There are plenty of theories and tips designed to help people get motivated, but some of the psychological factors that can influence motivation might surprise you. Did you know that visualizing success can backfire? Or that incentives can sometimes make people less motivated? Researchers have found that rewarding people for doing things that they are already intrinsically motivated to do can actually backfire. Remember, intrinsic motivation arises from within the individual. It is essentially doing something for the pure enjoyment of it. Doing the task is its own reward. In instances where children are rewarded for doing something they already enjoy, such as playing with a certain toy, their future motivation to engage in the activity actually decreases. Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as the overjustification effect. So be cautious with rewards. Incentives can work well to increase motivation to engage in an activity that is otherwise unappealing, but over-dependence upon such rewards might actually end up decreasing motivation in some cases. How can you make the most of this tendency? Challenge yourself. Sign up for a local marathon. Focus on improving your times or going just a little bit further than you usually do. No matter what your goal, adding incremental challenges can help you improve your skills, feel more motivated, and bring you one step closer to success. Previous research has shown that idealized fantasies about the future typically predict poor achievement, and more recent research has found that mentally indulging in such visualization saps available energy. So what does work?
Instead of imagining yourself suddenly successful, imagine all the steps it will take to achieve that success.What challenges will you face? Knowing what you might encounter can make it easier to deal with when the time comes.What strategies can you use to overcome those challenges? Planning ahead can leave you better prepared to overcome the difficulties you might face.
One of the reasons people sometimes dislike “group work” is that they lose that individual sense of control and contribution. What can you do to take back control in group situations?
If you are working in a group (or trying to motivate a group of followers), finding a way to make each person feel empowered and influential can help.Give individuals control over how they contribute to how their ideas are presented or used.Allow group members to determine what goals they wish to pursue.
This type of praise, she believes, causes people to develop what is known as a fixed mindset. People with this mindset believe that personal characteristics are simply inborn and unchanging. They think that people are either smart or dumb, pretty or ugly, athletic or non-athletic, and so on. Whether you are trying to lose weight, run a marathon, earn a degree, or complete some other type of goal, motivation plays a critical role in your overall success or failure. Some of these research findings might contradict your existing ideas about what works and what doesn’t in terms of motivation. Try incorporating a few of these strategies into your daily habits to improve your enthusiasm and drive to succeed. Read about 20 of the best motivational podcasts. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts
