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Motivation and Emotion

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How well I [DM] remember asking my first discussion question in a new introductory psychology class. Several hands rose, along with one left foot. The foot belonged to Chris Klein, who was the unlikeliest person to have made it to that class. At birth, Chris suffered oxygen deprivation that required 40 minutes of CPR. “One doctor wanted to let him go,” recalls his mother.

The result was severe cerebral palsy. With damage to the brain area that controls muscle movement, Chris is unable to control his constantly moving hands. He cannot feed, dress, or care for himself. And he cannot speak. But what Chris can control are his keen mind and his left foot. With that blessed foot, he controls the joystick on his motorized wheelchair. Using his left big toe, he can type sentences, which his communication system can store, send, or speak. And Chris has motivation—lots of motivation.

When Chris was a high school student in suburban Chicago, three teachers doubted he would be able to leave home for college. Yet he persisted, and, with much support, came to my college called Hope. Five years later, as his left foot drove him across the stage to receive his diploma, his admiring classmates gave him a spontaneous standing ovation.

Today, Chris is an inspirational speaker for schools, churches, and community events, giving “a voice to those that have none, and a helping hand to those with disabilities.” He is writing a book, Lessons from the Big Toe. And he has found love and married.

Few of us face Chris Klein’s challenges. But we all seek to direct our energy in ways that will produce satisfaction and success. We are moved by our feelings along the way, and we inspire them in others. We are pushed by biological motives, such as hunger, and by social ones, such as the need to belong. Chris Klein’s strong will to live, learn, and love highlights the close ties between our own motivations and emotions, which energize, direct, and enrich our lives.