9 Ways To Find What Motivates You?

Dr. Ankit Sharma, PhD

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Ways To Find What Motivates You

You’ve likely heard the proverb “Know thyself.” Being aware of who you are is essential to living a fulfilling life. Finding out what drives you in life is one approach to having a deeper understanding of yourself. For that, you need to follow Ways to Find What Motivates You.

The best way to describe motivation is as what spurs you to action. You could want to make a difference in your life, but to do so, you must understand what will motivate you to act. This will be contingent upon many things. Understanding the many motivational factors can help you apply the most potent ones to your situation.

How To Find Your Drive

Ways to Find What Motivates You

1. Think About Things You Would Do For Free

If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to make a good income doing what inspires you. That isn’t always the case, however. Many individuals have not been able to support themselves by doing what they love. Currently regarded as one of the finest painters in history is Vincent Van Gogh.

In his whole life, he only ever sold one artwork. Did you know that? Throughout his life, Van Gogh produced over 900 paintings, yet he was only able to sell one. It took a few years after his passing before people began to value his artwork.

Van Gogh was a passionate painter and did not give a damn whether anybody bought his works. Van Gogh’s drive was independent of his financial situation and unrelated to whether or not his art was appreciated. Identifying your passion is one of the Ways to Find What Motivates You.

2. Dig Deeper Inside Your Mind

Digging deeper in your mind is an answer to How to Find What Motivates You. When you go to sleep and wake up, what thoughts cross your mind? There are moments when life is going so quickly that you ignore the advice of your inner self. Keep a notepad close when you get up so you may record your daily first thoughts. These provide hints about your motivators.

Carry a notepad with you and fill it up with any ideas you come up with throughout the day. You should be able to identify certain themes in your ideas as you fill the pages of your notebook. You care about the things that are on your mind constantly.

What drives you in life will not just come from your inner ideas but also from the things you are constantly discussing. What subjects do you usually talk about with your friends and family? Have you ever found yourself discussing this similar subject with the cashier or bag lady at a grocery store? If so, you have probably discovered something you are driven to pursue and are enthusiastic about.

3. Know Your Values

Knowing your values can help you determine how a goal or activity will support and nurture them. What kinds of things inspire you intrinsically?

  • What gives you a positive feeling?
  • What are your beliefs?
  • Which personality type do you aspire to be?
  • What brings you joy?
  • What piques your interest?
  • Which kinds of relationships are your favourites?
  • What gives you a sense of security?

4. Know What You Want To Do

Knowing what you want to do is one of the Ways to Find What Motivates You. One crucial component of motivation is autonomy. When making a decision to do anything, think about whether it’s something you believe you should wish to accomplish or something that someone else has advised you to undertake.

Those circumstances are often insufficient to maintain a habit or activity. When you are not involved in something or don’t truly care about, it might be difficult to keep going.

You are much more likely to stick with whatever you choose to do if it is something you love, are interested in, or believe in. Don’t start with the poetry course your buddy loved if you want to take a writing class but don’t like poetry, for example. Select an exciting topic for you.

5. Locate A Location Where You Feel At Home

To motivate yourself to keep going, look for a community or organization to join. Wanting to accomplish something is simpler when you have a sense of belonging. You get assistance and give people support in return. Accompany a buddy to a walking group, theatrical club, or dance ensemble.

6. Learn Something New

Are there any hobbies that you find yourself losing track of time doing? These are indications that you could have discovered a source of personal motivation. Research indicates that while reading something that inspires you, you’ll read more and retain more information than when reading something that doesn’t.

Being forced to perform is the essential component of motivation. Anytime you feel pushed to act, you should consider the motivation behind your actions.

7. Don’t Multitask

Humans are sadly incapable of multitasking. In reality, we are rapidly moving between two tasks when we believe we are multitasking. There are costs associated with this level of mental task switching, including increased tiredness, lower productivity, and disrupted attention.

When we’re not feeling driven, a lot of us multitask because it makes us feel like we’re getting a lot done, even if the job isn’t as fulfilling. Rather, concentrate on one item at a time. Therefore, not multitasking is an answer to How to Find What Motivates You.

8. It Can Be Listed During Your Most Happy Moments

One of the best Ways to Find What Motivates You is to reflect on yourself. Consider the periods of your life when you were most pleased with yourself. It may have been when you scored the go-ahead home run or got your ideal job. Jot down each of these instances on a piece of paper, whatever they may be. Look over your list and look for any patterns.

Were you serving the less fortunate, performing in front of people, or spending time with family? These hints reveal what drives you in life, regardless of what you are doing. Once you’ve identified the themes in your motivation, act to validate them. Find a means to express your creativity if it’s something you like doing. You can realize that you are inspired by a very particular facet of creativity.

There will always be those who are driven by the desire to aid the underprivileged. Volunteer and see how you feel if you think you love being of service to others. You can realize that you would like to assist a certain cause you are enthusiastic about rather than simply anyone. This exercise is meant to help you investigate your reasons rather than pass judgment on them.

9. If No One Was Looking, You Would Do it

You do certain actions in life because you are told by society to make wise decisions. Society has a way of telling you what to study and how to pursue your job, as well as what city and major to live in. Some options are regarded as prestigious and will be well-welcomed by the majority of people. There is also a less well-known and less-used route.

“Why am I on this path?” is a question that only you can answer. Are you heading in the direction that will make your parents or friends smile? Or are you on a route that not many others recognize or value?

It’s been said that your actions when no one else is around determine who you are. Your prize is already yours if you take action to win other people’s appreciation in your life. On the other hand, if you find yourself acting by your inner purpose, you are following your true calling in life.

Types of Motivation

It is essential to know what drives you to act and live with purpose. It’s critical to comprehend your driving forces while making daily judgments. Understanding your motivations by following Ways to Find What Motivates You makes it simpler to comprehend why you act in some ways and not in others.

And it’s simpler to adjust, become better, and concentrate on what matters when you understand why you do things. There are two primary forms of motivation in humans:

Intrinsic motivation: An activity that you participate in because it fulfills you is known as intrinsic motivation. Instead of engaging in an activity because you want to get a reward from someone else, you are doing it for its purpose. The conduct yields rewards on its own.

Examples:

  • Exercising by yourself because you like the way it feels.
  • Travelling because you’re interested in discovering new cultures.
  • Giving of yourself because you want to assist others.
  • Studying because you have a passion for a subject.
  • Acquiring new abilities due to their enjoyment.

Extrinsic motivation: The desire to get a reward or stay out of trouble is known as extrinsic motivation. This drives behaviour or activity. You will act in a certain way because you anticipate receiving something in return or to avoid unpleasant situations, not because you love it or find it rewarding.

Examples:

  • Putting in a lot of study time to ace the test.
  • Choosing to enroll in a certain university program to fulfill your parent’s expectations.
  • Doing a job to get money.
  • Washing the dishes to avoid upsetting your significant other.
  • Giving back because it enhances your CV.

FAQs

Q: Why is motivation necessary for us?

A: Motivation is the desire to fulfill your needs or reach your objectives. In order to change bad habits and form good ones, motivation is essential. Many individuals have trouble becoming and being motivated, particularly those who suffer from mental health issues like anxiety or depression.

Q: What factors affect your level of motivation?

A: Conscious and unconscious factors—such as the desire to acquire something or the possibility of receiving approval and recognition from others—are essential for motivation. You could also be motivated by the necessity of raising your income to maintain your family or reach a certain retirement age.

Q: From where does motivation originate?

A: Numerous variables affect motivation, including the organism’s internal physiological states, the external environment at the time, the organism’s prior experiences, and its previous history.

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