Unlock your drive: Proven Strategies to Boost Motivation

What does that look like? How do we find our motivation? What makes some people more motivated than others? In my morning podcast, Mel Robbins talked to Dr. Alok Kanojia, MD (Dr. K), about his experience working with gamers and their relationship with motivation. Listen to the episode here.

I have worked with young people for over ten years, and Dr. K’s work seems to strike a common theme with what I see in our young people. And it is not the motivation itself that drives students to success. The small actions that lead to outcomes of success bring continued action and movement forward. This is not to say that young people are not motivated; they struggle to make the connection between small action and momentum that moves us forward. We have identified that connecting with what motivates us is critical to moving forward.

Every step counts

In today’s post, I want to delve into the simplicity of the small actions that have shown to create momentum, thus breeding motivation to continue. These are not complex strategies, but simple guidelines and observations that, with self-reflection, can be tailored to what works best for you.

Let’s start there. How well do we know ourselves to understand what makes us tick? How much does that play into motivation and our actions to move forward? Dr. K talks about the push and pull of human behavior and the fact that we are hard-wired to move toward positive action and away from negative action. An example of this could be eating healthier. Ultimately, we have a goal or result we are working toward. Typically, we all believe the motivation is derived from that goal. Dr. K has discovered that we are encouraged by positive progress, outcomes, movement, etc.; however, developing motivation to continue is much simpler than we realize.

The importance of our steps can be compared to a fitness tracker. Tracking steps alone does not change our health habits. Although tracking steps is an identifier for habit-changing behavior, tracking steps builds awareness and connects us to our actions. Taking the next step is important and will lead ultimately to achieving the goals we wish to achieve. Without the awareness of our progress, would we still be motivated? Is our connection to the progress we are making the key? Or is it much simpler than that? Motivation can be finicky and can fluctuate over time. This is where momentum and consistency come into the picture. Awareness identifies consistent actions (number of steps per day), thus creating momentum (achieved steps over time), which perpetuates motivation to continue (regular step count threshold on the tracker).

Losing weight is an outcome that can result from healthier eating. We want to lose weight to feel better and look better. So, how does the gratification of healthier eating become the motivation for healthier eating? Our focus here is the key.

Developing Focus

How do we decide what to focus on? What's the next step we should take? Identifying the next step that moves us forward allows our brain to concentrate on simple actions. Dr. K advises us to focus on today, not every day. This keeps us in the present, with only the next step in sight. By focusing on the present moment and the impact of our next step, we simplify the process and ensure success, thereby building motivation to make progress.

Going back to healthy eating, an example of this could be our food choices. Most of us need to eat multiple times a day. When we choose foods, we all make decisions. However, the intensity and motivation behind that decision can differ depending on the circumstances. Did we prep the meals before so the choices would be easy? Did we decide based on cravings or emotions? These decisions are determined by what we are focused on at the moment. Our food choices are a result of our focus. If we focus on how foods make us feel, we might make a different decision than if we were to focus on how food will impact our day later. This can get complicated quickly and is understandably complex for many reasons.

Our focus is crucial because it directs our attention to the next step that will move us forward, not just the outcome or goal. By focusing on the small steps we take each day, we can lead to the achievement of our long-term ultimate goals. As Dr. K mentions, motivation comes from continued success, not just reaching the goals we set out to achieve. To focus on the present, we need to be connected to our needs in that moment. We also need to be aware of how our decisions might impact our next steps.

We focus on the present. We connect with what we can control and continue that action. Compounding those daily actions will ultimately lead to the desired result, but the focus is on small actions each day.

Focus brings what we can control to the front of the mind. Think of a time when you wanted to change a habit. Was the focus on the following steps to change the habit, or was the focus the outcome of habit-changing behavior? What is the difference?

Our behavior is the result of the accumulation of small steps over time. Each subsequent step leads to behavior that, over time, forms habits. These habits will continue with motivation, thus producing the outcome desired by the initial need for change. Therefore, our focus ultimately breeds the change, which leads to continued motivation. In this cycle, notice that it does not mention the outcome because the outcome is a byproduct of our focus on the next steps, habits, and behavior change, which builds motivation and continues the cycle.

What do we focus on to see our desired outcome? Focusing on the outcome itself might lead to diminished motivation due to the time it can take to see change and the fluctuation of that change.  Some days we see progress, and some days we don’t. So, what do we focus on to continue our momentum and increase motivation? As mentioned above, focusing on the right things (not just the outcome) can lead to increased adherence to behavior change. To find what to focus on, we need to connect with ourselves and pay attention to where our motivation comes from. Is it derived from the outcome or the continued effects of the behavior change we desire [ultimately leads to the outcome]?

Momentum matters

How do we determine our next step when we need motivation? Let’s use a better sleep scenario as an example. For me, better sleep means an improved nighttime routine and more consistent sleep. How do I make that happen? What keeps me from going to bed at the appropriate time every night? This may resonate with you, but for me, it's my phone.

To better understand my motivation, I need to identify the issues my phone is presenting and connect them to my nighttime habits.

Ok, what are the issues with my phone? Culprit number one is searching for Instagram or Pinterest. The vortex of scrolling, much like some of us, I struggle with telling myself, "I’m going to look for five minutes." The next thing I knew, thirty minutes had passed before I realized how much time I’d wasted.  So, how do I determine my next step to change my habit of scrolling my phone before bed? Moreover, what habits will continue to motivate me to spend less time on my phone before I go to bed? The answer to this question is important. Dr. K discusses the need to move towards the positive and away from the negative. Let's apply this to my current issue.

Because my phone can be hard to move away from, I lean towards removing the temptation altogether. My next step would be to charge my phone in another room, such as our main bathroom. When I charge my phone in the bathroom, it creates more steps to get to my phone and less temptation to review my social media feed.  I often hate getting out of bed once I'm comfy, and I want to avoid scrolling before I sleep.   By removing my phone from the options of things I have to look at when I crawl into bed at night, I now replace it with positive things. This allows me to replace the habit instead of trying to remove it altogether. So, I replace the phone with a book or conversation cards with my husband. I am still taking positive steps towards a winddown routine with the benefit of progress toward my goal of better sleep.

So, what is my first step? I plug my phone into the charger in my bathroom. If I miss that step, the next steps to follow get in the way of my progress in gaining better sleep. So, I associate my phone with adverse sleep outcomes, leading me to avoid it unconsciously as I build my new habit.

As we determine the initial step leading to subsequent steps, it is essential to backtrack to determine where the behavior, and thus the motivation, is initiated. If we don’t identify the most straightforward first step needed to change the behavior, we will likely convince ourselves that we should not change it unconsciously. We naturally want to avoid the negative and move towards the positive.

All in all, recognizing the root of our motivation takes time and practice. However, recognizing the steps we need to take to move forward can be simpler than expected, again, if we focus on the steps and not the overall outcome.

Developing an awareness of how we might lean towards the positive and away from the negative in our lives can be complicated. Trusting our intuition can allow us to relate to our foundation in a way that leads to motivational progress. Keep going, all we need is the next step.

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