MOTIVATION - Finding the Fuel for Success

 

“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” –Napoleon Hill

“The mind is everything. What you think you become.”  –Buddha

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” - Albert Einstein

“If you can DREAMit, you can ACHIEVE it.” –Zig Ziglar

 


Motivation can be defined as the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.  There are two types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic.  “Intrinsic motivation (IM) refers to engaging in an activity purely for the pleasure and satisfaction derived from doing the activity” (Deci, 1975).  By engaging in something you enjoy doing, it will be harder for you to get discouraged.  If you enjoy the activity, then you will go back and do it again.  For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you don’t necessarily have to go to the gym and work out or run for hours.  You can do other activities that you ENJOY, like riding a bike, playing sports, just something you find fun and interesting.   “Contrary to intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation (EM) pertains to a wide variety of behaviors that are engaged in as a means to an end and not for their own sake” (Deci, 1975).

 


 

 

Key Steps to Staying Motivated:

  • Set up a goal
  •  List some reasons why you want to accomplish goal
  • Break the goal down into smaller pieces
  • Prepare a strategy
  • Find extra help if needed
  • Think of how you can help yourself get motivated again
  • Keep reassuring yourself