If you can’t get motivated, you aren’t alone. The people at Therapy Central recognise that many of us struggle with feelings of “nothing gets me going”, “I don’t care about anything” or “I just don’t care about getting out of bed”. In these situations, keeping motivated can be a chore.
The good news is that whether the cause is from such things as depression, burnout, fear of failure or some other factors that have reduced your willpower, they can be worked on. The solution will differ depending on the cause, but there are ways you can tackle the problem—and that’s important. “Having to literally force yourself to get up in the morning and get to work, not giving your 100 per cent, not using your time efficiently, these are just some of the consequences of low motivation.” And it’s important to understand the why—or cause—to work on the issue.
Understanding motivation
It’s helpful to recognise that there are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. “Intrinsic motivation occurs when you want to do something that satisfies you. You’re thinking of your own wellbeing and interests. If you care about animals, for example, intrinsic self-motivation might spur you to volunteer at a local pet shelter.”
Intrinsic motivation is centred on you and what you want to do. Extrinsic motivation, in contrast, comes from external forces, which could be your workplace—setting goals or rewards. Here are some examples:
Intrinsic motivation
- Picking up new hobbies that interest you.
- Following a self-care routine to feel better.
- Helping someone move from one house to another.
- Playing on a community sports team for fun.
Extrinsic motivation
- Working toward a work bonus.
- Finishing all your tasks at work to avoid being disciplined.
- Sticking to the trail while hiking to avoid fines.
- Following a trend because of social pressure.
Leadership coach Elizabeth Perry sees a link between motivation and inspiration: “Inspiration influences how you feel. It’s something that catches your eye, makes you curious and moves you to get creative or consider taking action. Motivation, on the other hand, is the reasoning behind your actions, like the reason you felt compelled to go to college or push for your next promotion. Inspiration is a pulling force that tugs you in a new direction, while motivation is a driving force that pushes you to actually move in that direction and set new goals.
“Motivation is something you have to work to sustain. Inspiration, on the other hand, makes you creative, energetic and joyful, and your positive feelings influence you to set new goals. Inspiration tends to be short term, but for employees, it is paramount. Research shows that it would take nine uninspired employees to do the work of four inspired employees.” That’s something employers need to recognise and work out how to assist in building inspiration.
A whole-of-life approach
In his book, Motivation, Stefan Falk, a performance coach working mainly with business people and elite athletes, makes an important point: “The clients I work with who seem to have the most relaxed view of their work demands are the ones who actively maintain and pursue other priorities that are just as strong, whether they are family, friends or hobbies.
“Note: I am not talking about clients who only say they have other priorities (which most do), but clients who actively pursue them.
“Does this give them a better work-life balance? Yes, for sure. But an even more profound benefit is that they accelerate their skills and self-awareness, becoming more effective across all their priorities.”[1]
Healthcare ethicist Jen Zamzow goes further and asks questions about the excuses we make and suggests that “if we make excuses too convenient, we’ll let ourselves off the hook too often”. On the other hand, “making the default ‘yes’ for our priorities makes us more likely to follow through.”
She adds, “For life to be good, we need to do more than just subtract the negative; we also need to add the positive. We need meaning, connection, joy, purpose and awe. But pursuing these values can sometimes require the kind of slow, hard, awkward and deep work that makes our resistance cringe. Our resistance will try to grab onto any excuse it can for why we can’t or shouldn’t or don’t need to do the work right now.”
Zamzow suggests that making our default position “yes” “lowers the decision-making burden” and that changes things. For instance, “Suppose I really want to get in shape, but I don’t usually find myself having a hankering for going to the gym or going outside for a walk. Instead of just waiting around for exercise inspiration to strike, I can make working out my default choice and then not let myself override it unless I have a really good reason.”
Saying “yes” to what’s important to you can make a difference.
Boosting motivation
Life coach Elizabeth Perry suggests several strategies you can use to boost your motivation. They include:
- Setting clear and specific goals.
- Visualising success; using positive affirmations (positive self-talk).
- Being organised; maintaining a healthy lifestyle; rewarding yourself when you reach a milestone.
- Being persistent—don’t let failure demotivate you.
Joyce Marter from Mental Wealth adds that to keep motivated, you should embrace both the challenges and triumphs along the way. “By embracing setbacks with a growth mindset, you can cultivate resilience, deepen self-awareness and gain a better understanding of your circumstances.”
And, going further, she says, “Embrace life’s complexity: accept and appreciate life’s intricate, multifaceted nature rather than seek simplistic, black-and-white interpretations. Acknowledge the diversity of experiences, perspectives and emotions that make up the human experience.”
Then, she adds, “Focus on progress, not perfection: If you keep waiting for something to be perfect (like your athletic performance, business plan or resumé), you may never put it out in the world. At some point, it has to be good enough, and you have to pull the trigger.”
One brick at a time
John Heywood (c. 1497-1580) was an English playwright remembered for his poems, proverbs and plays. However, it’s his popular sayings that have lasted: “The more the merrier”; “Many hands make light work”; and “Out of sight, out of mind”. He also came up with “Rome was not built in a day.”
Author of Atomic Habits James Clear notes that, “Typically, people use the phrase ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ to remind someone of the time needed to create something great. And it’s true. It takes time—sometimes years—to master a skill, craft or habit.
“And while it’s good to keep perspective on your dreams, I think it’s better to remember the other side of this story: Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour. The problem is that it can be really easy to overestimate the importance of building your Roman empire and underestimate the importance of laying another brick.”
It’s just another brick. Why worry about it? Much better to think about the dream of Rome, right?
“Actually, Rome is just the result, the bricks are the system. The system is greater than the goal.” Focusing on your habits is more important than worrying about your outcomes.
“Of course, there’s nothing necessarily impressive about laying a brick. It’s not a fantastic amount of work. It’s not a grand feat of strength or stamina or intelligence. Nobody is going to applaud you for it. But laying a brick every day, year after year? That’s how you build an empire.”
And understanding that can help keep you motivated.