What Motivation is and the Importance of Intrinsic Motivation
Motivators are internal or external forces that drive or inspire a person to be successful, accomplish tasks and goals, and care for themselves. A major component of many individuals who suffer from mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, or anxiety is their inability to properly internally motivate. As an individual who suffers from borderline personality disorder, anorexia, depression, and anxiety, I’ve primarily utilized my external motivators almost my whole life. This is most likely due to my low self-confidence, which causes me difficulty with internal motivation. As I’ve aged and matured, I’ve realized that I cannot completely wholly rely on external factors to motivate myself. I have to use my own future, my own health, my own welfare, and myself as a whole as motivation to cherish, accept, and care for myself.
How to Motivate
A productive way to accomplish goals and spark inspiration is to create lists. A list to form can be a to-do list consisting of simple tasks with things to accomplish throughout the day, such as showering, shaving, working, exercising, writing/journaling, planning an event or trip, cleaning, any sort of appointment, etc. Each to-do will vary for every individual, each specific day. Keeping a list will inevitably serve as a reminder to accomplish whatever needs to be done, as well as keep a person’s life and schedule organized. In my experience, organization and reminders boost my motivation. When I’m organized, I feel significantly more put together. When I am reminded of my goals, accomplishments, and qualities, I feel inspired to continue pursuing my goals even further. After I accomplish these small tasks, I feel a sense of success, which motivates me to proceed further. One task and one thing crossed off the list can cause a chain reaction to accomplish even more.
Another technique advantageous in precipitating inspiration is envisioning the future. Whenever I plan a future event or add money to my savings, I feel a distinct sense of hope and optimism. I’m in college, and I graduate in less than a year. Imagining the future can be daunting, but it can be so inspiring and motivating. My vivid and hopeful imagination for my future of moving to another new place, graduating college, marrying my long-term boyfriend, pursuing a sustainable, real career, and overall growing up initiates internal motivation. A crucial aspect of one’s will to achieve is their sense of optimism for the future.
There is Hope
My best advice for someone of my age range (late teens to early 20s) struggling to find optimism in their future is this–you are young. You have so much more life left to live and a plethora of experiences to come. I’ve struggled with my own motivation to live. I’ve been suicidal. I was also sixty-five pounds when I was sixteen years old from anorexia. I was on the verge of death, yet my eating disorder was so powerful that I denied my medically compromised state. I’ve been there. I understand what it’s like to feel totally hopeless and pessimistic. If I had succeeded in any of my attempts, I would have never gotten the ability to experience many of the events and excursions that I have. If I had succeeded, I would not have had the opportunity to articulate these feelings and cherish my growth. If I had succeeded, I would not have a future. If I had succeeded, I would have utterly crushed my friends and family. If I had succeeded, I would never be able to witness my own change. There are so many ideas to ponder before deciding to cut an entire life short.
There is hope. I didn’t believe that even three years ago. I’ve used my experiences to build my strength and enhance my character. I’ve also used my experiences, as well as my ability to express my feelings through writing, to guide others with their own self-identity, building hope, and expression of their emotions. Motivation is a complex idea. Many factors are a part of the concept of motivation. External motivation is essential in its own right; however, internal motivation is what serves as the maintenance and the foundation of one’s overall motivation.
External Motivation vs. Internal Motivation
External motivators are factors from the outside, like earning a reward or avoiding punishment. Internal motivators are interior factors, for one’s own sake and personal gain. One simply can’t live with either a fear of ridicule or an expectation to receive a reward after every accomplishment. That’s why internal motivation is so important to maintain and improve. A healthy and strong internal drive to achieve goals and become successful will inevitably contribute to an overall healthy lifestyle. Motivation is a crucial aspect of overall welfare.
Balance is Key
As many people are aware, there are three main areas of health–physical, mental/emotional, and social. Health is wealth. Maintaining a balance of these three components to overall health is what will allow a person to live and prosper. Motivation contributes to all of these components. Without motivation, it’s difficult to remain healthy. A lack of motivation can cause a lack of proper nutrition. It can also cause a lack of a desire to move or remain active. It can cause a struggle to emerge from bed. It can cause isolation or social difficulty. It can cause difficulty with basic self-care or hygiene. It can cause feelings of hopelessness or depression. It can cause stress and anxiety. Lacking motivation can cause a multitude of consequences in all areas of health.
Each Individual Has Their Own Ways and Using External Motivation is Okay!
Motivation is also subjective. Different methods work for different people. With that being said, reminders, validation, hard work, and personal rewards usually aid in stirring up inspiration. When an external source validates my work, I become inspired to progress and continue with my work. That’s a human instinct–it’s perfectly natural and acceptable to use external validation as motivation. However, that can’t be all that someone relies on.
All in all, my best advice for anyone looking to motivate themselves is to first learn about who they are as a person and what works for them. I am a creative person, so creative projects promote motivation within myself. If someone is a technical or mechanical person, some sort of technical project may contribute to their motivation. Everyone is different. For me, writing is truly beneficial in so many ways. I’m able to articulate my feelings more eloquently and it allows me to focus on something. Concentrating on a creative project not only distracts me from ruminating, negative thoughts, but it also drives me to move forward and direct my focus toward a positive passion of mine.
Maintain Consistency and Confidence
Consistency and confidence should significantly outweigh approval or status. I haven’t learned to truly love myself, and I admit that. However, I have learned to accept myself. Sometimes I think I will never truly get to the point of self-love. Despite that, I’m twenty-one, and it’s taken me years to accept myself, so right now, I’m perfectly content with where I’m at in that regard. I have learned that no one person can please everyone. So there’s really no point in attempting to please everyone. What’s more vital than anything is participating in activities that I have a passion for or desire to do and activities where I feel confident in my abilities. I’ve learned to halt the idea of doing things to satisfy others or avoid certain outcomes. I have learned to proceed with the idea of doing things to satisfy myself, feel accomplished, help others in the process, and invoke joy.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, motivation is a complex concept with many contributing factors. Visual and written reminders of goals, achievements, positive personal attributes, and basic tasks can certainly induce inspiration. Having a plan or schedule can also serve in contributing to motivation. Identifying one’s personal passions and what specific methods aid them can also be advantageous. Internal motivation conquers external motivation in terms of what’s truly substantial and foundational. However, both types of factors should be used to boost confidence and inspiration. Motivation drives success, as well as overall health. I have discovered what specifically benefits me and take advantage of those techniques. Now it is your turn to discover what works for you and utilize it fully. Remain hopeful and learn to accept who you are. Then, you will be able to move forward and maintain inspiration.
SEE ALSO: How to Deal With Academic Anxiety
