Motivation

What is Motivation?

Motivation is a psychological state which can drive and energize you to set and achieve goals, and initiate a tasks or action. At times, motivation can be highly influential on your behaviour, maintaining focusing, and sustaining effort over time.

There are two primary types of motivation, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation:

Intrinsic motivation occurs when your motivation to complete an activity is driven by the personal enjoyment and rewards you get from completing it. For example, you be motivated to complete a task at work because you are curious about it and enjoy the process which leads to a sense of satisfaction when you complete it.

External motivation occurs when your primary driver to complete an activity to receive external reward or to avoid punishment. For example, you may complete a task at work not because you like it but rather for the monetary benefits, praise or recognition you will receive.

Why do Some People Struggle with Motivation?

Why a person may be struggling with motivation can be related to a wide variety of factors. These vary between individuals, however some common reasons may be underlying mental health issues, external stressors, lack of interest in what they are trying to achieve, or burnout.

Signs Someone Has Low Motivation

How each person experiences low motivation is highly individual. However, there are several common indicators that you or someone you know may be struggling with their level of motivation:

  • Procrastination

  • Lack of initiative

  • Decreased productivity

  • Overwhelm

  • Lack of interest

  • Fatigue

  • Irritability

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Negative self-talk

  • Withdrawing from others and avoiding responsibilities

Can Therapy Help with Low Motivation?

Yes, therapy can help in several ways when you are experiencing low motivation. It can be a place where you can explore what the primary contributing reasons are for your low motivation. This exploration of the underlying drivers of the low motivation can allow for a collaborative treatment plan to be developed where you learn tools, and strategies to help you overcome your issues with motivation. These tools and strategies may be focused on;

  • Setting realistic goals: I commonly work with clients who want to work on their low motivation but they want to go too hard to fast, and do all the things. This puts you at a high risk of not being able to maintain your motivation, perceiving that you have failed and unintentionally re-enforcing negative beliefs you have about yourself and your capacity to change.

  • Identifying any secondary gains of not changing: A psychologist can help explore why you may be experiencing resistance to changing your behaviour to achieve your goals.

  • Guiding you to explore your values and how these align with your goals: The purpose of such exercises is to deepen your understanding of your why to help increase motivation through connection to a greater sense of purpose.

  • Building your self-efficacy: When first trying to do this you may struggle to identify your own strengths and capabilities. A psychologist help you to do this which may lead you to an increased belief in your ability to succeed which therefore may increase your motivation to progress towards your goals

  • Developing coping and regulating strategies: These will frequently focus on anxiety and stress management, as well as low mood. Each of these areas have the implicated in low motivation and learning how to more confidently manage these symptoms can improve overall motivation.

  • Identification of unhelpful thinking patterns: Therapy can not only help you identify unhelpful thought loops which are contributing to your low motivation. After you identify them, you can then be guided on how to challenge the beliefs which may be causing them or reframe them.

This is not an all inclusive list there are several other ways therapy may be able to support you to overcome your low motivation.