By Jack Boyd
SYLP STUDENT
Jack Boyd
There are two types of motivation in the world. Intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is the drive that comes from within and is deeply connected with the individual’s values and beliefs.
A person who is intrinsically motivated towards a certain goal usually is for pure self-satisfaction. In my mind, intrinsic motivation is the most effective type of motivation, but we will touch on that subject later. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation comes forth when one tries to accomplish an unsatisfactory task for an external reward, such as money. With motivation, people can accomplish great feats in life, like the construction of cities to competing in the Olympics.
Every human being experiences moments where they have felt intrinsically and extrinsically motivated, some more than others. But a big question everyone wonders is how we can realize our goals in life, and how to stay motivated. I will tell you that the easiest and best way to motivate yourself to achieve a task is to connect it to your core values, know the enjoyment you’ll achieve, and recognize the benefits that can come from staying focused. Or, in other words, become intrinsically motivated towards your objective. The result is you will become truly happy and excited about going out to complete your goal, thus changing a once seemingly tedious task into more of an adventure or an experience.
You may be thinking, this is much easier said than done. However, I will tell you the easy steps you can take in order to become intrinsically motivated towards any task. Let’s say your task is cleaning out your gutters, which most people perceive as monotonous and troublesome (and if you’re a rare person who thoroughly enjoys cleaning out said gutters for its stimulating smell and texture, then I am humbly sorry for offending your passion).
The first step you want to take is to connect it to your core values, maybe you have strong values to work hard and keep organized in order to succeed. Second, imagine what kind of enjoyment you can obtain by cleaning the gutters. For example, the feeling of being outdoors, breathing in the crisp air with the cool fresh wind blowing against your face, while the warm sun covers you with its soft embrace. Thirdly, identify all the benefits that can transpire by you doing the gutters.
Maybe you have been meaning to clean the gutters for months and you never got around to it. Think of the relief and satisfaction you will get for removing that built up plant matter.
Another benefit may be conquering your fear of heights one small step at a time, or maybe you just want to get your tan on. If you can come up with ideas for these three steps, you can motivate yourself to start any task on your list. (end)
Editor’s note: This story was written by a Summer Youth Leadership Program student, not a Northwest Asian Weekly staff member.