Self-motivation is challenging. In truth, trying to maintain your motivation throughout a work, a project, or even a career might occasionally feel like pulling yourself out of a swamp by your own hair. I frequently compare it to one of the exploits of the fictitious German hero Baron Munchhausen. No amount of coffee or motivational signs can make us like constant work; it seems to be an inherent aversion.
But one of the key characteristics that sets high-achieving professionals apart from everyone else is effective self-motivation. How, therefore, can you continue moving forward despite your lack of motivation?
Motivation is mostly a matter of personality. What motivates you might not be effective for me. And some people do appear to have greater, more persistence than others. But after 20 years of studying how individuals are motivated, my colleagues and I have discovered a few techniques that appear to be effective for the majority of people, whether they're attempting to lose weight, save money for retirement, or carry out a protracted, challenging project at work. Who among us hasn't failed to accomplish a realistic goal due to procrastination or lack of commitment? If this describes you, then continue reading. You can move forward with the aid of these four groups of strategies.
Design Objectives, Not Tasks
Numerous studies have confirmed the value of goal setting. Studies have shown, for instance, that salesmen who set targets close more deals, and those who commit to exercising every day are more likely to improve their fitness levels. Abstract goals like "doing your best" are typically considerably less successful than specific goals like acquiring 10 new clients per month or logging 10,000 steps per day. The first general rule is that whatever goals you agree to or create for yourself should be specific.
Goals should, whenever feasible, inspire intrinsic motivation as opposed to extrinsic motivation. When an action is regarded as having its own objective, it is intrinsically motivated. When it is seen as having an additional, unstated goal—such as paying you money—it is extrinsically motivated. A benefit or exempting you from punishment. According to my research, intrinsic motives are a better predictor of success and achievement than extrinsic ones.
Learn more about Self-Motivation and When to Use It.
Consider your New Year's resolutions. We discovered that those who chose more important but less pleasurable goals at the beginning of January—for example, enrolling in a yoga class or committing to phone-free Saturdays—were less likely to still be keeping their intentions in March. This is despite the fact that goals for the new year are typically challenging to accomplish; otherwise, a resolution wouldn't be necessary!
Naturally, we will continue to work on even the most painful activities if the external reward is substantial enough.
An extreme example would be chemotherapy. In the workplace, a lot of people continue working because they need the money and feel like "wage slaves." However, they often only take the necessary steps to achieve the objective in such circumstances. It's improbable that extrinsic incentive will help us actually excel on its own.
The secret is to concentrate on the parts of your profession that you do enjoy.
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