‘I want to start exercising.’
‘I want to start dieting.’
‘I want to start studying.’
‘I want to start being productive.’
We all want to do so many things that we are never able to do. Some might say ‘I don’t have the motivation to do it’ while some may say (with a glimpse of pride) ‘I am a procrastinator and till I don’t have that last minute pressure, I won’t do it.’
The thing we really lack here is Self-motivation. Self-motivation is, in its simplest form, the force that drives you to do things.
The first question that arises here is-
Do I really want to do it?
Psychologist Hugh Pates said, “If you’re wondering what it is you really want to do with your life, what you’re doing right now is what you really want to do.”
Simply put, If there is something you really want to do, you will be doing it right now or at least paving your way towards it. As soon as you genuinely want to do something, you’ll automatically start behaving in that direction.
Let’s understand two different types of motivation here:
- You have something you have to do. You’re not excited or passionate about it, but you know you need to get it done. This feeling of obligation motivates you to work hard to complete the task. This is Extrinsic Motivation which arises from outside of the individual and often involves rewards such as trophies, money, social recognition, or praise.
- You have something you get to do. You’re interested in your task—you might have even assigned this task for yourself rather than receiving it from someone else—and you are happy to put in the time and effort to complete it. This is Intrinsic Motivation which arises from within the individual, such as doing a complicated crossword puzzle purely for the personal gratification of solving a problem.
Your motivation is bound to be higher when it comes from within you. Hence, our goal should be to shift our focus from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation.
The next question that arises is-
How do I go from 'want to do' to actually doing it?
Here are some activities to get your started!
1. Recognize and work through your speed breakers.
Procrastination or laziness is often a consequence of some unconscious or subconscious fear. Mostly, fear of failure or uncertainty. So, next time you indulge in procrastination, ask yourself what is the real reason I am not doing the thing? Sit with the thought and work through it.
2. SMART Goal setting.
It would even help if you simply plan your goals better. For eg, start with small attainable goals and then move on to harder time consuming. Break your goal into small tasks and achieve it. The pointers to remember when setting a goal is:
3. Create an incentive plan for yourself.
Remember how our parents used to give us an incentive like a bicycle or cellphone in order to ensure we study? Why not use the same trick to achieve our current goal!
Recognise your incentive (TV show, chocolate, music, art, etc.) and ensure that after completion of your each goal you incentivize your behaviour. This will initiate a positive cycle within you and develop an intrinsic motivation.
4. Have a Growth Mindset.
How often do you find yourself demotivated after a small defeat? Or lose your motivation after getting into a problem? Time to change your mindset! Those with a growth mindset believe that they can improve their skills through hard work and effort.
Research shows that those who believe that they can improve—that is, who have a growth mindset—are far more likely to achieve in whatever sphere they choose. A growth mindset is therefore an important element in a personal drive to succeed.
5. Indulge in self-care.
We forget the simple fact that we cannot water a plant with an empty jar. It is very important to indulge in self-care and refill your energy before getting into another task. The definition of self-care may change from person to person, hence, try out different things and find out your definition of self-care.
Let's look at an example to understand better-
She eventually faced her fear and started working through it. She then decided that after she writes the first blog, she will treat herself to a movie night with her friends. Soon, she found herself working towards the blog and writing her first article.
Hope this article motivates you to take the first step towards your goal!
References:
Self-Motivation | SkillsYouNeed. Retrieved 13 July 2020, from https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/self-motivation.html
8 Steps to Continuous Self Motivation Even During the Difficult Times. (2020). Retrieved 13 July 2020, from https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/8-steps-to-continuous-self-motivation.html
The Psychology of What Motivates Us. (2020). Retrieved 13 July 2020, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-motivation-2795378
Could This Be the One Real Secret to Self Motivation?. (2020). Retrieved 13 July 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brainsnacks/201506/could-be-the-one-real-secret-self-motivation
The Power of Self-Motivation | Psychreg. (2020). Retrieved 13 July 2020, from https://www.psychreg.org/self-motivation/
Self-Motivation Explained + 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself. (2020). Retrieved 13 July 2020, from https://positivepsychology.com/self-motivation/
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