Sometimes finding motivation can be hard. Whether it is getting out of bed when the alarm goes off, going to the gym or completing a work related task. Even the most self-motivated people can struggle sometimes.
In his book, “Smarter Faster Better,” Charles Duhigg discusses how motivation is not just a gene that we inherit, rather it is actually something that can be learned and honed over time. “Scientists have found that people can get better at self-motivation if they practice the right way,” said Duhigg. “The trick, researchers say is realizing that a prerequisite to motivation is believing we have authority over our actions and surroundings. To motivate ourselves, we must feel like we are in control.”
As a total control freak, I can confirm that every one likes to feel in control. In fact, as Duhigg elaborates, according to a group of Columbia University psychologists, when people believe they are in control, they tend to work harder and push themselves more. They tend to be more confident and overcome setbacks faster.
“From these insights, a theory of motivation has emerged: The first step in creating drive is giving people opportunities to make choices that provide them with a sense of autonomy and self-determination,” he said.
Duhigg explained, in experiments people are more motivated to complete difficult tasks when those chores a presented as decisions rather than commands. This idea can be applied as a way to motivate yourself or your team.
“Find a choice, almost any choice, that allows you to exert control. If you are struggling to answer a tedious stream of emails, decide to reply to one from the middle of your inbox,” suggested Duhigg. “If you’re trying to start an assignment, write the conclusion first, or start by making graphics, or do whatever’s most interesting to you. To find the motivation to confront an unpleasant employee, choose where the meeting is going to occur.”
When you have a big task looming ahead, get started by making one decision at a time. Hopefully, by making that one decision will help get the motivation rolling and you will be able to tackle the rest of the task with a little more ease. Because as Duhigg said, “Motivation is triggered by making choices that demonstrate to ourselves that we are in control.”
For more insight on motivation, check out Dan Pink’s Ted Talk: The Puzzle of Motivation.
