Self-Motivation: Building Emotional Capability
Are you feeling the holiday blues? The holiday season is the busiest time of the year and the winter months are often tough for many. As the year is closing, there are tons of goals yet to be completed. So, how can we fight the holiday blues and stay motivated to finish the year strong?
According to expert Daniel Goleman, self-motivation is a key component of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the measure of an individual’s ability to manage ourselves and our relationships effectively. It is made up of a number of skill clusters that can be reinforced and developed. Self-motivation itself compromises our:
- Achievement Drive: the ability to achieve challenging goals
- Commitment: the ability to have a strong focus on alignment within the organization’s goals and values
- Initiative: a readiness to seize opportunities
- Optimism: the ability to anticipate success
Self-motivation is a must-have life skill and a crucial part of building emotional capability. Knowing the importance of self-motivation in optimizing performance, your next question might be: Can I become more self-motivated? The answer is definitely yes! Self-motivation is driven by goal-setting skills that are within your control.
Five tips on building greater self-motivation:
- Use sources of motivation. E.g., yourself, supportive colleagues, an emotional mentor, your environment
- Break down large jobs into small tasks
- Make time to look for better ways of achieving your goals
- Use positive self-talk to focus on achieving goals rather than be driven by fear of failing
- When you are hooked into being negative, stop, and purposely look for a positive way forward.
How do you remain self-motivated during this holiday season? Let us know in the comments below!
Emotional Capability provides practical insights into the skills associated with managing one’s own emotions and actions, and in developing sustained and appropriate relationships with others. Find out more about Emotional Capability Profile and Workshop here.
