Rules to Motivation

As a teacher, I begin the year the same I do every year with my students. I want to build a community of learners and shakers, movers and risk takers. SO, I pull forth my soap box and throw my hat out to the crowd of 26 young faces staring back at me. “What is motivation?” I ask them. “What does it mean to stay motivated?” Most of the time, there is but few replies including the occasional cough. “How do you motivate yourself when you are not in the growth mindset or headspace?”

After a few more empty minutes, LONG ones may I say, I take out the giant bag of Tropical Skittles (they just taste better!) that is hiding in my teacher's catch-all, and I ask the question again, this time using a different approach, “what would you do if I told you I would give you 5 skittles if you could tell me what your favorite subject to learn about it is?” Well, you can guess what usually happens next. 24 of the 26 hands shoot into the air, so fast I have to back up to avoid the rush of energy from the quick movements. Before I call on students and begin handing out candy, I announce, “Boy! You sure are a motivated bunch! It seems you all were very excited to answer the question!” with a smile. We all know what really happened, they saw the candy and had to have some. 
Now, then, I ask you. What is motivation? At least what does it mean to you? In Behavioral Psychology, motivation is the WHY behind the movement, choice, action, and even words, that we do at any given point or moment in time. Motivation is the thing that drives us and continues to push us to reach a goal or desired behavior. In the case with my students, it was clear that when they saw the Skittles they were motivated to share their thoughts with me and the rest of the class. In most cases this is true for all of us actually. We are all motivated by one thing or another, and what that looks like is different for all of us. When I was in college to get my MA in Educational Psychology, it was my desire to grow for myself that motivated me. I wanted to be a better teacher, and hopefully one day have the opportunity to use my background to help motivate others. On the other hand, don’t kid yourself, I also knew that the more education I had the more money I could make-this all came into play in part of my drive in the first place. Motivation, though, was only half of it-the other half was my driven desire to succeed. I had to endure, suffer through long nights, work extra shifts, write and rewrite 15 page papers, read fine-print, picture-less, sometimes endless, textbooks, lose time with my loved ones, and climb out of bed every morning knowing that this was my life for almost 18 months, all while potty training 2 young children. What then, you may ask me, was it that drove me to want this in the first place? Wasn’t sanity, for one, enough of a reason to perhaps stop me from continuing? 
Although the topic of motivation itself, and everything it entails, is extensive and probably unnecessary to go into right now, or NEVER, there is something that, if you are reading this, may help you find what you are looking for in order to motivate yourself; it is a short set of rules that worked and continues to work for me. 

1. Release your fear of failure. Fear is stifling. It can keep you in one place, motionless, or it can cause you to go running in the opposite direction. Know your risks as you go into it and recognize them as possible bricks in the road, but not walls. If you go for the gold, and find out you don’t want it anymore, at least you can OWN the process.
   
2. Write it out as if you are challenging yourself. Literally, I challenge you to overcome-face-reach-aspire to ___. Then, write it out again. People are naturally competitive. It is in our genes to fight for the dream-or...survival. Compete against yourself and your own behaviors-keep points but forget records of loss-and level up daily. 
   
3. Take bite size breaths in the moment and praise yourself. I had to recognize that each day was a day closer to where I wanted to be. I also had to thank myself for the work I had completed and the effort that I put forth. We make such a big deal about babies' first steps, why can’t we praise our own?!
   

Whether you are seeking to lose weight, learn a new language or skill, change careers, or try on crocheting (one I have yet to challenge myself to work towards), try believing in yourself. Know that you can do it and confront your fears by accepting the struggle as part of the win. I guess when push comes to shove, eat some tropical skittles-unless your goal is to eat healthy, then, try some roasted carrots instead. Don’t say I led you astray! If you try these 3 rules, or you have tried-and-true motivational strategies of your own, I want to hear about it! There’s LATTE say about motivation and living a self-driven life! Best wishes and beso a beso!