introduction
The start of the 1950s saw Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s experiences in surviving Nazi concentration camps had given the psychiatrist a rich insight into motivating people through finding meaning in their life over those days. Frankl’s research into purpose and motivation continued from that point onward, and one of the key takeaways was to see that the drive to live gave people the determination to overcome the unimaginable.
In today’s world of many uncertainties, the need to understand sources of personal motivation can give individuals direction throughout life through their goal-setting capabilities, how they tackle life’s obstacles/roadblocks and how satisfying the good or bad times are through living life.
This article will explain the basic framework that can assist in understanding your personal reasons for being motivated to live. The article will explore three key components of this framework: Purpose and Meaning, Internal and External, Environment and Habit. Each of these components build together to create sustainable motivation into long-lasting and meaningful fulfillment.
Body
Way of Life – Determine Your Purpose
At the very foundation of motivation, in general, is a person’s sense of purpose or their reason for doing something. Purpose gives meaning to the question “Why get out of bed each morning?”. Many studies have shown that people who believe their life has purpose have much higher motivation, coping ability, and happiness than those without it.
Supporting Evidence and Example
A long-term Harvard study of more than 80 years revealed that those who experienced a high level of purpose in life lived longer and were happier with their lives.
Alternative Approach
For many, motivation in life comes from short-term goals, such as money, status, or recognition. Oftentimes, these short-term types of motivation will provide a spur of energy but will ultimately not provide a long lasting motivation for life.
Motivation based on purpose, however:
- Is internally motivated and not reliant on external rewards.
- Is stable and available even in difficult times.
- Encourages long-term commitment and sustained effort.
The main point here is:
Motivation based on purpose is much deeper, stronger, and more sustainable than motivation based only on short term external outcomes.
People who can connect their jobs to a larger goal or purpose (i.e., helping others, being part of a community, etc.) tend to feel more engaged and experience less burnout than others.
A good example is teachers, who maintain their motivation despite ongoing challenges due to their belief that they are doing something meaningful.
How Internal vs External Motivation Influences Motivation for Life
Not all motivation comes from the same source. Psychologists refer to the two different types of motivation as external motivation, which comes from money, accolades, and fear of being punished, and internal motivation, which comes from having a sense of purpose in our lives, having an innate curiosity, and being able to experience and enjoy things that make us happy. Both types of motivation impact the decisions people make about what they choose to do; however, extrinsic motivation has less of an impact on sustaining and motivating people for life than does intrinsic motivation.
Insights Gained from Research
According to the Self-Determination Theory, individuals who are intrinsically motivated tend to be more creative than extrinsically motivated individuals, have more persistence than extrinsically motivated individuals, and are more satisfied and happy psychologically than extrinsically motivated individuals.
Employees who are primarily motivated by internal factors (rather than extrinsically) tend to perform at a higher level and have less employee turnover than do employees who are primarily motivated by salary or title.
Students who learn out of curiosity generally remember what they learned for a longer period of time than do students who learn only because they have a test.
Applying the Research
Suppose you have a friend who exercises solely to fit in with social norms and peer pressure versus a friend who exercises because it improves their mood, gives them more energy, and makes them feel confident. The first person has a much better chance of remaining motivated over the long term because they have an intrinsic reward from exercising.
Your Motivation is Influenced by Your Habits and Your Environment
You may have heard that motivation comes from within, but motivation is also influenced by the habits you create for yourself and the environment around you. When you are surrounded by negative influences (ex. people draining energy from you), it’s going to be hard for even the most motivated person to stay motivated.
Research Into Habits
Approximately 40% of our actions on a daily basis are based on our habits, rather than a conscious decision.
Building on small habitual actions can create major increases or decreases in motivation and success over time.
How does this differ from other motivation strategies?
Many of the common motivation techniques revolve around encouraging a person’s desire to do something through willpower (i.e., I’m going to force myself to get up and do this). These strategies do work for a short period of time, but they are not sustainable long-term. An example of a more sustainable method would be:
Instead of relying on willpower and forcing yourself to be disciplined, you should create your own systems that will automatically motivate you to continue your goal-fulfilling actions over the course of your lifetime.
You will experience increasing motivation from taking small action steps and then building on these small actions until you get to the point where you have built up enough momentum to achieve your goal.
Tips for Creating a Sustainable Motivational System:
Create an environment that supports your efforts to achieve your goals; for example, by keeping books out where you can see them (to encourage reading) and minimizing distractions from your work (to improve your ability to focus).
Develop keystone habits (such as becoming more physically fit or getting more consistent quality sleep).
Find and surround yourself with people who are also working toward their goals; this provides you with both accountability and inspiration to continue on your journey to achieving your goals.
Final Thoughts
There isn’t a selective group of people who are endowed with what is called “motivation for living” – motivation is an attainable characteristic that can be cultivated through practice. The main message of this article is that motivation is comprised of three core elements – a well-defined purpose to which one feels connected on an emotional level, an internal will to pursue that purpose, and a supportive system (habits) for facilitating the pursuit of that purpose over any considerable period of time. These components create a solid foundation for a person to develop and maintain the energy and commitment needed for life-long motivation.
It is important that all parties (individuals, teachers and organizations) shift their motivation systems from a focus on short term rewards or incentives and instead work toward providing individuals with the opportunity for self-determined motivation based on finding meaning in their personal endeavors. Individuals must connect their goals with their core values; nurture their internal desire to meet these goals; and utilize their environment(s) to maintain the pursuit of meeting their goals. Eventually, this process will allow individuals to develop and sustain long-term motivation from within.
The message to take away
from this article is that reflecting on your core values, taking one action today to accomplish further alignment between your values and your goals, and modifying your environment(s) will begin to build your long-term motivation. This way, motivation is built over time through careful planning and constructive efforts.