How To Motivate Yourself To Study

By Lachlan Haynes


Lack of motivation is the most common reason that things don't get done. If you've ever lacked the motivation to do something you know the feeling I'm talking about. The loss of interest, the tiredness, the boredom - it's all related to the feeling that you have "no motivation". But worse still is the feeling that you also don't know what to do about it. But there's no need to fret, it happens to everyone at some point!

Whilst a lack of motivation may not be your biggest challenge personally, it is one of the biggest challenges that students face as they try to find the strength of character to push through high school and College.

When lacking motivation, simple and seemingly innocuous tasks can somehow become huge mountainous challenges. But why?

Well, when you feel 'motivated', it's easy to stay focused over a long period of time and work diligently towards your goal. However, when you are not feeling 'motivated' you will have virtually zero focus and the chances you will even start the task are minuscule. Either that or it will require someone threatening you with something before you'll get started on your work (like a parent taking away your iPad or a teacher removing you from the class). That's not a great way to get motivated!

As a general rule, most people are operating on the base level of motivation - which is fear of negative consequences. What do I mean by this? Well, we act out of concern about what will happen if we don't act. For example, you may complete your homework because if you don't you will be grounded. You may strive to get an A on your Maths test because if you don't your average will drop which will impact your ability to get into University or College. It's not necessarily a "bad thing" but it's the way we are conditioned to behave.

If there was no deadline and no consequence for not handing a paper in on time, would we ever even hand it in? Would we even start the stinking paper? Would anyone ever do anything they didn't want to do?

Fear of negative consequences has its place in the world. It's important in its own way - however it should absolutely not be the ultimate reason for you to do whatever it is you do each day. It should not dictate your behavior. That's not living. That's just "existing".

If you want to really find your bliss in life you need to find a way to find the positive reason for why you're doing whatever you're doing (and this doesn't just apply to your schooling - it applies to all areas of life).

Real motivation is borne out of a possibility. A possibility of what may happen from taking a certain action. The possibility of what can be created. For example, when you ask a girl or guy you like for their phone number, you are living into a possibility. The possibility you may get to go out on a date with them! Sure, you may not succeed. You may get shut down. But so what? The power of living into a possibility drove you to take that action. If you act out of fear, you probably won't ask for the number or take any action and you'll just feel regret. Why? Because fear of negative consequences (like being embarrassed or laughed at) won the day. By living in fear you don't really live. By living in fear you don't feel the amazing power of real motivation.

Each time you do anything, you need only ask yourself one question. Is this act an act of possibility or an act of fear? Unfortunately, most of us act out of fear. Find your possibility and you will have found your true motivating force. Once you find that, the rest will seem like a pleasure. Good luck!




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