Yeah, I'm not sure how you'd find them with a search, but there have been a number of threads about "bad" sources of motivation, with much the same thoughts as have been posted here. I think it's one of those things that more people identify with than are represented in posts, because people don't necessarily talk about it. But, it does come up from time to time, and lots of people come on and say "Me too!"
i want to lose weight and get healthy for all the 'right' reasons, but.. i look at 'bad motivation' as an added bonus.. not relying on it at all but..it's still there
Yes I want to be healthy. Yes I want to feel better. Yes I want an overall better quality (and quantity) of life. But I'm not going to lie. I want to go "back home" in 11 or 12 months and shock the bejeezus out of a few people. Is it my only reason for making these changes? No. Is it an added bonus that makes me smile inside from time to time and gives me an extra push? Absolutely!
I think a little less-than-best motivation is harmless. It's a problem though if it's your main motivation, because the reality never lives up to the fantasy. Even if the person has the reaction we imagined (and they never do) it's a big let down if there aren't more self-rewarding motives.
It's like when you imagine telling someone off, after they've hurt you. If you actually do it, it's never as satisfying in reality as it is in your imagination. They're either TOO hurt (and you feel like an ***) or they're not hurt enough.
The "just right" reaction just never happens anywhere but in your imagination. And even if it goes perfectly to plan, exactly as you imagined it, you're left with a "now, what?" let down feeling, because all the excitement that the anticipation of the event caused is over.
I gotta say, I wouldn't trade in that moment when my ex first laid eyes on my after he dumped me and I lost weight for anything. It lived up to every bit of expectation
I do think it's harmless and I don't even think it's "bad"... just fleeting, and in some cases, fun
Along with what Julie said, I began with this kind of motivation, but it became less and less important as time wore on.
My main motivating factors are all "good" and they drive me on and get me through all the setbacks. They are what are going to get me where I need to be.
But, as I get smaller, do I take great satisfaction in hearing compliments and seeing the surprised faces of those who passed up on the opportunity to be with me or who made rude comments about my appearance in the past? Of course I do! It's sweet.
As a boost to your motivation, "revenge" is no bad thing but you will probably find it is a temporary driver. Ultimately, doing it for yourself is the most important thing and it makes not a jot of difference what anyone else thinks.
I have those kind of motivating factors somewhere in my mind too. There's this woman that I know at my gym and she told me I will NEVER look like those "skinny" girls at our gym. NEVER. And that I should just forget about it! Well, I'd be lying if I didn't say that it would be very rewarding for me to see her once I'm at goal and to remind her of her (hurtful) statement! It's kind of a delicious thought, but it's not what drives me to kick my own behind when I'm busting my buns during my workouts or what prevents me from reaching for a food I know I shouldn't have. No way. It definitely adds to the fun factor in this journey though!
One of my reasons for losing weight was to show my family that I'm not the fat, lazy slob they all called me when I was younger. That was revised after I seriously meant to start losing weight- I wanted to look good in lingerie. It's not as though my hubby will look, he gave that up ages ago.
But at least I will want to go to bed with me.
My main reason was that I want to be fit and healthy. I look at some of my mates who are very large and they struggle to breathe and walk, have diabetes, eat all the time and I thought "I never want to get to this stage".
I think as long as it motivates you to keep going, there's nothing wrong with it. I have to admit, When I lost the first 70, my main motivation was looking hot and turning down every guy that tried to talk to me. I was in a Mike Jones state of mind. "Back then, you didn't want me, now I'm hot, they all on me"
is it bad motivation that I want to look better than my husband's ex? I'm cool with that!
Whatever it takes to us to the goal, baby!!
Ahahahaha Is it bad that I want to be thinner than my mother so that she can't call me fat without insulting herself? ^_^
Umm, no, haha, I think that any motivation and insperation is good, if it helps the inidividual and works, then why not?
This might be a weird analogy, but just over four years ago I became I a vegetarian; the reason I became one was a really dumb one of "Because I can." But, the point is, years later, I'm still a vegetarian because what started out as maybe a pointless idea became more than that and the longer I became one, the happier I was with my choice and the more reasons I got to continue
I, of course, have the "I want to lose weight to be healthy" goals, but sometimes I feel like the bulk of my motivational material is more on the bad side. For example, I went away to college this year and in about a week will be seeing all of my old high school friends for the first time since this summer, and roughly thirty lbs smaller, I want people to think I look good. And then I'm just tired of being the fat one of my friends (at college). No, it probably isn't the healthiest way to motivate myself, but with a mental image of all the people in my senior class, and me looking good, I am much more capable of hoping on the treadmill or putting down that cake.
I am primarily motivated by health since the birth of my now 10-month old son. I want him to be proud of his mama, and I want to be able to keep up with him, play with him, chase him, go hiking, play tennis, go swimming, etc...I also have some pre-diabetes indicators so I need to treat my pancreas well these days. I want to be active and healthy, like my parents are now in their 70's.
However, there is a certain doctor that I can't wait to see and go "HA!". She is my former PCP and I asked her about diet plans and do's and don'ts as a person who is insulin resistant and she said "well, you're never going to be a thin person". Someday in 2010, I want to walk into her office and see her jaw drop. In the meantime, I have found a new primary care provider who believes I can do it.
Like my husband says: "if you want Erin to do something, tell her she can't". Nothing torks me off more than someone saying I can't.
For pretty much anything I do, I could come up with half a dozen reasons I am doing it if I stop long enough to think about it. Not all of them are entirely noble even when my actions appear to be.
I'm not sure whether to envy folks who say their motivation is pure or dismiss them as not having sufficient imagination (or self-honesty).
Not being diagnosed with the illnesses that plague my family was and is a huge motivator to me. Gaining self-confidence is a huge motivator too--and all that having it entails!
I think honesty is a lot harder than it's cracked up to be.
But also I think it's helpful to focus on the values you want to nurture. You become what you think about.
I used to think I had little or no control over my emotions, motives, and motivations -they were just a part of me that just "happened." I never realized how much their strength and very existence depended upon my nurturing them (which I did with great creativity and gusto).
I don't remember when I started to realize that my motives could be very nearly as pure (or impure) as I chose for them to be, but whenever I think I'm not in control, or recognize the less-than-generous intent, I try to remember the native american parable that illustrates the struggle of good and evil within me:
One winter’s evening whilst gathered round a blazing camp fire, an old Sioux Indian chief told his grandson about the inner struggle that goes on inside people.
“You see” said the old man, “this inner struggle is like two wolves fighting each other. One is evil, full of anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, deceit, false pride, superiority, and ego”.
“The other one,” he continued, poking the fire with a stick so that the fire crackled, sending the flames clawing at the night sky, “is good, full of joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith”.
The grandson pondered his grandfather’s words and then asked, “So which wolf wins, grandfather?”
“Well”, said the wise old chief, “The one you feed!”
Actually, I think there are a lot more than just two wolves. Some are obviously good, some are obviously evil, and a lot of them lie somewhere in the middle. Regardless, it can take just as much creativity to feed one wolf as it does to feed any other.
I'm cool with that! 
Is it bad that I want to be thinner than my mother so that she can't call me fat without insulting herself? ^_^
