( CNN ) -- Have you always been something of a risk-taker , or have you tried to avoid risks like the plague ? Do you get uncomfortable with too much optimism or praise , or are you known for your sunny outlook ? The answer to these questions is remarkably simple , but powerful enough to change your life . In a nutshell , there are two ways to look at your goals . Let 's start with a goal many of us share : `` doing my job well . '' For some of us , doing our jobs well is about the potential for advancement , achievement and rewards . It 's about what we might gain if we are successful . If you are someone who sees your goals this way , you have what 's called a promotion focus . For the rest of us , doing our jobs well is about security -- about not losing everything we 've worked so hard for . When you are prevention focused , you want to avoid danger , fulfill your responsibilities , and be someone people can count on . You want to keep things running smoothly . Read more : 8 things future leaders must know . What 's important to know is that promotion and prevention-focused people work very differently to reach the same goal . They use different strategies , have different strengths , and are prone to different kinds of mistakes . One group will be motivated by applause , the other by criticism . One group may give up too soon -- the other may not know when to quit . The key to reaching your goals -- at work and everywhere else -- is to identify your focus , and learn to work with it instead of against it . There are online assessments you can take to identify your motivational focus , but you can also get a pretty good sense of it by comparing your own behavior to the following descriptions . Promotion people are creative and innovative , comfortable taking chances , optimistic , speedy workers and good at seizing opportunities . The downside is they are also more likely to make mistakes , less likely to have a back-up plan if things go wrong , bad with details , and more likely to take a risk that lands them in hot water . Read more : Ancient personality test goes mainstream . Prevention people are great planners , deliberate , thorough , cautious , skeptical , accurate workers , analytical and good at evaluating . The downside is they are also more likely to miss out on great opportunities , get too bogged down with details , and have a tendency to be overly anxious . Studies show that the way to be most effective in reaching your goals is to use the strategies that match your particular motivation . Attitude . For example when you are promotion-focused , your motivation feels like eagerness . So embrace your optimism as confidence heightens your energy and intensity . Doubting yourself takes the wind right out of your sails . When you are prevention-focused , your motivation feels like vigilance -- you are on the lookout for danger . Vigilance actually increases in response to negative feedback or self-doubt . There 's nothing like the looming possibility of failure to get your prevention juices flowing . Overconfidence or effusive praise , however , may lead you to let down your guard , and undermine your motivation -- so beware of both . Decision-making . Promotion-focused people make the best decisions when they weigh the relative pros of option A and B , when they think about why something is worth doing , and when they trust their instincts . The prevention-minded , on the other hand , prefer to weigh the cons of options A and B , and go with lesser of two evils . They make the best decisions when they think about how something could be done , and when they can point to rational reasons , rather than feelings , to justify their choices . Problem-solving . Promotion people are also more exploratory and abstract in their thinking . So generate lots of options and possibilities when coming up with ways to reach your goals -- be creative , consider alternatives . Prevention-focused thinking is concrete and specific -- so pick a plan and stick to it . Prevention people want to drill down to the details , and focus on the nitty-gritty of what needs to be done . They are more comfortable with tried-and-true methods rather than `` innovative '' but untested ones . People always want to know if is it better to be promotion or prevention focused . The truth is , both kinds of motivation can bring you success , and both have their pitfalls . Each brings something of value ( e.g. , bold solutions , attention to detail ) to your organization . Or your personal life . My promotion-focused husband dreams up all of our terrific family vacations , while I take care of the more prevention-focused tasks , like making sure we all have passports . So you can be happy and successful at work and in life by focusing on what there is to gain or what there is to lose . Just remember to play to your strengths and to take with a grain of salt the well-meaning advice and input from others when it does n't feel right for you . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Heidi Grant Halvorson .
Two types of attitude to work , says Heidi Grant Halvorson , promotion and prevention focused . Knowing your motivation and working with it , not against , is key , she says . Both types can have successful careers and fulfilling personal lives .