Understanding Motivation

Motivation derives from the Latin verb, mātere (‘to desire’) and could be described as the driving force that propels you to do, be, or accomplish things in your life.

We can consider motivation as a form of energy that can make things happen, one way or another. Our motivation can be affected by many different factors: past events, past failures, people, circumstances, preferences, situations, and more. Some people have a strong motivation and are able to motivate themselves, while others might have no motivation at all.

However, remaining motivated is a state that each of us would like to be in. In this article, we would try to understand better motivation, what it consists of, and how we could enhance our overall motivation. You will very soon realize that motivation and behavior are intrinsically linked and that a good point in increasing motivation is by identifying its source.

Kinds of Motivation

Overall we could break motivation into two main categories; Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic is the type of motivation that is when we like to do things because we enjoy them and are close to our heart. This kind of motivation tends to be more stable and it provides better motivation - in the sense of personal fulfillment - than extrinsic motivation, which is when we are doing something because someone else expects us to.

However, both have their own benefits and drawbacks and due to this, one might be more suitable than the other depending on the situation. For example, extrinsic motivation can be precious when it comes to learning, such as if you are doing something for your grades or are learning something for a test. But that type of motivation can also become addictive. On the other hand, Intrinsic motivation which is internal to the individual; usually provides a greater sense of pride, belonging, and pride in your accomplishments. Think about how exciting it can be to learn how to do something or achieve a goal you never thought you could. This can be very motivating to have, and can really drive engagement.

At the same time, some people with higher intrinsic motivation might experience a tendency to procrastinate more than people who are high on extrinsic motivation. This is because extrinsic motivation is based on positive consequences, while intrinsic motivation is based on positive feelings. So people who prefer intrinsic motivation might delay the output until they reach this personal fulfillment or positive feeling. While this is not a huge problem, this is a place where extrinsic motivation can be preferred.

By considering what we would like to achieve, why, and how we could determine what kind of motivation could be more suitable for each of us as an individual.

How To Get Motivated

Having now understood the two kinds of motivation a question arises on how we could gain more motivation or how we could remain motivated. Let us start with an example; when you get up in the morning you have the choice to get up and exercise or get up and go directly to check your email scroll through social media etc. One thing is obvious: Most people would choose the latter.

However, getting motivated to do in the above example the first thing is one of the most important things you can do to change your life for the better. To achieve this you need to consider that this sort of priority is actually a change of thoughts. Motivation comes in different forms, but it has a lot to do with being present with your thoughts. Getting to the root of your thoughts will have a big impact on your motivation. On the other hand, a lack of motivation has a lot to do with how much you're distracting yourself. Once you allow making a change that's going to make you feel better, you will feel in control of your life. If you don't see any change in your life, it's because you're not changing your thoughts and not redirecting your motivation to what propels you to shine.

Remember, the road to getting motivated is always bumpy and filled with detours. So don't stress out about these distractions ahead. As you move forward, and the wheels fall off and fall off they will, you can do this thing and you will. Stay motivated.