How to get motivated even when you're not?

The story begins with a little dreamer named George, his parents say he's just an excited little kid, he starts something but sooner or later gives it up, irrespective of whether he's succeeding at it or not.

As time moves on he develops another dream, to be a writer and after late nights of hard work and contemplation, his dream is about to be true, let me assure you George is a very smart kid with a lot of potential.

As he's writing for a qualifying submission and the deadline is above his head, suddenly he's feeling lazy, perhaps not interested, or worse, maybe this profession wasn't the choice for him? But why?

The question is simple, why did George lose interest?

Why does motivation seem so fickle? What even is motivation?

Psychologists define motivation as the desire or impetus to initiate and maintain a particular behavior.

In other words, it’s the energy that drives you to do something.And knowing the source of that drive is particularly important when it comes to understanding how to maintain it.

These motivational forces generally fall into two broad categories: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic motivation is involved when you experience an activity as an end in itself.

Take a hobby, like playing video games. The experience largely explains the desire to do it. Performing tasks that feel right in the moment — or that you find a meaningful, interesting, or satisfying — are driven by intrinsic motivation.

The task itself according to you is the reward

Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, refers to pursuing a task as a means to an end.

While few would consider going to the dentist as an enjoyable activity, you’re often motivated by the outcome of having clean, healthy teeth. Other examples of extrinsic motivation include completing a task to receive some sort of reward, whether it’s praise, power, or money.

Notably, these rewards tend to come later, like receiving a bonus at the end of a quarter, or winning a competition after months of training.

The outcome of the task according to you is the reward

But why choose? Wouldn't having both motivators be better, that would certainly guarantee your excel?

One study of military cadets found that those who were driven both by intrinsic motivators, like self-improvement, and extrinsic motivators, like the outcome of getting a good job, were overall less motivated than cadets driven by just one of these factors.

As a result, these cadets performed worse and were less likely to graduate.

Psychologists call this phenomenon the overjustification effect — the idea that additional extrinsic motivators can actually muddy the waters when you already have the intrinsic drive to do something.

The overjustification effect is a phenomenon where an external reward reduces a person’s intrinsic motivation to perform a task.

But this is only a problem if you already find a task motivating.

While both motivators have their uses in the adventure of life, psychologically one seems to be doing better than the other.

While extrinsic rewards, like getting paid, may seem appealing, their effectiveness can be surprisingly short-lived.

For example, a 2017 study found that those who were highly focused on the outcomes of their New Year’s resolutions — or driven by extrinsic motivation — weren’t the most likely to stick to them. What did predict persistence, however, was how much a person enjoyed pursuing their goals.

In other words, you’re more likely to maintain an exercise routine if you take classes you enjoy, rather than just those that build your biceps.

However, Day-to-day actions, though, are rarely either exclusively intrinsically or extrinsically motivated.

Studying for a history exam, for example, can be intrinsically motivated If you’re curious about the culture of ancient Egypt. But extrinsic motivators may also be at play, as you aim to get a good grade or feel pressure from family members to do well in school.

Motivation is complicated.

When you’re faced with an activity you find tedious or uninteresting, adding extrinsic rewards can be beneficial. In this way, extrinsic motivators can provide sufficient justification.

While you may never enjoy doing the laundry, it may feel less daunting if you get praise from a loved one, or even promise yourself that you’ll watch your favorite TV show when you’re done folding.

Rewarding yourself with little things you like at the end of a task you don't like can be a great way to get hard tasks out the way.

Sometimes, no matter how passionate you are about a goal or hobby, finding the motivation to actually do it can be difficult.

But there are things you can do to increase your drive, even when it feels impossible. Focus on building intrinsic motivation by making the task more fun in the moment.

Asking a friend to join you or simply putting on your favorite playlist can give you the boost to get started — and stick with your goals for the long haul.

Now that George knows better I'm sure he'll make the right choice about his pending assignment, and i hope through this journey you will be able to make your life better, want to learn more about motivation and self improvement? Check out 7 habits of highly effective people.