How learning what motivates you can boost satisfaction...
WHAT motivates you? Motivation is a natural part of living and is simply about wanting the things that meet our needs.
At a basic level those things might be food, shelter and companionship, but in most modern day situations, it is a more complex ‘wanting’ of things that helps make our life satisfying and rewarding.
Motivation is necessary for us to engage with life, to perform well and achieve our goals.
However, sometimes things get in the way of feeling motivated or it can seem as though it doesn’t come naturally to us.
Research in this field shows that if we learn about the deeper drivers of motivation, we can enhance our wellbeing and life satisfaction.
Things that motivate us broadly fall into two categories: extrinsic (or external) factors such as other people and events, and intrinsic (or internal) factors such as our values and desire to learn new skills.
To figure out whether you are currently more driven by extrinsic or intrinsic motivators ask yourself the following questions: ■ Can you motivate yourself to do something, based on the type of person you want to be? ■ Do you feel motivated each day to get up and do the things that need doing in your work and home life? ■ Do you feel more motivated by your values than by material things like money and possessions?
If you answered yes to the above questions then you likely have high levels of motivation.
Not only that, what motivates and incentivises you comes more from internal drivers, such as your values.
This leads to flexible and creative responding, which means you can focus better on the task at hand to improve your skills and chance of success.
If you answered no to the above questions then there may be times when you feel a bit ‘stuck in a rut’.
If you’re struggling to work out what’s getting in the way of feeling motivated, it’s worth considering whether you are being more driven by external incentives rather than the internal drivers around where you place value. Modern day society has created an assumption that humans are motivated by acquiring more money and goods, reinforcing what we call extrinsic motivation.
Unfortunately this carrot and stick approach is not only misleading, it may be causing you to feel pressure and dissatisfaction.
Shifting your focus to internal satisfaction and doing what you enjoy will help you find value in a more meaningful way.
Learning new skills and connecting with others more purposefully is likely to motivate you towards a happier, more satisfied and successful life.
Dr Ellie Milby is a counselling psychologist