We know how difficult it can be to pull ourselves together and keep going towards the goal. At a time when it seems that motivation is lacking, it’s worth thinking about long-term motivation. About what it was really all about, and what you’ll get if you achieve your goal.
Why We Quit
All of us often promise ourselves to start a new life on Monday. Full of energy and inspiration, we sign up for Spanish and cross-stitching classes on the weekend. We promise ourselves to exercise every day. But after a few days, our enthusiasm wanes, and we give up on what we started.
Why does this happen? This, alas, is how our brain works. Evolutionarily it is used to save energy (“what if the tiger runs? I’d better rest, save strength for the important”). And often our plans and ideas remain unrealized, because inside ourselves we have not found a global goal, for which it is worth continuing. And while we haven’t found it, of course, it’s better to watch another TV series, bet via 22Bet Portugal, and save our energy in case the tiger attacks after all.
The truth is, we can almost always find long-term motivation. And when we formulate it, our brain will have no reason to give up on the activity, and it will definitely find the energy and time to do what we choose to do.
How to Find Long-term Motivation
Getting to the underlying motivation can be helped by answering yourself honestly to the questions below. It’s likely that while you’re doing this, at some point something will start to click, and you’ll get a feel for that big goal that’s worth following through with.
So, what questions are worth answering:
- What happens if I do it?
- What happens if I don’t do it?
- What won’t happen if I do it?
- What won’t happen if I don’t do it?
Let’s answer these questions using the example of the hypothetical Hannah, who wants to change careers and learn motion design:
- What will happen if Hannah does this (goes to school)? Hannah will get a job at the very studio she has been dreaming about for a long time. She will increase the level of income. Hannah will be able to work with major brands.
- What will happen if Hannah doesn’t do this? Hannah will continue to talk herself into going to work in the morning. Will save time on training and be able to spend it on something else.
- What won’t happen if Hannah does this? Hanna won’t be able to change the vector of work in the direction she wants. It will be harder to increase her income level. Will not get the job she has been thinking about for many years.
- What won’t happen if Hannah doesn’t do it? Hanna won’t have a long-term desire to work at her current job. There would be no realized desire to try a different profession. She will have no motion projects to add to her portfolio.
Such a rule works almost for everyone. That’s why you can ask yourself if you want to become a top athlete or get the highest job position.
Everyone’s long-term motivation is different. And it will not necessarily be “good” (rubbing the nose with friends who did not believe in you – also quite possible to be a long-term motivation). With an exercise like this, try writing out the answers on a piece of paper! You’ll reduce the likelihood that you’ll abandon the class, and you’ll identify a point B that’s worth continuing to work for.
