Self-motivation is the ability to get yourself to do things that need to be done, and more importantly, want to be done. When you have self-motivation, you are able to set your own goals; understand what needs to be done in order for them to become a reality, and then follow through by doing the required tasks with little or no outside help.
We all know we need to get things done. This is especially true for those things that are most important. We all procrastinate from time to time, which is okay, but if you let it go too far you can find yourself with a whole lot of work to get done in a short amount of time.
The problem with this is that when the pressure is on, and the pressure always seems to be on when you have a lot of work to do, it may become difficult for you to keep your focus and remain motivated.
Identifying self-motivation factors and drivers and how to control them
1. Bad days
One of the main factors that can hinder self-motivation is a bad day. If you are having a bad day, no matter what you do, it will be difficult to remain motivated. You will need to have at least a few good days under your belt in order for you to reach your maximum level of productivity.
If you are having trouble getting started with a particular task, your best bet is to put it off unti you feel much better about the task. If you are having a difficult time with procrastination, you need to get yourself motivated and start working on it. Doing so will serve you well in the long run.
2. Procrastination
Procrastination is one of those things that can be difficult to control; but once you begin to understand what type of procrastination is affecting you and how to prevent it, the task at hand should become easier to complete.
For example, if you are the type of person who likes to skip a few steps when it comes to getting things done, your best bet is to break down the task at hand into small manageable chunks. This will prevent you from skipping steps such as browsing Facebook and checking your emails. With this type of mindset, you will be able to complete your work faster and get things done ahead of schedule.
3. Other people’s opinion
Another thing that can hinder self-motivation is other people’s opinions. If you are not performing your job the way that you would like to, other people may be the ones who hold you back from achieving your true potential.
If there are others in the office that have a problem with something that you have done, try to take note of what they are saying. Once you become more aware of what their complaints are, make sure to change your approach based on their feedback.
4. Stress
The other problem with stress is that it causes you to become less productive and more distracted. Going from one project to another sometimes wears on your energy levels and your ability to focus on all that needs to be done. If this is the case, then you will need to work hard at overcoming the stress that can arise from having a lot of work on your plate at once.
5. Anger
If you have a difficult time controlling your anger while working, or you find yourself snapping at those around you from time to time, then it is definitely something that should be looked at. For most people, the stress of working gets the better of them from time to time and they lose their cool.
If this is the case for you, the best way to remedy this is to take a step back and relax for a little bit before starting up again. If this does not work, then it is probably a sign that anger can be a real problem for you. In this case, you will need to find some other way to control your anger.
6. Being a perfectionist
One of the best ways that perfectionism can hurt performance is by making people feel as though they are not able to meet set standards without falling short of them, but when you have a bad day perfectionism can cause even more problems than just causing you to become self-conscious.
If you are a perfectionist and have yet to learn how to overcome your bad days, then the best thing for you to do is set yourself small goals that will force you to reach your maximum potential. This will be more beneficial than going through the day worrying about reaching some unattainable goal.
How to build and improve self-motivation in 9 different ways
Here are some activities or things you can do that will build self-motivation in you:
1. Set reasonable goals
Another thing that you can do to increase your self-motivation is to set reasonable goals for yourself. You may want to set a goal of getting an assignment done in two days, but you are better off setting the goal of getting it done today. You could then go back and check back with yourself at any point during the day and see how close you are getting to your goal. If all goes well tonight, then you will be able to celebrate your success tomorrow when you get home from work.
2. Accountability partners or groups
If you have a hard time following through with your goals alone, then try being accountable to a group of people or an accountability partner. This will help you stay motivated and on task.
This is probably the best way to increase motivation in yourself because your accountability partner, or friends, will remind you regularly of the goals that you have set and keep you ready to work on them.
3. Focus on this now
One of the best ways to increase self-motivation is to focus on what needs to be done right away and use it as an incentive to continue working throughout the day. You have probably been told that motivation comes in spurts and this may be true, but for those who have trouble staying motivated the right way, it is important that they focus on what needs to be done now instead of letting things slip through their fingers.
4. Take time to evaluate
To become more motivated, we need to take time to evaluate ourselves, our accomplishments and our failures. When you are taking this time to reflect and ask yourself why a certain thing happened, it is important that you take it as an opportunity for self-growth. By doing this, you will start to understand yourself more clearly and work towards changing your behavior.
5. Remind yourself of the positive effects of a specific activity
Sometimes we may not remember the good things that we did when we were motivated because we are so caught up in working diligently every day to make ends meet. To avoid this, remind yourself of the positive effects that you had when you were motivated and use the same tactics to keep yourself motivated.
6. Recognize the difference between interest and commitment
If you find yourself lacking motivation, then it may be because you lack a sense of commitment. Learning to recognize this difference early will allow you to change the way in which you approach the task at hand.
7. Focus on your strengths or attributes
Often times when people attempt something new and do not succeed, they give up altogether. Instead, when you are trying to build up your self-motivation, it is important that you focus on what you do well and how you can use them to become more motivated.
8. Give yourself a reward for completing tasks
Another thing that you can do to increase your motivation is to give yourself a reward for completing tasks. To be successful at this, make sure that the reward is something that will make your day better. This will provide you with the motivation that you need to complete tasks that you may not be interested in doing.
9. Have a plan
Another thing that you can do to increase your self-motivation is to have a plan for everything. If you are going to socialize, then say so ahead of time and stick with that plan instead of changing plans at the last minute. By having a plan, you will have something to work towards that can help build your motivation and keep you focused on what needs to be done next.
What are the benefits of self-motivation?
1. Self-motivation will result in you working harder than you ever thought you could.
Without this drive to finish a task, most people would give up before making any progress and they would quit before they even began. With this self-motivation success will be inevitable because you will work harder than you have ever worked before.
2. Working hard will encourage you to excel and try new things that you never would have tried before.
Self-motivation comes from experiencing success and feeling as though you are capable of doing more than what you previously thought was possible. When you experience this, it can help encourage a deeper sense of competency within yourself that will inspire you to do better more in the future.
3. Having a sense of motivation can help you to stay focused and get things done in an efficient manner.
When you have self-motivation, you will no longer waste your time on things that do not matter and will instead focus on things that are worth your time. You will be able to balance your work better than ever before and get things done in the most efficient way possible.
4. Self-motivation can help you to work harder without letting fatigue set in so easily.
When you are motivated to do something, you will be able to stay focused and get energized even when you are tired. This will help you to get the work done even when your body wants to quit and will help you to push through until the work is complete.
5. When you stay motivated it can help keep your energy levels stable throughout the day.
When people lack motivation they begin to feel fatigued more easily throughout the day. If you ever found yourself feeling this way, then you need to make sure that you give yourself a boost of motivation or find the motivation that you need.
6. Feeling motivated can help improve your self-esteem and self-image.
When people lack motivation they feel as though they are not skilled enough to do things that they would like to do which can take away from their self-esteem and confidence in themselves. If this is happening to you, it is important that you find a motivator or else you will lose the ability to look yourself in the mirror and be happy with who you are.
7. Self-motivation can help you work faster and increase your efficiency.
When people feel motivated they tend to work harder so that they can get more done in a shorter time frame. When this happens, they will be able to save time and money and will have more of both at the end of the day.
8. Self-motivation can help you to continue to grow and evolve as a person.
When people lack motivation, they will tend to not feel motivated enough to do anything new that they could be doing. When this happens, they will find themselves stuck in the same rut and not wanting to try new things. When you are motivated, you will be able to push yourself out of your comfort zone and begin to grow as a person.
Why is getting motivated so hard?
Motivation can be hard to come by these days because our hectic lives will often prevent us from getting the things that we need to get done. It is important that you understand why it is so difficult for you to get motivated so that you can figure out what needs to be changed. After all, without motivation, nothing will be accomplished and things will never get done. These are the 3 reasons why it can be so difficult for people to become motivated.
1. People do not feel like they have time or energy.
When you do not feel motivated, the first thought that comes into your head is that you will not have enough time to accomplish the things that you need to do. This is a common problem and can be one of the most common reasons that people lack motivation. You might not have enough time in your day or enough energy for your attempts at self-motivation. The solution is to make sure you are getting more accomplished throughout the day and find ways to save energy and mental energy until you get a better sense of motivation.
2. People feel like it is pointless to become motivated.
When you do not have the motivation to accomplish something, then you will often feel like it is pointless to even try because it will not matter anyway. This can be a common problem for people that are struggling with motivation and they often find themselves becoming unmotivated even more so because they do not believe that anything matters. The solution is to find ways to motivate yourself or at least use your lack of motivation as fuel for getting even more tasks done when you get the chance.
3. People do not believe that they could ever accomplish their goals.
When you have not been able to accomplish anything that you really want to achieve, it is easy for you to feel as though it is impossible and even harder for you to see the point of trying. When you start to feel this way, it is important that you begin to realize that goals are not meant to be achieved in a week or even in a month. They are meant to be achieved over time and will take many small attempts before any of them will be completed. The solution is to keep trying and doing your best so that you can eventually be successful at achieving your goals.
Books to read on your self-motivation development
A great way of helping with your growth in self-development is to read up on books that you can enjoy. These books will help you to develop as a person and give you information that will help you understand how to improve in your life. If you are looking for a book, here are some of the best ones available.
1. Seeds in the Heart: A Guide to Growing Your Faith by Fr. James Martin, S.J.
This book is full of insights about your faith and teachings that will encourage and help you grow as a person when it comes to religion. The author, who is a Catholic priest, takes a look at different religions and how they play a role in your own life. The book offers up a lot of information and it will be easy for you to go through this in one sitting.
2. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
This is a great self-improvement book that you can enjoy reading at any time. The book is full of insights about life and how you can get through it with a sense of understanding and peace. The book offers up a lot of information and will be easy for you to get through in one sitting.
3. Self-Help Stuff: Lots of Books With 100% More Stuff Than Other Books by Craig Ira Cole
This is a great little book that is full of insights and jokes that will help make your journey fun instead of overwhelming or boring. Fans of this book will love it and it will be easy for you to go through in one sitting.
4. The Brain We Have by Julian Baggini
This book will help you to improve your social abilities and help you to communicate better with other people. If you have not already read this book, then it is time that you did. It is full of insights about the brain and how people can grow as a person when they learn about their brain.
5. The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory by David J. Chalmers
This is a great book by the author of the philosophy of mind and language. The author shares a lot of information about consciousness and will help to teach you about your own consciousness. It is full of ideas and theories that will give you something to ponder over in the future.
6. The Meaning of Things: Applying Philosophy to Life by Stephen T. Davis
This book is perfect for those that are looking to learn about philosophy and how it can be applied to life. The book is full of case studies and will help you to make the right choices in your own life. It will also inspire you to take a look at things from a new perspective that is going to help you grow as a person.
Quotes about self-motivation
One way to get inspired to start your self-motivation development is hearing the words of others to help you get in the zone to develop your self-motivation:
- “Believe in yourself, and act in the best interest of yourself.”
- “You can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to it.”
- “Motivation is like a fire. It will burn out if it is not stoked and fed regularly.”
- “Don’t just hope for the best, expect the best, demand the best, because, without your best, nothing good can come from anything that happens to you.”
- “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.”
- “The greatest discovery of your generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.”
- “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” — Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
- “You were born an individual, so make the most of it.” — Will Smith
- “I have made my choice. I will succeed or die trying.” — Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- “Most people talk in terms of things they want; a few talk in terms of the things they need; but here and there is someone who talks in terms of the things he must have. With that one, you will deal.” — Louis L’Amour
Conclusion
Self-motivation is very important to your happiness and it is an essential part of living a happy life. You can make it easy for yourself to develop this important part of your personality by reading the information provided by credible authors. You can also reach out to friends and family members that you trust for assistance so that you can understand how they are going to help you through this process.
Hopefully, this guide has been helpful in giving you all the information that you need about self-motivation development. Remember that it is normal to struggle through this process as you are figuring out what works best for you. Be sure to at least take some time each day to think about these things and how you can improve in your own life.