How to get motivated even when you don’t feel like it
You've always aspired to be
a professional artist.
At last, this dream may become a reality,
and you're creating a portfolio
to submit to art programs.
But as the application deadline looms,
you suddenly find yourself unmotivated,
and avoiding the canvas altogether.
Why does motivation seem so fickle?
And what even is it in the first place?
Psychologists define motivation
as the desire or impetus
to initiate and maintain
a particular behavior.
In other words, it's the energy
that drives you to do something.
And knowing the source of that drive
is particularly important
when it comes to understanding
how to maintain it.
These motivational forces
generally fall into two broad categories:
intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic motivation is involved
when you experience an activity
as an end in itself.
Take a hobby,
like playing video games.
The experience largely explains
the desire to do it.
Performing tasks that feel right
in the moment—
or that you find a meaningful,
interesting, or satisfying—
are driven by intrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand,
refers to pursuing a task
as a means to an end.
While few would consider going
to the dentist as an enjoyable activity,
you're often motivated by the outcome
of having clean, healthy teeth.
Other examples of extrinsic motivation
include completing a task
to receive some sort of reward,
whether it's praise, power, or money.
Notably, these rewards tend to come later,
like receiving a bonus
at the end of a quarter,
or winning a competition
after months of training.
While extrinsic rewards,
like getting paid,
may seem appealing,
their effectiveness can be
surprisingly short-lived.
For example, a 2017 study found that
those who were highly focused
on the outcomes of
their New Year's resolutions—
or driven by extrinsic motivation—
weren't the most likely to stick to them.
What did predict persistence, however,
was how much a person
enjoyed pursuing their goals.
In other words, you're more likely
to maintain an exercise routine
if you take classes you enjoy,
rather than just those
that build your biceps.
Years of psychology research have shown
that high levels of intrinsic motivation—
for school, a job, or an exercise class—
are more likely to keep you engaged
in the long run.
Day-to-day actions, though,
are rarely either exclusively
intrinsically or extrinsically motivated.
Studying for a history exam, for example,
can be intrinsically motivated
If you're curious about
the culture of ancient Egypt.
But extrinsic motivators may
also be at play,
as you aim to get a good grade
or feel pressure from family members
to do well in school.
But having multiple motivators
isn't always better.
One study of military cadets found
that those who were driven
both by intrinsic motivators,
like self-improvement,
and extrinsic motivators,
like the outcome of getting a good job,
were overall less motivated than cadets
driven by just one of these factors.
As a result, these cadets performed worse
and were less likely to graduate.
Psychologists call this phenomenon
the overjustification effect—
the idea that additional extrinsic
motivators can actually muddy the waters
when you already have
the intrinsic drive to do something.
But this is only a problem
if you already find a task motivating.
When you're faced with an activity
you find tedious or uninteresting,
adding extrinsic rewards
can be beneficial.
In this way, extrinsic motivators
can provide sufficient justification.
While you may never enjoy
doing the laundry,
it may feel less daunting
if you get praise from a loved one,
or even promise yourself that
you'll watch your favorite TV show
when you're done folding.
Motivation is complicated.
And sometimes, no matter how passionate
you are about a goal or hobby,
finding the motivation
to actually do it can be difficult.
But there are things you can do
to increase your drive,
even when it feels impossible.
Focus on building intrinsic motivation
by making the task more fun in the moment.
Asking a friend to join you
or simply putting
on your favorite playlist
can give you the boost to get started—
and stick with your goals
for the long haul.
