How to get motivated even when you don’t feel like it

1,751,358 views ・ 2024-01-02

TED-Ed


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

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You've always aspired to be a professional artist.
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At last, this dream may become a reality,
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and you're creating a portfolio to submit to art programs.
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But as the application deadline looms,
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you suddenly find yourself unmotivated, and avoiding the canvas altogether.
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Why does motivation seem so fickle?
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And what even is it in the first place?
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Psychologists define motivation as the desire or impetus
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to initiate and maintain a particular behavior.
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In other words, it's the energy that drives you to do something.
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And knowing the source of that drive is particularly important
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when it comes to understanding how to maintain it.
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These motivational forces generally fall into two broad categories:
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intrinsic and extrinsic.
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Intrinsic motivation is involved when you experience an activity
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as an end in itself.
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Take a hobby, like playing video games.
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The experience largely explains the desire to do it.
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Performing tasks that feel right in the moment—
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or that you find a meaningful, interesting, or satisfying—
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are driven by intrinsic motivation.
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Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand,
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refers to pursuing a task as a means to an end.
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While few would consider going to the dentist as an enjoyable activity,
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you're often motivated by the outcome of having clean, healthy teeth.
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Other examples of extrinsic motivation include completing a task
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to receive some sort of reward, whether it's praise, power, or money.
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Notably, these rewards tend to come later,
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like receiving a bonus at the end of a quarter,
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or winning a competition after months of training.
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While extrinsic rewards, like getting paid,
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may seem appealing,
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their effectiveness can be surprisingly short-lived.
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For example, a 2017 study found that those who were highly focused
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on the outcomes of their New Year's resolutions—
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or driven by extrinsic motivation—
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weren't the most likely to stick to them.
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What did predict persistence, however,
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was how much a person enjoyed pursuing their goals.
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In other words, you're more likely to maintain an exercise routine
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if you take classes you enjoy,
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rather than just those that build your biceps.
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Years of psychology research have shown that high levels of intrinsic motivation—
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for school, a job, or an exercise class—
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are more likely to keep you engaged in the long run.
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Day-to-day actions, though, are rarely either exclusively
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intrinsically or extrinsically motivated.
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Studying for a history exam, for example, can be intrinsically motivated
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If you're curious about the culture of ancient Egypt.
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But extrinsic motivators may also be at play,
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as you aim to get a good grade
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or feel pressure from family members to do well in school.
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But having multiple motivators isn't always better.
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One study of military cadets found that those who were driven
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both by intrinsic motivators, like self-improvement,
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and extrinsic motivators, like the outcome of getting a good job,
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were overall less motivated than cadets driven by just one of these factors.
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As a result, these cadets performed worse and were less likely to graduate.
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Psychologists call this phenomenon the overjustification effect—
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the idea that additional extrinsic motivators can actually muddy the waters
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when you already have the intrinsic drive to do something.
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But this is only a problem if you already find a task motivating.
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When you're faced with an activity you find tedious or uninteresting,
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adding extrinsic rewards can be beneficial.
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In this way, extrinsic motivators can provide sufficient justification.
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While you may never enjoy doing the laundry,
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it may feel less daunting if you get praise from a loved one,
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or even promise yourself that you'll watch your favorite TV show
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when you're done folding.
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Motivation is complicated.
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And sometimes, no matter how passionate you are about a goal or hobby,
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finding the motivation to actually do it can be difficult.
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But there are things you can do to increase your drive,
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even when it feels impossible.
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Focus on building intrinsic motivation by making the task more fun in the moment.
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Asking a friend to join you
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or simply putting on your favorite playlist
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can give you the boost to get started—
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and stick with your goals for the long haul.
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