either their willingness to work hard, Task, or their focus on winning and rewards, Ego.

Task-motivated players are the type of players who thrive on working hard towards a goal.  They see a clear link between working hard off-court and being rewarded with improved results on-court. Coaches enjoy working with players who are Task motivated because they have a great work ethic and respond well to instructions.



Most coaches prefer coaching Task motivated
players because of their work ethic



The Task motivated player sounds like the ideal player to work with but there are also dangers. Simply working hard does not ensure that anything gets better. Player’s who are too Task motivated train hard but sometimes don’t train smart.  In tight matches, they also believe it is their right to win because of the effort they have put into their training off-court. They can underachieve during competitions.

Ego-motivated players are a lot tougher for coaches to understand than Task motivated players because they sometimes seem aloof and unwilling to follow instructions. Ego-motivated players can also be moody and disinterested after losses because their personal success indicators are linked to only one factor – winning.  As we all know, success often doesn’t come without taking one step backward before we can take two steps forward.

Early in their tennis journey, the Ego motivated player is considered more “talented” or “gifted” than the other players because they rely on flashy strokes, greater shot selection variety, and a winning mindset. They find a way to win and achieve good results early as juniors. However, this winning mindset can also get in the way of working on improvements during practice, and these players can often go through periods of depression when later, opponents they used to beat begin to beat them.

Every player will respond differently to your coaching.

A player’s Task v’s Ego tendencies are set before they come to us for training. However, we must work with the player to eliminate dangerous tendencies that may cause problems later.  Therefore knowing whether your player is Task or Ego motivated will help you deal with these players both on the practice court and during competition.

You are probably now wondering which mindset is best, Task or Ego? The critical question must be answered before I outline ways to improve the two perspectives. The answer is…

   PLAYERS REQUIRE ENORMOUS LEVELS OF TASK MOTIVATION AND ENORMOUS EGO MOTIVATION TO REACH THE TOP.

Players need large doses of Task and Ego mindsets. Look at the top players today, and you will see that a strong desire to work hard, coupled with a strong desire to achieve results, creates a top player.

Training Task and Ego

It depends on whether you train players individually or in a group. Still, within a group environment, the Ego motivated players can be “tricked” into committing to task-related activities such as fitness and drilling. A group working together will maintain a high workload and automatically pull the Ego motivated players along. There are generally many more Task motivated players and less Ego motivated players within training squads.

To create a more competitive mindset within a Task-motivated player, incorporate scoring, competition, and points in everything you do (this will also keep the Ego-motivated player happy).  Get them excited about results by talking about rankings, reputation, and rewards.

Anything that helps you understand your students better will help make your job easier and help the student become mentally more balanced in their approach to training and competition.

Getting the Task and Ego balance correct within
each player and the whole group can be challenging