Motivation Articles

Medically reviewed by Nikki Ciletti, M.Ed, LPC

Motivation refers to the reasons you have for behaving in a certain manner. It can refer to your goals, dreams, desires, or needs. While you can be motivated to reach big, difficult goals, you also need the willpower to complete everyday tasks. When you feel motivated, you may be more willing to do something that’s difficult, time-consuming, or out of your comfort zone. On the other hand, a lack of motivation can lead you to be complacent and fall behind at work, school, or home. Sometimes, this can indicate a more serious issue, like depression. Motivation can come in all shapes and forms, and it happens when you feel an inner drive to reach your goals. Finding and maintaining a healthy sense of motivation can be vital to your mental and physical health. 

Setting and accomplishing goals

When you’re motivated, you typically set goals for yourself and have milestones that occur along the way. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be bumps in the road or problems to work through, particularly because getting to where you want to be isn’t always a linear process. However, it does mean that you’ll usually continue to press forward despite setbacks. It can be important to remember the reason for wanting to achieve your goals in the first place. Maybe it’s a passion you’ve been pursuing a while or a bucket list item you’ve been waiting to check off your list. Motivation often comes from passion. If you love something, whether that’s a topic, a hobby, a person, or a movement, you’re typically more likely to work hard toward that goal.

Roadblocks

Inevitably, there may be roadblocks along the way when you’re working toward a goal. It could be that you’re trying to write a book but can’t seem to find the words. Or maybe you’re trying to start a business and can’t get a loan. You might be trying to develop more positive mental health but find that your treatment plan with your therapist just isn’t working. It’s natural to want to succeed, especially when working toward something you care about, and you may become frustrated or even angry when setbacks occur. However, this is a normal part of the process. Instead of seeing these circumstances as failures, it can be helpful to reframe them as hurdles along the way to the finish line. Try not to judge yourself harshly when you’re finding the internal motivation to work toward a goal you want. Sometimes, the biggest roadblock you’ll face is finding motivation in the first place. 

Passion and motivation

Passion and motivation often go together. Certain things make life worth living, like the interests and hobbies that you have or the people that you love. When you’re passionate about something, it may make you more motivated to accomplish the goals that revolve around it. This can be particularly true when you run into obstacles. While it may be easy to give up on something you didn’t really care about, you might find it more difficult to leave behind a project that lit a fire underneath you. If you’re not feeling motivated, consider looking into your passions. Finding what you love can involve trying new things, focusing on your strengths, and sticking to your values. 

When you're having trouble getting motivated

Sometimes, as hard as you try, you can’t get motivated to do something that you really want to do, and you don’t know why. In some cases, the timing may just not be right, or you might be faced with a tedious task that you don’t feel passionate about. Other times, your lack of motivation can indicate a mental health issue like depression or anxiety. Procrastination, low energy, and negative self-talk can each be signs that you’re experiencing a lack of motivation, and this can carry into both small and larger tasks. Finding your motivation can involve setting goals, surrounding yourself with encouraging people, and taking regular breaks to give your mind a rest. 

Online counseling with BetterHelp

If you’re having trouble getting and staying motivated, it may be time to talk with a mental health professional. Sometimes, figuring out why you’re stuck can be difficult to do on your own. Speaking with a therapist may help you gain more insight and understand the reasons behind your lack of motivation. Experiencing little motivation to do everyday tasks can already be difficult enough, let alone finding the energy to make it to therapy sessions. With BetterHelp, an online counseling platform, you can receive mental health care from the comfort of your home. Through phone calls, video chats, or in-app messaging, you can connect with your therapist at a time and in a place that’s convenient for you. 

Online counseling is an increasingly popular option for those looking to access non-traditional mental health care. One study explored the factors that led participants to continue with internet-based therapy without face-to-face interaction. Researchers found that “hope of recovery and a desire to gain control of one’s life” were key motivators. In essence, as long as their overall need for relatedness was satisfied, they were more likely to persist with online therapy. 

Takeaway

Several factors can affect the amount of motivation you feel in your life, including the state of your mental health and the achievability of your goals. Finding what you’re passionate about may help you develop a sense of motivation where there once was none. Further, speaking with a mental health professional online can allow you to find support without having to extend extra energy to get yourself to appointments.