Good Morning Troublemakers, are you asking yourself “How to get motivated?” Why am I demotivated despite having plenty of time? You have all those big aspirations, but you just can’t get yourself to do the things you are supposed to do?
I certainly have days I have 0 motivation. On other days I don’t mind working from morning till night. Time just seems to fly. What makes those days different?
In this lesson, we will learn about what motivates us (motivators), what demotivates us (demotivators), and how to use them to stay motivated.
TIME ≠ MOTIVATION
1. Definition of Motivation
Often, we ask ourselves:
How do I get motivated to work out?
How do I get motivated to clean?
How do I get motivated to study?
How do I get motivated to work?
But what is motivation? Motivation stems from the Latin word “movere” which means “to move”. Motivation causes us to move, to take actions towards a goal. The motivation can be intrinsic, from within, or extrinsic, from external sources.
Our motivation depends on our wants, needs, and expected reward/ expected punishment:
I want to travel the world.
Therefore, I need to get an online job. > MOTIVATION
If I get an online job, I expect to travel the world.
I want to get a great grade.
Therefore, I need to study more. > MOTIVATION
My professor said if I get another bad grade I fail.
Figure out what you really want with our Ultimate list of Core Values!
2. Motivation Theories and What you can learn from them!
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
According to Maslow, our Motivation depends on our Needs. We are always motivated to fulfill our base needs first. Only when the lower levels are fulfilled do we feel motivated to achieve the more complex needs. If the need is satisfied, we don’t get motivated.
First, our physiological needs, such as our need for food, sleep, and sex have to be fulfilled. When these requirements are not met our body and mind cannot function well. After those needs have been relatively fulfilled, we feel motivated to work on achieving our safety needs next.
Safety needs include a safe job, our health, a house, a stable income. After we have fulfilled our safety needs, we will be motivated to work on our needs of belonging. This includes making friends, having a relationship, being close to our family.
Finally, when our self-esteem needs, such as being respected by the community, have been met, we are motivated to achieve our need to self-actualize.
What can you learn from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs for your personal self-motivation?
Before starting a challenging task rest well and eat enough. If we aren’t well-rested and hungry, we will have difficulties concentrating, deliver mediocre results, and have a hard time motivating ourselves.
Also, think about how finishing a task can help you achieve one of the base needs. Like if I write that application, I can get a better job, therefore I can buy myself higher quality food.
>> Check out the full post on Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs <<
McClelland’s Human Motivation Theory
According to McClelland’s theory we learn our motivators over time. We acquire them from our environment, our family and friends, and the experiences we make.
There are 3 types of motivators, which impact each of us differently:
• achievement: the need to accomplish excellence or mastery in something we do
• affiliation: a need for relationships, a sense of belonging, community
• power: a need for control and making a lasting impact
How to get motivated with McClelland’s Human Motivation Theory:
Take charge of a project, turn a task into a competition or work in teams to get motivated.
Find out what best motivates you and experiment with those motivators.
Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
According to Vroom’s Expectancy Theory motivation stems from the belief that achieving a task will lead to a desired outcome.
3 Factors influence motivation:
Expectancy: A belief that an effort is connected to the outcome
> If I put effort into my work, I will succeed, if I work harder the result will be better.
Instrumentality: A belief that achieving the goal will cause a reward
> If I work hard I will achieve my goal and get a reward
Valence: To which degree a person values the reward
> Do I want the reward?
So, in simple: I will be motivated if I believe that my working hard will lead to me achieving my goal and getting a reward, which I value.
How can I get motivated with Vroom’s expectancy Theory?
In order to be motivated, I have to believe that the task makes sense and actually helps me achieve my goal.
There has to be a reward and the reward has to be worth my effort. So in order to be motivated, you have to pick tasks that bring you closer to your goal.
And you have to chose a reward that you value and actually want to achieve.
3. Demotivators – What demotivates me?
Physical Demotivators:
Hunger
Tiredness
Pain
Emotional Demotivators:
Fear (e.g.: of Failure, Success, Embarrassment, Change)
Self-Doubt
Boredom
Feeling Overwhelmed
High risk / Uncertainty
Feeling like the task can’t be achieved
Frustrations (e.g.: Lack of Information, Lack of Tools, Crashing Laptop grrr)
Keep in mind the absence of demotivation does not guarantee motivation!
4. Motivators – What motivates me?
What motivates us? There are internal and external motivators. Some motivators help us to strive towards a reward another set of motivators are those which help us avoid a punishment/ negative event.
Internal Motivators:
+ Purpose
+ Interest/ Fun -> Find your Interests here!
+ Curiosity
+ Security
– Shame
External Motivators:
+ Achievement
+ Recognition / Praise
+ Reward e.g.: Money
+ Company/ Teamwork
+ Competition
+ Feedback/ Control
+ Freedom
+ Music
– Negative Consequences e.g.: Failure, Losing Money
Exercise:
Take a pen and paper. On one side write everything down that motivates you. On the other side write everything down that demotivates you! You can use the following questions as a help:
When do I feel the most motivated?
When was the last time I finished a task fully concentrated? What was different?
When do I feel really unmotivated?
How have I motivated myself in the past?
5. Personal approach to self-motivation
Life doesn’t always give us interesting tasks. But they still need to get done. Sometimes it’s all about making myself do those tasks despite being unmotivated.
It’s all about getting started! Pick the most important task of your to do list that will get you the furthest. Now break it apart into tiny steps and start with one. It’s all right if you don’t finish it. Usually, working on a task gets easier after starting. This way you won’t feel overwhelmed!
Start with the easiest task from your list. You heard me right the easiest. Finishing a small task will lift your mood and will motivate you to start on the next tiny task on the list. This is another approach I use when I don’t feel motivated.
Make a habit of it. I have certain days I work on certain things. I don’t have to think long about what to do, since it is always the same.
>> Check out our Ultimate Guide to Habit Change! <<
Know yourself. Know what motivates and demotivates you and use it to your advantage. My sister gets motivated studying in a coffee shop, while I like to work in company alongside someone. The better you know yourself the better you can manage your motivation!
Use music to manage your emotions. We will do a whole post on emotion management later on. Just know that music is a great tool to manage your emotions. You wanna do a kick ass task. Turn on some kick ass music. For example, you use epic music while writing, happy beats for cleaning, and something fast for working out.
When I procrastinate, I try to procrastinate with something that has to get done as well. Let’s say I am supposed to write a post, but I don’t feel like it. Instead, I might create a Pinterest Pin. Yes, it’s not what I am supposed to do. But sooner or later it needs to get done as well.
Wrapping it up
Get to know yourself! The better you know your motivators and demotivators the better you can use them to your advantage.
Therefore, to finish this post we will give you a little task. Pick a task from your to do list. Grab your list of motivators and demotivators.
Try out one of the motivators and get started! Tomorrow try the next one until you find your perfect self-motivation strategy!
Over the next days try to get rid of some of your demotivators.
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Love from Germany,
Carina and Julia
