Setting a goal, taking steps to reach that goal, and achieving that goal… to follow that path, you need motivation. In its most basic terms, it’s why we do things. It’s what pushes things from an idea to an action.
Figuring out why is the first step to making yourself do something that you might not want to do or that seems too difficult to try. It’s something psychologists have spent years researching, coming up with all sorts of theories to explain our behavior. The truth is it’s probably at the mercy of dozens of different factors, some of which we control and some we don’t.
You may see motivation divided into three components. It starts with activation, which is the initial moment when you decide to do something. You might purchase some equipment, sign up for a course, or approach a person who can help you.
Then there’s persistence, which is keeping going after that original act. However excited you feel about your plan at the start, there are likely to be obstacles before you arrive where you want to be. Persistence is when you fix the equipment when it breaks, invest time and money in extra tutoring to get through a difficult class, or start again when you lose a valued mentor.
Third in this particular conception of motivation is intensity. It means you can’t just want to achieve something; you have to pursue it rigorously. Extra practice, staying late, and seeking out additional opportunities outside of regular classes/work hours are all things that can improve your chances, but these are also things that can be very difficult to do. Without intensity, activation and persistence are less likely to pay off, and vice versa.
No one can be motivated all the time, and not everyone is going to benefit from the same techniques to try to improve their motivation. It can take time and dedication to figure out what works for you, so you can persist in all of your goals with intensity.
There’s no quick fix when it comes to obtaining a goal. You’re going to need patience. It’s easy to be discouraged when you don’t achieve immediately, and that’s when your motivation most in danger. Remind yourself of previous achievements and break current tasks into smaller chunks if you want to reinspire yourself a little. You can do it!
