What is Motivation
There are many ways to define motivation and also various types of motivation. The most common definition is, The desire to act in service of a goal. In other words, how much are you willing to do in order to accomplish your set goals?
It is extremely easy to set goals and think about everything you want to achieve. What is very difficult is finding and maintaining that motivation to accomplish those goals.
At the beginning of each year we make resolutions and set goals for ourselves, but how often do we actually achieve those resolutions?
If we’re being honest with ourselves we work towards those resolutions for about a month or two and then we either forget or we simply stop because it’s too hard and it’s not what is comfortable for us.
I say all of this speaking from experience. I have made countless resolutions and goals that I haven’t accomplished not because I am incapable of achieving them, but because I lost motivation and gave up too quickly.
For a while after my life changing surgery I was blessed with the opportunity to go to an inpatient rehab hospital where I set many goals for myself. I was in an environment where I was continuously motivated by others to do my best and because of that I accomplished most of those goals
When I left that rehab center I still had many goals to achieve, but I was no longer surrounded by those people who kept me motivated and held me accountable so I gave in to what was comfortable for me instead of continuing to work tirelessly towards my goals.
I think that this happens to all of us. We do what is most comfortable for us versus what will ultimately help us reach our goals. This is where motivation plays a huge part.
We rely on something or someone to keep us motivated to achieve whatever it is that we are striving for. There are so many types of motivation, these are the top 3 for me personally
Achievement Motivation
This type of motivation is brought up from the desire to achieve certain goals for the sole purpose of personal growth and self development,
These past few years have been the most important years of my life. My life was flipped upside down and because of it I experienced so much in a short amount of time. What kept me going and motivated was the desire to use those experiences as the basis for personal growth.
I was in a situation where everything was uncertain and out of my control so I decided to let those experiences be the catalyst for self development.
I didn’t know back then that what kept me going was my need to prove that I could defy the odds and achieve what others thought unimaginable.
Attitude Motivation
This type of motivation is based on the willingness to change the world or make something good, or help people. I have found that much of my success and accomplishments throughout my journey to recovery have been possible because of my undying optimism and positive outlook on life.
Like most people, I have been through some difficult experiences. What has allowed me to overcome those obstacles has been my attitude and my willingness to fight every battle that is thrown my way no matter what.
I truly believe that with the correct mindset and a positive attitude there isn’t anything you can’t achieve. With all the negative things going on around us it’s difficult to maintain a positive attitude and keep myself motivated, but I like to believe that good prevails above everything else. So I do my best to find something positive in every challenging situation.
Keeping this in mind has been vital to my well being and self esteem. Everything I do now is driven by my attitude and every day I wake up I make sure to start my day off right because that will create a domino effect that will make for an all around great day.
Independence Motivation
We all like to feel like we are capable and feel like we have control over our own lives. Nobody enjoys having to depend on others for anything. I personally like to feel like I have a say over everything that happens in my life.
Being independent is something that most people take for granted and unfortunately for a lot of people Independence is not something we have the luxury of enjoying.
Since losing my independence 8 years ago I have used my desire for independence as motivation to reach my goals and better myself both physically and mentally.
I have many physical limitations that prevent me from being independent. Instead of feeling like a failure and simply giving up. I use my time and energy to focus on my goals and on what I want to accomplish.
I didn’t realize that my drive to better myself because I want to reach independence had a name until now. I discovered that I was using my desire for independence as motivation.
Staying Motivated
There is always something that drives our actions on a daily basis and it’s called motivation. The reason for why we do things varies. For example, some people do things for personal growth and self development. Others might do things seeking power and others do seeking acceptance and confirmation from others.
Unfortunately some people are motivated by the wrong things and for immoral reasons. In my experience motivation has been key to my success and my recovery. Achievement motivation has allowed me to set my goals and focus on achieving them and that has given me great results.
Attitude motivation has allowed me to achieve my goals because of my optimistic attitude towards life. Lastly, independence motivation has given me the drive to reach my goals because of my desire to become physically independent.
Reflect on what you want in life and set your goals. Once you know what you want to accomplish you’ll need to find your motivation and stay consistent. It is difficult to stay motivated and sometimes you might want to quit. Surrounding myself with people who care about me and want to see me succeed is the first step. Maintaining motivation can be difficult, which is why we have to continuously find ways to stay motivated.
Speaking with positive minded people and listening to them helps me stay motivated. Listening to Ted Talks boosts my spirit. Surrounding myself with people that lift me up and celebrate my wins with me has been priceless. Joining a community full of like minded people has been so beneficial for me.
The most important thing that I have found to be true when it comes to motivation is that it is really difficult to gain motivation and it is very easy to lose it. Find what motivates you and do your best to maintain it. You might have a difficult time staying motivated and you may fail, but you have to keep on trying and soon you will find that spark of motivation that will get you to where you want to be.
Read about my personal story Here