The Importance of Motivation and Tips to Keep It Alive

Life with no motivation is impossible. Motivation is the thing that keeps us going and encourages us to bring out the best in us when everything else is pushing us down. At your darkest hours and worst times, when nothing seems to be going your way, it’s very hard to keep yourself motivated and to find beauty and positivity in negative spaces, and that’s understandable. But with enough willpower and a few tricks and methods, you can bring back that spark of motivation inside of you and keep it alive and well until you reach and achieve each and every goal you have on your list. In today’s article, we are going to discuss the importance of motivation and how you can hang on to it on your bad days.

What You Should Know About Motivation?

Motivating yourself is what drives you to accomplish a task or behave in a particular way. Your daily routine begins with brushing your teeth, getting dressed, and going to work. Your motivation probably doesn't become apparent until it is gone. Even if you are unaware of it, many things drive you every day. Often, it's our unconscious motivations that make the biggest difference. We can better sail our boats if we bring them into the light, examine them, and learn how to work with our different types of motivations. It is a very good and beneficial practice that stays with you until the end of time. And as the song goes, don’t stop believing, especially in yourself.

Types of Motivation:

Motivation comes in all shapes and colors and in many different types; let’s learn about the general types of motivation:

1. Internal Motivation:

Internal motivation is basically everything you do for the sake of an internal motive that relates to you as a person. Anything you strive to do because it aligns with your own personal passions and interests can be put under the umbrella of internal motivations, such as the thought that you’re on the right path to achieving your own definition of success and realizing your dreams. So in short, internal motivation is the thing that holds deeper meaning than any other motive you have, which can make you focused on a set of goals for a very long time, like wanting to lose weight, staying fit, and having that perfect beach body.

2. External Motivation:

This type of motivation is based on anything external that you do to achieve a goal that has nothing to do with what you want or need. For example, if you don’t finish your task before the deadline, your boss will be furious, and you will look less professional and might face other consequences, so you get motivated to get the job done on time. The nature of this type of motivation is very temporary, so it’s the best motivation to have for short-term goals and tasks.

When you get offered a reward for a certain task, chances are you will get the job done more than just perfectly, as studies have shown. This is another form of external motivation.

Another good example would be students aiming to get the best grades possible for the upcoming exam. It’s a short-term goal that offers a reward and requires a lot of motivation for the process of preparation. But if these students genuinely wanted to pass this exam because they wanted to and not because of anything else, it would be considered an internal form of motivation.

How to Keep Yourself Motivated?

Keeping yourself motivated, either internally or externally, is not the easiest thing to do. However, there are some things that you can try to keep your mind in that sweet spot where anything becomes possible and easy enough. Let’s mention a few!

1. First of All, Know Your Reasons:

The what and the how are very important, for sure, but what’s even more important than them is the why. Why do you need to do what you’re doing right now? Where would it get you? What good would it have for you? Without understanding the true reasons why you’re going after whatever you’re going after right now, having motivation would be nearly impossible because it would all seem very pointless. But, when you understand your reasons, it will be much easier to build on them and continue your journey.

2. Stay in the Right Surroundings:

Your setting has a huge impact on how you think and behave. Surround yourself with positive environments and the right kind of people. No matter how positive and motivated you are, if you live in a destructive and negative environment, you will find it very hard to stay motivated and energetic.

3. Look for Influence From Others:

Even sitting next to a highly productive and successful person can make you a bit like them over time. Human beings are social creatures that keep looking for influence and inspiration from each other and from members of other societies. Watching how a successful person achieves their goals and sets their plans is a great way to motivate yourself and stay on the right track. If that person can do it, then you can, without a doubt, do the same and succeed.

4. Keep the Workflow Going:

Usually, when people do a great job executing their plans, they tend to get a bit sloppy in the middle of the process. Maybe you will get tired; maybe you will feel that you have done a lot and that you need a little break now to get yourself together and continue; maybe you will feel like you have done enough and that you shouldn’t be working this hard from this point forward. All of the above is wrong; the workflow should be the same from the beginning until the end. Having these thoughts or taking such breaks will only bring your energy down because you will suddenly notice a decrease in productivity in what you’re currently doing.

Bottom Line:

Losing hope is much easier than having it, but with the right attitude, mindset, and surroundings, you can do anything you set your mind to. Keep your chin up and look for inspiration, and you will eventually get where you want to be.