Let’s be honest! Self-motivation is not easy but it is possible to achieve! In order to motivate yourself to do something, you might think you should want to do it. Although this is true to some extent – engaging in something you are passionate about motivates you to do it – there is still a difference between wanting to do something and motivating yourself to do it.
Self-motivation is that internal drive that keeps pushing you to move forward. In simplest terms, self-motivation is the force that drives you to do things. When you don’t know how to start something or feel like you’re ready to quit what you’ve started, your self-motivation can push you to begin and then to persevere.
Danial Goldman, one of the leading experts on the theory of Emotional Intelligence, has identified four elements that make up motivation:
1) Personal Drive, 2) Commitment, 3) Initiative, and 4) Optimism.
Do you feel you possess these qualities? After all, self-motivation is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it becomes. And like a muscle, it needs to be exercised in different ways so it becomes resilient and always ready to serve your goals.
Understanding and developing your self-motivation can help you to take control of many aspects of your life. So how self-motivated are you? The following short quiz can bring insight into the degree of self-motivation you currently possess.
Assessment: “Self-Motivation Quiz”
1. Assign a point value to each statement below using the following scale:
| 5 | Very Often |
| 4 | Often |
| 3 | Sometimes |
| 2 | Rarely |
| 1 | Not at All |
2. Here are The Statements:
- _____ I’m unsure of my ability to achieve the goals I set for myself.
- _____ While working on my goals, I put in maximum effort and work even harder if I’ve suffered a setback.
- _____ I regularly set goals and objectives to achieve my vision for my life.
- _____ I think positively about setting goals and making sure my needs are met.
- _____ I use rewards to keep myself focused. For example, if I finish my report on time, I allow myself to take a coffee break.
- _____ I believe that if I work hard and apply my abilities and talents, I will be successful.
- _____ I worry about deadlines and getting things done, which causes stress and anxiety.
- _____ When an unexpected event threatens or jeopardizes my goal, I tend to walk away, set a different goal, and move in a new direction.
- _____ When I come up with a really good idea, I am surprised by my creativity. I figure it is my lucky day, and caution myself not to get used to the feeling.
- _____ I tend to do the minimum amount of work necessary to keep others satisfied.
- _____ I tend to worry about why I won’t reach my goals, and I often focus on why something probably won’t work.
- _____ I create a vivid and powerful vision of my future success before embarking on a new goal.
3. Total your Score:
—————
4. Assessing your Score:
Score of 44-60 – You get things done, and you don’t allow things to get in your way. You make a conscious effort to stay self-motivated and spend significant time and effort on setting goals and acting to achieve them. You attract and inspire others with your success. But remember, others may not be as self-motivated as you.
Score of 28-43 – You’re doing well with self-motivation. You’re certainly not failing, but maybe you could achieve much more. Try increasing your self-motivation in all areas of your life.
Score of 12-27 – You likely allow doubts and fears to keep you from succeeding. You’ve probably had a few incomplete goals in the past and have convinced yourself now that you aren’t self-motivated. Eliminate this harmful thinking and start believing in yourself again.
Reflect on Your Results:
- How motivated are you to achieve what you really want in life?
- How hard do you really push yourself to get things done?
There are four key factors necessary in building a strong degree of self-motivation. By working on these four factors, your self-motivation can significantly improve.
- Possessing self-confidence – Albert Bandura, a psychologist from Stanford University, defined self-confidence as a belief in our own ability to succeed and to achieve the goals we set for ourselves.
- According to Bandura, high self-confidence results in an ability to view difficult goals as challenges; whereas people with low self-confidence likely view the same goals as being beyond their abilities, and might not even attempt to achieve them. By developing your self-confidence, you will not only believe you can succeed, but you’ll also recognize and enjoy the successes you’ve already had.
- Having positive thoughts – It’s important to look at things positively, especially when things aren’t going as planned and you’re ready to give up. If you think things are going to go wrong or you won’t succeed, this may influence things in such a way that your predictions will come true. Your thoughts can have a major influence on whether you succeed or fail, so make sure those thoughts are “on your side.” When you expect positive results, you’ll make more positive choices.
- Establishing goals – A key part of building self-motivation is to start setting goals. Goals provide focus and a clear sense of direction. When you set a goal, you make a promise to yourself, and you’ll want to keep that promise.
- Immerse yourself in a motivational surrounding – Surround yourself with people and resources that will remind you of your goals. You can’t rely on these external surroundings alone to motivate you, but you can use them for extra support.
Build your self-motivation by practicing goal setting skills and combining those skills with positive thinking, the creation of powerful visions of success, and the building of high levels of self-confidence. Your attitude and beliefs about your likelihood of success can predict whether or not you actually succeed.
Continually assess your degree of self-motivation and examine ways to improve it. If you actively keep your internal motivation high, you can significantly increase the likelihood of achieving your hopes, dreams, and visions for the future.
Would you like to learn how hypnosis can help you overcome your struggles with Motivation? Click the link below:
Motivation & Hypnosis
Work with me!
Are you struggling to access your internal motivation? Why not do something about it today? Find out about how my services can help you get started on your way to feeling motivated and taking action quickly!