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

Translator: pamela lam Reviewer: Thomas Tam

You've always aspired to be a professional artist.

你一直渴望成為專業藝術家。

At last, this dream may become a reality,

終於，呢個夢想變成現實喇。

and you're creating a portfolio to submit to art programs.

而家你創作緊嘅作品集， 準備遞交畀藝術計劃。

But as the application deadline looms,

但越嚟越接近截止日期，

you suddenly find yourself unmotivated, and avoiding the canvas altogether.

你發現突然自己冇咗動力， 完全避開畫畫。

Why does motivation seem so fickle?

點解動機會變得咁易？

And what even is it in the first place?

到底係啲咩嚟？

Psychologists define motivation as the desire or impetus

心理學家定義動機為啟動同維持

to initiate and maintain a particular behavior.

特定行為嘅慾望或驅動力。

In other words, it's the energy that drives you to do something.

換句話講，就係 推動你去做某件事嘅能量。

And knowing the source of that drive is particularly important

想要明白點樣保持呢種動力，

when it comes to understanding how to maintain it.

了解佢嘅來源特別重要。

These motivational forces generally fall into two broad categories:

呢啲動力一般分為兩大類：

intrinsic and extrinsic.

內在同埋外在嘅動力。

Intrinsic motivation is involved when you experience an activity

當你體驗到一項活動 本身就係目的，

as an end in itself.

就會產生內在動機。

Take a hobby, like playing video games.

例如打機呢種愛好，

The experience largely explains the desire to do it.

嗰個體驗就解釋咗點解 你有呢種想打機嘅慾望，

Performing tasks that feel right in the moment—

做啲而家感覺啱

or that you find a meaningful, interesting, or satisfying—

或者係有意義、 有趣或者令人滿足嘅嘢，

are driven by intrinsic motivation.

就係由內在嘅動機推動。

Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand,

而外在動機就係指

refers to pursuing a task as a means to an end.

將完成一項任務 視為達到某個目的嘅手段。

While few would consider going to the dentist as an enjoyable activity,

雖然好少人會覺得 睇牙醫係一項令人愉快嘅活動，

you're often motivated by the outcome of having clean, healthy teeth.

但擁有乾淨同健康嘅牙齒 往往係你嘅動力。

Other examples of extrinsic motivation include completing a task

其他外在動機嘅例子 包括完成一項任務

to receive some sort of reward, whether it's praise, power, or money.

去獲得某種獎勵， 無論係讚賞、權力還是金錢。

Notably, these rewards tend to come later,

值得注意嘅係， 呢啲獎勵往往會遲啲先攞到，

like receiving a bonus at the end of a quarter,

例如喺個季度結束時獲得獎金，

or winning a competition after months of training.

或者經過幾個月訓練之後贏得比賽。

While extrinsic rewards, like getting paid,

雖然好似獲得報酬 呢啲外在獎勵好吸引人，

may seem appealing,

their effectiveness can be surprisingly short-lived.

但佢哋嘅效果 可能出人意料地短暫。

For example, a 2017 study found that those who were highly focused

例如，2017年嘅一項研究發現，

on the outcomes of their New Year's resolutions—

嗰啲好集中喺新年願望結果

or driven by extrinsic motivation—

或者受外在動機驅使嘅人，

weren't the most likely to stick to them.

並唔係最有可能堅持 完成新年願望嘅人。

What did predict persistence, however,

但係，能夠預測堅持程度嘅，

was how much a person enjoyed pursuing their goals.

係一個人有幾享受追求自己嘅目標。

In other words, you're more likely to maintain an exercise routine

換句話講，如果你參加自己鍾意嘅課程，

if you take classes you enjoy,

你就更有可能堅持做運動。

rather than just those that build your biceps.

而唔係單單為咗 鍛煉二頭肌嚟參與課程，

Years of psychology research have shown that high levels of intrinsic motivation—

多年嘅心理學研究顯示，

for school, a job, or an exercise class—

對學習、工作或鍛煉課程 有高度內在動機

are more likely to keep you engaged in the long run.

更可能令你長期投入其中。

Day-to-day actions, though, are rarely either exclusively

不過，日常事務好少完全

intrinsically or extrinsically motivated.

由內在或外在動機驅動。

Studying for a history exam, for example, can be intrinsically motivated

例如溫習歷史考試， 如果你對古埃及文化感到好奇，

If you're curious about the culture of ancient Egypt.

就可能係出於內在動機；

But extrinsic motivators may also be at play,

但如果你想取得好成績， 或者感受到來自家庭成員嘅壓力，

as you aim to get a good grade

or feel pressure from family members to do well in school.

咁外在動機都可能會起作用。

But having multiple motivators isn't always better.

不過，擁有多種動機唔一定更好。

One study of military cadets found that those who were driven

一項針對軍校學員嘅研究發現，

both by intrinsic motivators, like self-improvement,

嗰啲同時受內在動機（好似自我提升）

and extrinsic motivators, like the outcome of getting a good job,

同埋外在動機（例如 搵一份好工作）影響嘅學員，

were overall less motivated than cadets driven by just one of these factors.

佢哋學習嘅積極性 通常比只受一種動機驅動嘅學員低。

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

所以，呢啲學員嘅表現差啲， 畢業嘅機會都相對較低。

Psychologists call this phenomenon the overjustification effect—

心理學家將呢種現象 稱為「過度調整效應」，

the idea that additional extrinsic motivators can actually muddy the waters

即係當你已經有做某事嘅內在動力時，

when you already have the intrinsic drive to do something.

額外嘅外在激勵因素 實際上會令事情變得複雜。

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

但個問題只會出現 喺你已經覺得某項任務有動力嘅時候。

When you're faced with an activity you find tedious or uninteresting,

當你面對一項你覺得乏味 或者無趣嘅活動時，

adding extrinsic rewards can be beneficial.

增加外在獎勵可能會有幫助。

In this way, extrinsic motivators can provide sufficient justification.

咁樣，外在激勵因素 就可以提供足夠嘅理由。

While you may never enjoy doing the laundry,

雖然你可能本身唔鍾意洗衫，

it may feel less daunting if you get praise from a loved one,

但如果你得到愛人嘅讚賞，

or even promise yourself that you'll watch your favorite TV show

或者保證洗完衫後 會睇自己最鍾意嘅電視節目，

when you're done folding.

對洗衫就唔會咁抗拒。

Motivation is complicated.

動力係好複雜嘅。

And sometimes, no matter how passionate you are about a goal or hobby,

有時，無論你對某個目標 或者愛好有幾熱衷，

finding the motivation to actually do it can be difficult.

要搵到真正去做嘅動力可以好困難，

But there are things you can do to increase your drive,

但即使覺得唔可能，

even when it feels impossible.

你都可以做啲嘢來增強你嘅動力。

Focus on building intrinsic motivation by making the task more fun in the moment.

專注於建立內在動力， 令任務喺當下變得更加有趣。

Asking a friend to join you

邀請朋友參加，

or simply putting on your favorite playlist

或者簡單咁播自己鍾意嘅音樂，

can give you the boost to get started—

都可以促進開始嘅動力，

and stick with your goals for the long haul.

同埋長期堅持自己嘅目標。