The Basics of Motivation
- Kayla Griffith
- Mar 16, 2021
- 2 min read
What Even is Motivation?
Motivation is simply the reason(s) one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. A guide used to further explain motivation is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:
Maslow states humans are inherently motivated to better themselves and continuously keep moving towards their full potential, which is self-actualization at the top of the pyramid. Although each level must be fulfilled before continuing on to the next. Throughout the years of his research, Maslow decided to include self-transcendence--you will reach the peak of growth and the greatest meaning of life by attending to things beyond just yourself.
Where Does Motivation Come From?
There are two common types of motivation:
Intrinsic: the drive comes purely from within you--you do something because you love to do it
Extrinsic: the drive comes from other sources--you do something because of the reward
Although motivation can also stem from self-image, curiosity, validation of identity or your beliefs, the aspiration to avoid any losses, etc. Dopamine is now believed to be associated with motivation. Dopamine comes into play before a reward is even given--showing up in times of stress, pain, etc. It was scientifically proven by a team of Vanderbilt scientists that those who are considered motivated had high levels of dopamine in the brain while those who are considered unmotivated had lower levels of dopamine.
How Can I Use Motivation to Reach My Goals?
Achieving goals is definitely a process and needs your full attention to achieve success. Here are a few psychological tricks to help you with your goals:
Make sure the goal is linked to a certain value--something you find valuable
Make your goal related to something positive rather than negative--you want to lose weight to be healthier rather than to avoid being overweight
Set a learning goal instead of a performance goal--you want to learn more about nutrition rather than trying to lose 20lbs
How Can I Increase My Motivation?
We all feel unmotivated at times.This also goes hand in hand with procrastination, which is often driven by underlying anxiety or distress. And honestly that is completely okay. Although we can take those negative feelings and turn them into positive ones. Take action against how you are feeling and literally make yourself feel better about it. This approach will help you leave space for the negative thoughts while also helping you change the pattern of them occurring.
References
Image 2 - Marcos Paulo Prado - Unsplash
Image 3 - Prateek Katyal - Unsplash
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