What is Motivation?
Motivation is the drive to get going and get things done. When there’s a part of you that wants to do something, and a stronger part of you that doesn’t… you can end up feeling stuck, demotivated, or discouraged. Lack of motivation can lead to avoidance of the things that you need to get done and can upset people around you if they are counting on you to complete certain tasks.
Psychologists often distinguish between Intrinsic motivation and Extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation involves things that we find inherently pleasurable such as food. Extrinsic motivation involves things that we learn to find motivating, such as earning money to buy food.
When work is done exclusively based on extrinsically motivating factors, at some point the motivation can decrease. At some point, money (for example) just doesn’t seem to be enough to get you to focus on doing the tasks expected of you.
Speaking to a professional Coach can help you to understand what truly motivates you so that you can find the inner passion and drive needed to help you excel in the long term. While motivation comes and goes, and sometimes we need to do things to get the momentum or motivation going, being able to truly know yourself can help you spark a greater sense of motivation and purpose.
Lack of Motivation can look like…
- Not wanting to get out of bed in the morning or hitting the snooze button too many times
- Staying up late at night because it’s the only time you feel like you can do the things that you want to do
- Complaining to friends and family about work or other things you “need” to do but don’t want to
- Missing deadlines or appointments because your heart really isn’t in it
- Avoiding to take care of your appearance or performance at work because you don’t have the energy
Meeting with a professional Coach can help you to…
- Identify the factors that may be decreasing your motivation so that you can turn things around
- Breaking large projects into smaller tasks, so that each step boosts your morale for the next one
- Overcome your avoidance and face tasks, no matter how long you’ve neglected them
- Set realistic expectations so that you can stay motivated along the way