Key Role Of Motivation In Leading You To Your Dream Life

Motivation is an important element in all walks of life without which all human activities would cease to exist. Human beings are driven by the motivation to succeed in life and live their lives trying to fulfill their dreams, goals, and aspirations. These factors, when they become reality, are the ones that make people's life meaningful. 

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, motivation is defined as the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something. It's the act or process of motivating someone. The impetus that gives purpose or direction to behavior and operates in humans at a conscious or unconscious level.

Motivation doesn't refer only to the factors that trigger humans to behave in certain ways; it also includes other factors which orientate and sustain goal-oriented actions. Consequently, we learn about human behavior based on observable behaviors. 

What is the cause of motivation and how do we act? According to psychologists, there are different proposed theories related to motivation. Theories of motivation, include drive theory, instinct theory, and humanistic theory such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs. But the truth is that there are more factors that direct people's motivation. 

Motivation is a condition that longs for a change, either in the self or in the environment. Motivation enables us to act and make the right change with the environment, in an adaptive, open-ended, and problems solving way. The core of motivation is energy and persistence that directs our behavior according to our goals, it moves people to action. 

The trigger of motivation is to satisfy human needs which sustain life or can be for our wellbeing and growth. Needs such as food, water, and sex enable organisms to sustain life and find pleasure in it. The need for autonomy, mastery, and belonging exercise the same function for motivation.

The world around us, the environment, and the social context play a crucial role regarding extrinsic motivation. Goals, values, and desires to experience certain emotions are associated with certain end-states. Motivation includes the human desire to continue striving toward meaning, purpose and create a meaningful life.

Why motivation is important for us to succeed

Motivation is important to get insight into human nature. Behind motivation are the reasons for our goals, our strive for success and power, our desires or intimacy, and biological sex.

Motivation can help us understand why we feel fear, anger, and compassion. It is valuable to understand and learn about motivation, where it comes from, why it changes, what affects it, what aspects of it can or cannot be changed, and why some motivations are more necessary than others. 

Motivation shows that special part of ourselves and enables us to achieve the desired results, like better performance, enhanced well-being, personal growth, or finding meaning in life. Motivation is the road that takes us to change our thinking, feelings, and behaviors.

When we can increase our motivation, then we can change our behavior, develop competencies, be more creative, set goals, grow interests, make plans, develop talents and become more engaged. 

Applying motivation in our everyday life will improve employees, coach athletes, raising and educating children, counsel clients, and engage students. Our everyday life reflects the benefits of motivation, as human beings have to constantly respond and adjust to their environment, they need the motivation to deal with fluctuating circumstances. Motivation is an inner energy that enables us to adapt, be more productive, and maintain general wellbeing in a world full of possibilities and dangers. 

Motivation is the reason behind many positive effects in our life. It can clarify our goals, set priorities, increase our perseverance and determination, keep us struggling and pushes through setbacks, overcome fears, build our confidence and be a source of inspiration.

Furthermore, in the business world and management, motivation can take a very specific connotation. It involves all the factors that encourage employees to stay committed and interested in their jobs. 

Motivation has helped people get through hard times, their motives forced them to keep trying despite difficulties. The world is full of difficulties and things that require a change. Motivation incites people to react to social change, justice and equality.

What are the main types of motivation?

There are two main categories of motivation. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. As per the research conducted by researchers at NCBI, National Center for Biotechnology Information intrinsic motivation has to do with the "internal" factors to fulfill personal needs. The main reason behind what we do is because they please us, not because we have to. 

The word intrinsic means internal, or inside of yourself; this type of motivation refers that we enjoy an activity, or interest, study, or skill development for the only reason that it is fun.

A typical example can be finding opportunities to develop your skills just for experiencing the satisfaction of being competent in a certain task. Whatever your ambition is, intrinsic motivation makes you fulfill it only for the sake of accomplishment and gratification. 

While the first one has to do with inner reasons, the extrinsic motivation has to do with external factors, which can be rewards and reinforcers. Some typical examples of external rewards can be money, praise, award, promotion, etc. While some typical reinforcers can be policy and procedures, disciplinary action, fines, limits, or boundary-setting, etc. 

Extrinsic motivation has proven not to be as effective as intrinsic motivation because it comes from the outside of the person. Reinforcers are a form of control, so are the laws for social control and people do not like to be controlled.

Simply said, our desire to perform a task is dictated by outside factors. Such motivation is triggered by incentives, fears, or expectations, all of them are external factors. 

As per the research conducted by the University of Rochester, and published in Contemporary Educational Psychology, "extrinsic motivation is a construct that pertains whenever an activity is done to attain some separable outcome."

How do you stay motivated?

Motivation is considered to be the force that drives human beings to behave and act in a certain way to reach their goals. The origin of all our actions is some conscious or unconscious need or desire.

While self-motivation goes beyond such motives. Self-motivation is the ability to deal with life and its challenges to make a positive impact in life, without giving up. Believing in yourself, finding inspiration, and never losing it, keep going despite setbacks are the key constituents of self-motivation.

There are several ways to stay motivated and achieving our goals. 

1. Set goals. Choose a goal of your interest because that will drive you further with more positive energy, comparing with what other people want for you. When you set a goal you decide to take action to make your dreams come true. Goals show you the way and where to focus on.

There are cases that we don't find interesting or motivational enough, but try to find within the task its benefits. Like for example math, it is difficult but in the business world is crucial, which you might want more than anything. But make realistic goals and challenges simultaneously to push yourself forward and fulfill your dreams.

2. Make a list of the reasons behind your goals. In the world we live in, it is quite easy to get blown off course. For this very reason, it is important to ground yourself in your goals. To feel sure, make a list with a pen. Studies reveal that writing by hand engages the brain more actively, while typing has to do only with selecting letters, a less mental connection. 

3. Make a strategy, and prepare yourself for everything. Thomas Edison has given us words of inspiration when he talks about his work: "I have not failed. I've just found 10 000 ways that won't work." "Our greatest weakness is giving up." "The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." If you want success you need a clear vision, a strategy that relates and resonates with you. If it doesn't come from the heart, then it won't motivate you any further. A goal needs a plan, without it si just a dream. 

4. Approach the tasks in new ways. The beginning of a job can be a problem to deal with, while a different approach can give you more perspective and more positive energy. Positive thoughts lead to positive actions, and positive statements will encourage you to do your best. Take control of your feelings, thoughts, and actions. 

Positivity will show the road to accomplishment. Another important thing to do is to keep things manageable, which means breaking things into shorter-term and smaller single tasks. Your work environment and your mind must be organized, avoid clutter to be more efficient and productive. 

5. Take care of yourself. Eat regularly and the right food, with proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins. Avoid caffeine or sugary foods, and use certain foods that give you more energy for longer terms, and avoid distractions. Supply yourself with plenty of water, although it seems silly, water keeps your head clear and maintains motivation. Get plenty of sleep as well, 7-9 hours of sleep are crucial for your body and mind to work efficaciously. They need rest to regenerate themselves from hard work. 

6. Take short breaks. Breaks are necessary to avoid burning yourself out by trying to do everything at once. A  five-minute break can refresh you to get started with more energy. Without doing this you will only overburden your mind with more than it can bear. A walk around the neighborhood can be a good exercise to refresh you to recuperate your energies. 

7. Choose the best time of the day that works best for you. First, when you know which is the right time for you to make progress then you can schedule your most difficult work for that time. In this way, you can get what you need to be done, and then use the rest of your motivation energy for the rest of the day. Some people prefer a 9-5 workday, others are more productive during the late hours or night shifts.

8. Avoid distractions in your work environment. You are meant to be successful all day every day, not just a few hours once a week. To keep up the pace you need your work environment clean and tidy. Your physical workplace, such as the table, and your digital one, avoid bookmarks and iPhone. Boredom can bring you down, but if your most important thing for you is work, then you will stay on the right track. 

Don't think of it as hard work.

"There is only one way for me to motivate myself to work hard: I don't think about it as hard work. I think about it as a part of making myself into who I want to be. Once I've chosen to do something, I try not to think so much about how difficult or frustrating or impossible that might be; I just think about how good it must feel to be that, or how proud I might be to have done that. Make hard look easy." - Marie Stein.

Just do it. 

"To get motivated to start doing something, from my own experience, the most effective trick for me is to just do it (sounds trite, but it works). As soon as you think something needs to be done, jump into it, doing it immediately (of course, provided the conditions are feasible). You must not think about anything else, suppressing all other thoughts, keeping your mind blank, acting like a robot. Yes, it sounds weird, but it does work! Otherwise, you will debate whether you should do it now or there were too many issues with doing it, or there are other more pleasurable and exciting things to do over this boring task." - Bob Win.

What causes lack of motivation

Sometimes when you have something annoying to do, you can tend to be reluctant and hesitate. This is normal, but what isn't normal is the "avolition," procrastinating everything makes the matter into a different level.

Avolition is a complete lack of motivation which makes everything difficult to do. Such people find it almost impossible to deal with simple everyday chores, like washing the dishes or doing shopping. To them, it is as difficult as mountain climbing. 

Avolition can be a symptom of several mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, severe types of depression, ADHD, or drugs side effects. But there are other prescription drugs as well that can help with abolition and cognitive behavioral therapy can be a great plus in dealing with avolition. 

Several negative factors cause you to lack motivation. Here are some of them. 

1. Stress. Stress is the number one factor that causes negative outcomes in the life of every person. A little bit of stress is indeed healthy, it can keep us sharp, focused, and motivated to finish our tasks and reach our goals. But excessive stress can do all the opposite, it wears you out, affecting your mental and physical wellbeing negatively.

Look into yourself, your life, and past experiences to understand the reason behind such stress that keeps you demotivated. On the other hand, too many responsibilities to deal with in a short time can be overwhelming, start prioritizing and dedicate the right time to every task.

2. Lack of energy. If you lack the motivation to do anything, feeling too tired, then pay attention to yourself and take care of yourself. Take the right amount of sleep. Too much sleep or lack of sleep has the same effect in making you tiresome. The nutrition you take has the same importance.

Sugary food and too many carbohydrates can help you in the short run, but not in the long run. They bring you back down destroying your energy level. Good sleep, healthy food, and regular exercise will be an important plus to keep you motivated. 

3. Negative environment. Look carefully at the environment and people you spend your time with. Look what kind of impact they have on you. Job satisfaction is a crucial factor for the level of motivation it has on you. If you hate your job, this means you are stuck in a negative environment. Positive people do all the opposite, they always inspire you for the better. Maybe you should learn new skills to find out for yourself a job that suits you. 

4. Negative memories. Past experiences can bring you down when they are hurtful, negative, and full of disappointment. In such cases, you hesitate to take another step further, because your fears, limiting beliefs, and negative thinking hold you back. But take a step back and ask yourself, is this what you want to do? Do you feel obligated, but in fact, you hate it?

Know the reason for the problem to solve it for good. If the past with its negative experiences demotivates you, then you must let go of the past. Learn from your past, but don't let it stop you. If you feel you are forced to do your obligation but feel miserable and demotivated, then it is better to forget the thing. Find out what you want and what is best for you and move into action. 

5. Lack of confidence in owns skills. Low self-esteem has proven to be the most important factor that leads to a lack of motivation. If you don't believe in yourself first, then your negative self-talk will stop you from pursuing your goals.

Find the reasons behind the lack of confidence, and remind yourself of your past successes to encourage yourself to reach your goals. If you think it is too big a goal, then break it down into smaller tasks. begin with A and gradually proceed with other steps after you have finished successfully the previous tasks. 

Unexpected life events. Life can have unexpected dramatic events, death of loved ones, incurable diseases, accidents, etc. Our life, health, and skills are gifts for us, we are like to have them, unlike many other people we have the chance of making our dreams come true.

The one thing that affects you negatively in your life is not your past experiences, but how you react to them. It is hard to deal with, but apply gratitude for every blessing and opportunity life offers you. Don't shift your focus on the negative, when life has plenty of positive things to offer and be happy about.

The inspiring story of Dashrath Manjhi 

The story of Dashrath Manjhi is exceptional and unbelievable. He was born in the lowest rung caste system in Gehlaur village, in India, and had to work as a miner in the coal mines. However, he experienced a tragic loss when his wife died because of an injury, and couldn't get to the nearest doctor due to the long distance, 34 miles away.

Because of this tragic loss, Manjhi decided to create a new road through a ridge of hills, to make his village more accessible. It was a tremendous undertaking, he carved a 110m long path in 22 years only by using a hammer and a chisel. But in the end, his road reduced the distance from 34 miles to 9.3 miles.

How can motivation change your life? 

Motivation is important for all human beings, everywhere and every time. People would cease to exist without motivation. It is the factor that gives meaning to our lives, it gives a presence of purpose and pursue our goals, and fulfill our dreams in all walks of life. It helps us be more productive.

Motivation happens when we feel inspired, excited for having more positive results than we expected. Stories of successful people are a source of motivation for us, we learn from them and can follow their example. 

It is also very inspiring and ambitious to see a person achieve something great and enjoy the positive results. This is the drive that pushes us forward toward our goals. People are connected with a sense of motivation.

The feeling of motivation we experience and feel in our hearts and mind is a sensation to every human being. Nevertheless, most people have failed to get it. Motivation is the key that opens the doors of every achievement in life. 

Even a simple thing such as a smile and being happy for a short while needs motivation. Motivation is crucial if you want to become a master in any craft and skill. Motivation is the engine that moved great minds of the past, throughout the history of mankind to innovation, from which benefited the whole of humanity.

Your goals, career, and habits need the motivation to give the right results. Motivation is the key to success in life. It can make the difference between life and death, success and failure, wealth and poverty, meaningful life vs meaningless one.

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