Unmotivational Posters

An Unmotivational Poster Might Provide a Different Kind of Motivation

An unmotivational poster can provide a bit of comic relief for you or your stressed-out co-workers. Just be sure that the company policy allows this kind of thing before you hang one up in your office.

The posters are meant to parody the somewhat popular motivational posters. You know the ones: a large photo surrounded by a black border. A single keyword in large print is located just below the photo. Below the keyword is a line or two of motivational text.

Topics include teamwork, attitude, integrity and excellence. For every motivational topic, there is a parody. Most of the parodies are simple one-line jokes. Some could even be a little bit inspiring. For example, one features a man facing a gigantic snarling stuffed animal. The line beneath the photo reads Bravery. Don't be afraid to stand up against your problems. It's cute and could even make someone in the office face up to something they've been avoiding.

Despair, Inc. is the self-declared creator of de-motivational posters and other items. They now have everything from mugs to t-shirts. The items are said to appeal to pessimists and realists, but they could appeal to anyone with a sense of humor. Although Despair, Inc. has a lot of unmotivational posters to choose from, they are not the sole providers of the items. You can even make your own. Choose a photo, a keyword and express how you really feel.

The motivational types often appear in boardrooms or behind the CEO's desk. They are meant to inspire the team, so to speak. The non-motivational types are likely to appear anywhere. They are simply meant to make people smile.

An inspirational message appearing beneath the word attitude in one poster is a quote from William James, an American psychologist and philosopher. The message reads: The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.

You might agree with that message. Then again, you might not.

People who choose unmotivational posters usually do not. They would be more likely to agree with this message. If a pretty poster and a cute saying are all it takes to motivate you, you probably have a very easy job. The kind robots will be doing soon.

It's all about saying what you really think. We try to be positive, but being positive all of the time can get tiring. Sometimes, it feels good to procrastinate. An unmotivational poster might provide just the motivation you need to take a break from it all, instead of persevering.