Motivation, the very force that drives us to do what we do. Without it, life becomes difficult, almost impossible. Motivation brings meaning to life, accelerating tasks and bringing to fruition goals one sets out to achieve. Motivation is what gets us out of bed in the morning, and what keeps the energizer within us waning into the night. The reward centers in the brain become activated and drive us forward, eager to want more. There are two types of motivation: internal and external motivation. Both exist as a means to an end, but one reigns supreme, internal motivation.
Life is full of challenges, bringing about resistance to the natural flow and order to life. As life is thrown out of balance, we dig deep, grabbing life by the britches and slowly climbing back to the top of the reins and grabbing ahold of life, your life. Sometimes life can be hard, I have fallen flat on my face many times because of my own self-destructive behavior, but one thing that I use to pull myself up is motivation, internal, self-motivation. The inner voice calls out, beckons me to stand up on my own two feet and try again. My purpose lures me to act and so I am today writing to you. My purpose is to prop up those who see life worth living, to live vigorously in achieving their goals. I was a teacher for ten years, and whether my students saw it at first, over time they realized I was there not just to teach facts and concepts, but to build them up to be self-confident young adults.
Internal, or intrinsic motivation comes from action from within. One acts because the task at hand is meaningful and aligns with your personal goals. When something resonates with your values and curiosity, you keep going, not stopping even if no one is watching. I remember back to high school baseball, Coach Ryder would tell us time and time again, it's all about what you do when no one is watching. Personal drive moves you forward, accelerating you energetically towards your goals. It’s like the electrical force, a spark, that pushes you forward. Pursuing goals that reflect who you are builds autonomy, and a sense of purpose, key factors of happiness and psychological health. Without such means, you act merely for rewards like money, praise, and good grades. Simply relying on external motivation can create stress, anxiety, and feeling of being controlled.
Self driven motivation builds resilience and persistence. When something is important to someone, it allows the individual to move mountains to complete the task at hand. Even during some times of pitfalls and setbacks, intrinsic motivation is there to build the self back up. It allows you to finish what you started, to be independent in a world where others seek the immediate praise or guidance of others. The inner reason keeps us going at all costs no matter how bad we want to give up.
When times get tough, we should strive to look inward, to know ourselves and know we are capable of completing any task or goal we wish to pursue. Success is not attained through seeking others' approval, but when we look at ourselves in the mirror and say, "You can do it.” While external motivation fades over time, internal, self motivation may fluctuate, but it stays true in the heart and mind of an achiever. Find purpose, work hard, and don’t stop until you achieve what it is you set out to do. Small achievements through self-motivating work, soon culminate in large scale progress in the long haul. In the end, let the heart guide the mind and body towards the spirit of achievement for when something is achieved, it feels as though it was worth the fight all along.
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