Two Steps to Take When You Have A Bad Motivation Problem
These steps work even when your teachers are not helping!

Identifying that you’re unmotivated is a crucial first step. If you’ve realized this, you’re already on the right path. Now, let's dive into two actionable steps to help you overcome this challenge.

What It Looks Like When You’re Unmotivated

Self-motivation is one of the hardest skills to develop, and it’s not just a challenge for students—people of all ages struggle with it. When you’re unmotivated, you might notice some or all of the following:

• Lack of interest in tasks or activities that used to be meaningful.
• Sluggishness, where even simple tasks like brushing your teeth or getting out of bed feel overwhelming.
• Avoidance of appointments or social interactions.
• Neglecting goals you’ve set for yourself.
• Mind-wandering, often catching yourself staring blankly into space.
• Dark thoughts that can lead to a decline in mental health.

Feeling unmotivated is tough, and staying in that state is even tougher. Understanding the reasons behind your lack of motivation is the first step to overcoming it.

Why Do I Get Unmotivated?

Several underlying issues contribute to your lack of motivation. These could include:

• Unrealistic goals: When your goals feel too big or unattainable, you might avoid starting them altogether out of fear of failure.
• Lack of connection: If you don’t have a strong reason or connection to your goals, it’s easy to lose motivation.
• Self-doubt: When you don’t believe in your abilities, motivation dwindles.
• Unsupportive environment: Being surrounded by unmotivated people or a negative environment can drain your motivation.
• Lack of purpose: Not understanding your "why" can leave you feeling lost and unmotivated.

These factors create a gap between your willingness to work and the actions needed to get things done. Recognizing these obstacles is essential in addressing your motivation problem.

Two Steps to Take When You Have A Bad Motivation Problem

There are two types of motivation you can tap into: extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. The effectiveness of each depends on the specific challenges you’re facing.

Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation involves external factors like rewards from others. This could be a tangible reward like money, a prize, or even praise and recognition from people close to you.

Step 1: Get a parent or friend to line up a reward for you when you finish a task.
This might be as simple as promising yourself a treat after completing an assignment or asking your parents to acknowledge your hard work.

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation comes from within. It’s driven by personal satisfaction or enjoyment from completing a task. Building intrinsic motivation is more challenging, but it’s also more sustainable.

Step 2: Work with a coach or therapist to identify inner motivators that you can always trigger when you need to get things done.
This might involve discovering what makes you feel fulfilled or finding joy in the process rather than the outcome.

The Overjustification Effect

Balancing extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is key. Sometimes, external rewards can decrease your motivation rather than increase it—this is known as the overjustification effect.

If you can complete a task using intrinsic motivation, do that first. Use extrinsic rewards only when you need an extra push. Remember, inner motivators are more enduring, so the sooner you develop them, the better you’ll handle those low-motivation days.

If you need help boosting your inner motivation, consider reaching out to a professional for guidance.

I hope this helps!