Motivation – Part 1 of 4

What is Motivation?

This is the first part of four were I’m gonna write some words about motivation. In this part my idea is to look at motivation from a different perspective and define what it really is. These thoughts are not completely my own – I get inspired by my friends and things I read and resonate with and then I try to reflect upon them in my own way. So lets see where this will lead us…

I get the feeling that motivation can (roughly) be something that divides people in two groups.

One of them see motivation as some sort of magical feeling which gives you a strong will to do something, and if that feeling isn’t there then there is no point and the action won’t happen. These are the kind of people that gets super excited over something, goes all in for like a week or two (or like an hour in some cases), to then let it go completely with the explanation that “I can’t do that right now, I have no motivation”. This is also the same people that very rarely experience the satisfaction of actually finish what they started, because something new, more exciting usually comes up.

The other group is more of the “anti-motivation” people who says things like “Don’t rely on motivation – Rely on your discipline”. These are also the same people that says you have to learn how to love the struggle and the hard days because that’s what makes you a better person.

This is of course two extremes, but maybe, just maybe you have friend in mind that totally fit into either of this description. And maybe, just maybe you could also recognize yourself there a bit.

For me, as the typical vanilla ice cream, Lagom is the best, normal swedish guy, I’m gonna say I’m somewhere in between.

But what I would like to propose is to look at motivation from a different perspective. To see it for what it really is, rather than what it’s not.

If we just take a look at the definition of Motivation it says

“a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way”

So motivation is not just the physical response to a feeling of a strong will to act.

It’s all and any reasons to act.

So instead of “relying” and waiting on that feeling that makes you want to act as the first guys – and instead of “learning how to love the struggle” as the second guys – gather as many reasons as possible to act!

Think about why you want to or why you should do this thing. Find all the reasons that matters to you.

And remember that you don’t have to love something to get the benefits of it.

You don’t have to be good at something to get the benefits of it.

Although it’s probably makes it easier if you like what you are doing.

So ask yourself;

How can I create an environment that makes me want to act?

Who should I surround myself with that makes me want to act?

How can I shape my thoughts to make me want to act?

Who can I ask for help when it’s hard?

Because you don’t have to do this alone. Just because these are Your reasons to act doesn’t mean that you only can rely on the motivation you create for yourself. We are human beings and we need other human beings. We are here for each other.

Thank you for reading and please send this to a friend that you think could benefit from reading this

Viktor