introduction
The issue of motivation is that, while people typically have the desire to reach their goals, actual motivation tends to come and go rather quickly regardless of how ambitious someone may actually be. Motivation fluctuates from day to day and becomes depleted by external factors such as stress and boredom.
Motivating oneself is a key factor when it comes to performance, learning, wellness and personal growth. As it relates to running a business, developing a skill or changing daily habits, having spurts of excitement for a short period of time is not an effective way of being motivated; therefore, individuals require longer-term sustained motivation in order to accomplish their goals.
The following article describes the steps necessary to create long-term motivation based on the following three principles: 1) aligning motivation with one’s personal identity; 2) developing supportive systems for sustaining momentum; and 3) developing a system of reinforcement through feedback and progress. Collectively, they can provide a more practical and longer term solution than just relying on willpower for producing motivated performance.
step 1: Motivation should come from within — based on your identity and not outcome-based.
Why Does Identity-Driven Motivation Work?
Almost all motivation techniques are driven by outcome-based motivations — lose ten pounds, make more money, finish this project. While they can help you reach your goal, outcome-based motivation will often fail you.
According to behavioral psychology studies, people are much more reliable when they take actions in alignment with their identity (who they are) versus actions that lead them far from the identity they want to create.
With an internal, identity-based motivation, then the actions you take, or the effort you expend will feel effortless versus forced. You are no longer chasing motivation; rather, you are using motivation as a tool to express your motivation.
Practical Applications:
Instead of asking yourself, “What do I want to achieve?”, ask;
“Who do I want to become?”
“What would someone with that identity do on a regular basis?”
Here are a few examples;
A writer writes when he/she is not inspired.
A healthy person utilizes better habits without going through an ongoing debate within themselves.
Here is a list of some simple, easily identifiable shifts impacting identity-based motivation;
“I am someone that finishes what I start.”
“I am a learner, even if I do not want to be.”
“I show up every day, even imperfectly.”
What is the difference between traditional outcome-based motivation and an identity-based motivation approach?
Traditional motivation has elements of emotional intensity, including hype, enthusiasm, and emotional pressure; identity-driven motivation is based upon the act of doing or taking action on a consistent basis, with respect to your self-concept. This means that you no longer rely on motivation to just show up; rather, you can rely upon action, as your method of motivation.
Stage 2: Create a System To Build Momentum And Eliminate Friction
The environment you are in affects how much motivation you have. People typically blame themselves for having low motivation levels, when in actuality low motivation can be attributed to a system which creates obstacles to making progress.
Research surrounding the creation of habits shows that decreasing friction is much more effective to boosting motivation than simply adding willpower. Individuals will experience increased motivation by creating quick and easy steps to take action and by creating ways to fail which require effort.
Designing Systems To Support Motivation
An effective support system will create a framework for your success, rather than relying on willpower. These systems will contain:
1) Clear Triggers, such as designated times or cues to generate action.
2) Small Starting Points, such as completing a single task versus attempting to complete an entire project.
3) Visible Progress, such as having immediate feedback for the results of your efforts.
Here are some examples of how to develop and put into place systems to support motivation:
- Write one paragraph instead of attempting to write an entire chapter.
- Prepare your workout clothes the night before.
- Schedule 30 minutes of “free” time to devote to an activity over the course of the week.
Creating A “Bullet-Proof” System To Maintain Motivation
There are several key elements to a successful support system which will help promote motivation and maintain it:
1) Create a checklist versus creating a “wish list”.
2) Use a routine versus making numerous unrelated decisions.
3) Create “defaults” versus creating discipline.
Motivation From A Systematic Perspective Instead Of A Willpower-Based Perspective.
Willpower-based motivation is an example of the “you should try harder” assertion. A willpower-based support system is designed to assist individuals in “designing better”, whereas a systematic-based support system is designed to move the individual towards completing an activity regardless of their emotional state at the time.
Step 3: To Increase Motivation, Provide Feedback, Allow for Progress, Give Meaning
How Feedback Results In Lost Motivation
When we feel that the difficult work we are doing is unappreciated and will not lead to any improvement then we have less motivation to work hard. Research into the brain shows that the release of dopamine comes from two sources – success and perceived progress. If there is no feedback, there will be no motivation.
Long-term motivation requires frequent and consistent feedback that we are working towards something meaningful.
Developing Working Feedback Loops
The most successful feedback loops are simple and compact. The following are some examples of effective feedback loops:
- Running streaks or total days completed
- Weekly reviews of progress
- Before and after pictures of progress
- Peer to peer accountability or check-ins
- Connecting Motivation To Meaning
In addition to providing feedback as a source of motivation, motivation can also be increased by feeling connected to a larger purpose (i.e. personal growth, building something for someone else, feeling a sense of control, long-term impact).
The following are questions to consider when developing the meaning for your goal:
- How does this goal impact my life long term?
- Who benefits from me staying consistent?
- What does the effort put towards this goal represent in my life?
How This Step Is An Improvement Over Other Common Approaches
Most motivation strategies use rewards like money, food, or praise. Even though rewards can give a burst of motivation in the short-term, they tend to weaken an individual’s intrinsic motivation. Building motivation using feedback and meaning can help create motivation from within, which allows for sustained efforts towards our goals regardless of whether there is a reward waiting for us at the end of our hard work.
calculation
Sustaining motivation is not simply about having the right personality, nor do we get inspired by something random that happens. The key to sustaining motivation over time is building a support network for self-expression (identity anticipation), developing systems to help you with your current motivational level (momentum), creating a way to keep track of your progress (feedback), and developing a system of meaningfulness to sustain motivation for the long run.
For Work, Education, and Personal Development, the Future of Sustaining Motivation will be Based on:
Systems and structure rather than hype and intensity will create an environment where people are successful with their goals because they’ve built their communities around their new identities, developed support networks to help achieve their current levels of momentum and provided their community members with a way to measure their success through a feedback loop.
The call to action
Pick one goal today where you can apply these principles or ideas immediately. Redefine your goal based on your identity and develop an easier way to help you. Finally, create a simple feedback loop for measuring how far you have come toward achieving your goal. Once you create your future today through consistent action, motivation will then follow.