Updated February 9, 2019
It’s been a couple of years since I launching this bold. I had some initial hesitation about the venture, but I was finally driven to commit. But what were those elements that motivated me to ultimately act?
Think about it, without motivation, nothing can be accomplished. After all, many of us have lists of things we hope to accomplish–these lists contain big goals, daily tasks and everything in between. You won’t reach your goals or meet your self-imposed deadlines without the motivation to act. What are those factors that increase your motivation and boost the likelihood of checking more items off your list? Let’s explore the science of motivation and the ways to harness it to your advantage.
The Three Elements of Motivation
According to Dan Pink, author of the best-selling book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, there are three components of motivation that compel individuals to get things done. His premise is that the traditional method of motivating ourselves and others using a carrots (rewards) and sticks (punishment) type of reward system is ineffective. Instead, he argues that the scientific approach to understanding the makeup of motivation provides a far better lens from which to view the subject.
The three elements of motivation are: autonomy, value and competence. It is these components, according to researchers, that drive people to become motivated.
1) Autonomy refers to the amount of control or independence one feels over a task or action. It has been shown that when you feel that you have a significant amount of input regarding that task, you are more likely to follow through to completion.
2) Value is the amount of personal significance or importance you place on a matter. In essence, if something matters to you on a personal level, you will feel more motivation to take it on than if you are simply given an assignment to which you feel no connection.
3) Competence has been found to come from an individual’s feeling of mastery as it relates to practice and hard work, not necessarily to one’s natural abilities. If you spend time developing competence toward a particular goal, it is predicted that you will be more motivated to complete said goal.
Strategies to Increase Motivation
Now that you have an understanding of what matters most with regard to what motivates us, it’s time to consider some strategies to increase motivation.
1) Using the concept of autonomy as a guide, let’s consider ways to add a sense of control or involvement into activities that need to be completed. One way to do this is to take ownership of a chore or add some aspect of self-direction to it. If you are having difficulty starting a project such as submitting a paper for review, it may help to think of all the ways doing so will set you apart as an expert in your field. In doing so, you’ll see that turning in the paper is a necessary component to sharing your unique views with your colleagues.
2) To add value to your task, you want to make it meaningful or personal. Find a way to add purpose to that item on your to-do list. This involves changing your perspective or the way you look at that item. Completing your taxes is a dreaded chore for most of us, but you can add purpose to it by focusing on the work you’ve done that comprises the numbers on the page or the contribution you’ve made to your job and community through your efforts. Paying taxes is a symbol of good citizenry.
3) Finally, there’s competence. Feeling mastery over an act requires practice. Try to look at the job at hand as one in which you are working toward an end goal of skillfulness. For instance, you’ll soon see the treadmill as less of an adversary the more workout sessions you endure. So, along with the ultimate goal of getting fit, you’ll soon see each session become easier, leading to a feeling of accomplishment.
In my case, my motivation to start a blog was driven by my desire to share my personal story and the skills that led me to personal growth despite various life challenges (autonomy & competence). Furthermore, despite my background in medicine, I am a firm believer that we all are empowered with the capacity to heal ourselves and find personal growth (value)–sometimes we just need a little assistance to discover/refine the ability.
Have you lacked the motivation to complete your “to do” list? I get it, motivation is not always easy to come by. However, you now have a better understanding of the factors that tangibly affect motivation–so stop your hem and hawing and start developing those strategies to increase it. With this knowledge of the science behind motivation, you can now pursue the steps required to achieve your dreams more effectively. Soon you’ll be mastering your goals, which will fuel your motivation toward future endeavors.
Call to Action: If you want to gain motivation, I suggest just starting small by adding a sense of control or involvement into your activities. Finding value in the task will follow and then eventually, you will have established competence.
Subscribe to my newsletter and receive your FREE 13-page Self-Care Starter Kit. If you need a boost of motivation or inspiration, follow me on Facebook or Instagram to catch my daily quote.
Leave a Reply