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Motivation is a crucial factor that leads to consistency, which in turn drives increased efficiency in achieving results. However, it is not always easy to identify what motivates us, especially when we feel stuck or stagnant. Often, we mistake a lack of motivation for laziness, lack of willingness, incapability, or inability. But in reality, many underlying factors can affect our motivation, such as life events that can weaken our mental resilience over time. Life can be challenging, and it has its ups and downs. Sometimes, things may not go as planned, but it is essential to remember that life happens for us and not to us. To keep going, we need to make a conscious choice to choose to renew our hope each day. This way, no matter how tough things get, we can always draw from a pool of fresh hope. Motivation needs to come from within first before it can manifest externally. We need to make up our minds not to give up on our goals, whether it is our career aspirations, family or love life, friendships, or other pursuits. Once we make up our minds, we become more receptive to people, places, or things that can motivate us along the way.
I recently noticed a strange behaviour in myself. I have faced many challenges in life and have not been able to achieve the independence and freedom I have longed for. As a result, I have felt trapped in a vicious cycle of routine. Even though my routine is not unhealthy, it has been draining to repeat the same things over and over again. I gave up on life, and on my ability to move forward regardless of my achievements or lack thereof. I have been lacking motivation, but still exist. I realized I had given up when someone called me “lazy” even though I am usually a go-getter. It was time for me to re-evaluate my complacency and find its root cause. I am not lazy, but rather unmotivated to do things I used to enjoy. I gave up, but now I must find a way to reignite my passion and motivation.
This is what lack of motivation does to you. It can gradually drain the happiness and energy out of you, leaving you lacking the confidence to succeed and the strength to push forward. This is what is known as learned helplessness, a psychological state where we expect the worst outcome from any situation due to our past negative experiences. This feeling can be a significant obstacle to motivation and can leave us feeling paralysed and unable to make positive choices. However, it is possible to overcome learned helplessness through various psychological techniques like practising self-awareness, staying present in the moment, and seeking therapy. By doing this, we can break free from the chains of learned helplessness and start making healthier choices without feeling so attached to the outcome. Instead, we can learn to be more resilient and use our past negative experiences as a springboard for growth. Inaction, on the other hand, is equally detrimental to motivation. It leaves us feeling drained with only thoughts and mental images, without any positive materialisation. This not only wastes our time but also occupies the part of our brain that should be fueling our motivation for action.
Motivation is necessary, especially during these challenging times. The economy is worsening with the cost of living increasing almost daily. Bad governance triggers anxiety and leaves citizens restless. The impoverished are losing hope while the rich are becoming cautious, and the middle class is struggling to maintain their balance. This is the right time to motivate yourself to keep going and endure, despite the current situation. Taking action is crucial to counteract a lack of motivation. You must act to gain motivation and create actionable plans. When you make plans and stick to them, you’ll gain the motivation you need to carry on and hopefully achieve your desired outcomes. Initially, I did not plan to write on this topic, but once I started and finished, I realised the importance of arresting the negative thoughts that can keep you from moving forward. Once you do that, you’ll be ready to make progress.
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Feature Image by Vlada Karpovich for Pexels
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