Lack of motivation is the most common reason that things don't get done. If you've ever lacked the motivation to do something you know the feeling I'm talking about. The loss of interest, the tiredness, the boredom - it's all related to the feeling that you have "no motivation". But worse still is the feeling that you also don't know what to do about it. But there's no need to fret, it happens to everyone at some point!
Whilst a lack of motivation may not be your biggest challenge personally, it is one of the biggest challenges that students face as they try to find the strength of character to push through high school and College.
When lacking motivation, simple and seemingly innocuous tasks can somehow become huge mountainous challenges. But why?
Motivation is a funny beast. When we have a feeling of "high motivation" we can be virtually unstoppable. Tasks are tackled with relative ease, our energy levels are right up, no problem seems too great, and everything seems to constantly fall into place. The problem is that the opposite is also true. A feeling of "low or no motivation" leads to failure to complete tasks, low energy levels, all problems seem incredibly hard to overcome and everything seems to be going wrong!
As a general rule, most people are operating on the base level of motivation - which is fear of negative consequences. What do I mean by this? Well, we act out of concern about what will happen if we don't act. For example, you may complete your homework because if you don't you will be grounded. You may strive to get an A on your Maths test because if you don't your average will drop which will impact your ability to get into University or College. It's not necessarily a "bad thing" but it's the way we are conditioned to behave.
If there was no deadline and no consequence for not handing a paper in on time, would we ever even hand it in? Would we even start the stinking paper? Would anyone ever do anything they didn't want to do?
Fear of negative consequences (i.e. negative motivation) is important in the world. We need to have rules and social conventions. We need to treat each other with respect. But that doesn't mean you should operate your entire life this way. There is more to life than just constantly doing what everyone wants so that they (and society) will be happy with you. That's not a joyful life experience.
If you want to really find your bliss in life you need to find a way to find the positive reason for why you're doing whatever you're doing (and this doesn't just apply to your schooling - it applies to all areas of life).
Want to find real motivation? Act only out of possibility. Never act out of fear. Act out of the possibility of what may come from doing what you're doing. If you're doing homework, ask yourself what the possibility may be. Is the possibility that you learn something new? Is the possibility that you are smarter than you were before? Is the possibility that you are closer to your ambition of a good grade? Is the possibility that you are one step closer to College? What is your possibility? Every act has a possibility. Find yours and you will have found your true motivation. The power of possibility always crushes the fear of negative consequences - if you harness it correctly.
So the next time you are doing something (anything) ask yourself "Am I acting out of fear, or out of possibility?" You may be very surprised by the answer.
Whilst a lack of motivation may not be your biggest challenge personally, it is one of the biggest challenges that students face as they try to find the strength of character to push through high school and College.
When lacking motivation, simple and seemingly innocuous tasks can somehow become huge mountainous challenges. But why?
Motivation is a funny beast. When we have a feeling of "high motivation" we can be virtually unstoppable. Tasks are tackled with relative ease, our energy levels are right up, no problem seems too great, and everything seems to constantly fall into place. The problem is that the opposite is also true. A feeling of "low or no motivation" leads to failure to complete tasks, low energy levels, all problems seem incredibly hard to overcome and everything seems to be going wrong!
As a general rule, most people are operating on the base level of motivation - which is fear of negative consequences. What do I mean by this? Well, we act out of concern about what will happen if we don't act. For example, you may complete your homework because if you don't you will be grounded. You may strive to get an A on your Maths test because if you don't your average will drop which will impact your ability to get into University or College. It's not necessarily a "bad thing" but it's the way we are conditioned to behave.
If there was no deadline and no consequence for not handing a paper in on time, would we ever even hand it in? Would we even start the stinking paper? Would anyone ever do anything they didn't want to do?
Fear of negative consequences (i.e. negative motivation) is important in the world. We need to have rules and social conventions. We need to treat each other with respect. But that doesn't mean you should operate your entire life this way. There is more to life than just constantly doing what everyone wants so that they (and society) will be happy with you. That's not a joyful life experience.
If you want to really find your bliss in life you need to find a way to find the positive reason for why you're doing whatever you're doing (and this doesn't just apply to your schooling - it applies to all areas of life).
Want to find real motivation? Act only out of possibility. Never act out of fear. Act out of the possibility of what may come from doing what you're doing. If you're doing homework, ask yourself what the possibility may be. Is the possibility that you learn something new? Is the possibility that you are smarter than you were before? Is the possibility that you are closer to your ambition of a good grade? Is the possibility that you are one step closer to College? What is your possibility? Every act has a possibility. Find yours and you will have found your true motivation. The power of possibility always crushes the fear of negative consequences - if you harness it correctly.
So the next time you are doing something (anything) ask yourself "Am I acting out of fear, or out of possibility?" You may be very surprised by the answer.
About the Author:
HelpMeToStudy.org is the premier resource for learning new study skills, transforming your studying habits and finding the best study tips available. We will help change the way you think about study - and even better - we will show you how to study effectively: How To Study Effectively | Motivate Me To Study
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