This Changes How You Think About Motivation

 YouTube Version (If You'd Rather Watch 👉) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhJdZQ_VVVU

We all want to be self-motivated, right?

We want the motivation to exercise, to eat healthy, to read more, to budget, to save, to pray, to parent, to quit a bad habit… I’m sure you can fill in the blank.

But HOW do we become self-motivated?

What’s the key? What’s the secret?

Why is it that there seem to be some people who are highly self-motivated and some who aren't?

How do we break through a lack of motivation? How do we overcome the mental barriers that keep us stuck?

And then once we feel motivated, how do we keep that feeling?

We all know that sometimes motivation seems to come and go.

Why is that?

Let me go ahead and say on the front end that this episode is not designed to motivate you.

It’s designed to give you the tools and insights to become a self-motivated person.

I’m not a motivational speaker. I’m not some guru.

I think, in a lot of ways, it’s not healthy to become dependent on someone else for motivation.

I’m not saying it’s bad to get motivation from others, but I am saying that self-motivation is better.

In fact, research shows that intrinsic motivation leads to stronger outcomes than extrinsic motivation.

Self-motivation is an internal drive.

Meaning you don’t have to depend on an external stimulus for motivation. The will to action is within you.

When individuals are intrinsically motivated, they're more likely to succeed.

But we’re not just going to learn how to be self-motivated for personal gain.

Self-motivation is critical in leadership.

That is, after all, what this channel is all about.

And let me tell you something… Self-motivation is absolutely necessary for any and every leader.

Why?

Because you can’t motivate others if you can’t even motivate yourself.

It all starts with you as the leader.

If you’re new to the channel, I want to say a big welcome.

I’m Zach!

I’ve been a leader in the social sector for many years.

I lead a team of a little over 60 staff and volunteers who serve thousands of people each week around the world.

After finishing graduate school, I decided to really lean into studying leadership, which is why I started this channel: to be a student of leadership and, hopefully, serve people like you along the way through my research and practical experience leading in the field.

Every week, I release new content designed with you in mind.

If you find value in today’s episode, we’d love for you to subscribe and be an active part of this community.

Thank you for spending some time with me, and I hope today’s episode serves you.

Okay, enough on all that.

Let’s jump in.

To become self-motivated, we need to start by understanding how motivation actually works on a scientific level.

Let’s look at a handful of scientific theories, beginning with Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs.”

In 1943, Abraham Maslow proposed a psychological theory suggesting that human motivation is driven by a series of hierarchical needs.

The model is often represented as a pyramid, with basic needs at the bottom and higher-level needs at the top, illustrating how individuals must satisfy lower-level needs before they can address higher-level ones.

The pyramid consists of five levels, starting from the bottom:

1. Physiological Needs - These are the most basic human needs, including food, water, warmth, and rest. They are essential for survival.

2. Safety Needs - Once physiological needs are met, individuals move on to security. This would include things like physical safety, health, and financial stability.

3. Love and Belonging Needs - At this level, social connections become important, with the need for relationships, friendships, and a sense of belonging to groups or communities.

4. Esteem Needs - This level includes the need for self-esteem and recognition from others. This would include things like achievements, status, and respect.

5. Self-Actualization Needs - At the top of the pyramid is the desire to realize personal potential, pursue personal growth, and achieve self-fulfillment.

It’s an interesting theory, isn’t it?

Now, in terms of self-motivation, Maslow's Hierarchy can be a useful framework for understanding the different dynamics that drive us. We’ll talk more about that later.

Let’s look at the next theory.

In the 1970s, Edward Deci and Richard Ryan developed the Self-Determination Theory.

The theory goes that individuals have inherent growth tendencies and that the fulfillment of basic psychological needs fuels motivation.

The theory identifies three core psychological needs essential for fostering motivation:

1. Autonomy - The need to feel in control of one’s actions and choices. In other words, when you have the freedom to make decisions and pursue your interests, you’re more likely to be motivated and engaged.

2. Competence - The need to feel effective and capable in one’s activities. When people perceive themselves as skilled and able to achieve their goals, their motivation increases.

3. Relatedness - The need for social connections and a sense of belonging. Positive relationships and a supportive environment enhance motivation and overall well-being.

One of the interesting aspects of this theory is that it emphasizes the association between intrinsic motivation and higher levels of satisfaction and persistence.

This is part of the research I referred to earlier on how self-motivation (or self-determination) is more powerful than external stimulus.

It’s also interesting how these two theories are already forming a pattern.

I’m sure you’re already catching on to some commonalities.

Okay, let’s move on to the Expectancy Theory.

The Expectancy Theory, developed by Victor Vroom in 1964, is a psychological theory that explains motivation in terms of how individuals evaluate their expectations of outcomes and the value they place on those outcomes.

The theory suggests that people are motivated to act in a certain way based on three key components:

1. Expectancy - This refers to the belief that one's effort will lead to a desired level of performance. If individuals believe that their efforts will result in successful performance, they are more likely to be motivated to put in the effort.

2. Instrumentality - This is the belief that achieving a certain level of performance will lead to specific outcomes or rewards. If individuals perceive a strong link between performance and the rewards they desire, they are more likely to be motivated to perform well.

3. Valence - This refers to the value or importance that an individual places on the expected outcomes. If the rewards are meaningful or desirable to the individual, valence is high, which increases motivation.

According to the Expectancy Theory, motivation is a result of the multiplication of these three factors: if any one factor is low, then the overall motivation will also be low.

While the other two theories offer a more systematic approach, this theory offers a more compounding or multiplying approach, which I think is important for our understanding of self-motivation.

Okay, we have one last theory that is slightly different than the other theories but highly relevant to self-motivation.

In the late 1990s, Roy Baumeister and colleagues proposed the Ego Depletion Theory, which suggests that self-control and willpower are finite resources that can be depleted over time.

According to this theory, engaging in tasks that require self-control—such as resisting temptations, making decisions, or exercising discipline—uses up mental energy and reduces our ability to exert self-control in subsequent tasks.

The key components of Ego Depletion Theory include:

1. Limited Resource: Self-control is viewed as a limited resource, similar to a muscle that can become fatigued. After exerting self-control, individuals may find it more challenging to resist further temptations or to maintain focus on goals.

2. Decreased Performance: As self-control resources become depleted, individuals may experience a decline in their ability to make good decisions, resist impulses, or stick to their goals, leading to poorer performance and increased likelihood of succumbing to temptations.

3. Recovery: While ego depletion can occur, it is also suggested that self-control can be replenished through rest, positive experiences, or engaging in activities that restore mental energy.

Now, the reason this theory is so relevant to self-motivation is because self-control and self-motivation have a direct relationship.

I don’t know if you’ve ever thought about that.

Meaning, as one increases, the other increases, and as one decreases, the other decreases.

This is so important to understand.

The theory would suggest that self-motivation is finite and requires recovery because we know that self-motivation is directly related to willpower.

Okay, that’s the science; now we come to the application.

How do we take all of this information and allow it to transform us into more self-motivated people?

I’m going to break it down into two sections.

First, I’m going to give you three basic principles derived from the research that we all need to consider.

Second, I’m going to share some practical ideas for improving self-motivation.

Alright, let’s begin with the principles:

PRINCIPLE #1: WE DON’T HAVE A MOTIVATION PROBLEM, WE HAVE A JUDGMENT PROBLEM

Most people think that they need more self-motivation.

I’ve heard people say, “I’m just not very self-motivated.”

But that’s actually not true.

Scientific research shows that we have plenty of self-motivation.

It’s not something some people are born with, and others aren’t.

The problem is that we invest our motivation in the wrong things.

Remember, motivations are driven by needs and desires.

For instance, we have the physiological motivation to eat.

But we often satisfy that need with unhealthy foods.

People have the need for love and belonging, but instead of satisfying that in healthy relationships, they watch porn or they turn to social media for a quick hit of “relational connection.”

People have esteem needs; they want to achieve and be recognized, but they might be trying to satisfy those needs in a virtual gaming world rather than the real world.

You see, we think we have a self-motivation problem, but we don’t.

We have a judgment problem in how we expend our self-motivation.

This brings me to the next principle

PRINCIPLE #2: MOTIVATION IS FINITE AND REQUIRES RECOVERY

This should be obvious to us, but somehow we still miss it.

We often act as though we have an endless supply of motivation.

It doesn’t work that way.

Motivation is not infinite.

It diminishes and needs to recover.

You have to work WITH your motivational tank.

We talked about how willpower is fatiguing.

Self-motivation is directly related to that.

Self-motivated people don’t necessarily have more self-motivation; they just navigate their motivational energy wisely.

Going back to principle one, people who appear self-motivated are actually just channeling their motivational energy into the right things.

They spend it on what matters most.

Most people spend their energy on the unhealthy stuff, and you’re wondering why you don’t feel motivated to do the healthy stuff.

PRINCIPLE #3: MOTIVATIONS ARE DYNAMIC

In other words, what motivates us can evolve over time.

Think about it.

Motivations can shift based on age, brain development, stage of life, social environments, experiences, interests, and even geography.

So, while there are clear frameworks, motivation still has a highly dynamic nature.

What motivated you last year may not be what motivates you this year.

Now, you can fight that, or you can lean into it.

I think there’s a danger in confusing a shift in motivation with a lack of motivation.

I would argue that there can be a benefit to letting yourself lean into where motivation takes you rather than trying to force motivation where it doesn’t belong.

For instance, I have a buddy who, for the longest time, was all about strength conditioning and was pretty averse to running.

However, recently he developed a love for running and has become highly motivated.

Instead of forcing himself to stay motivated through strength conditioning, I think he’s wise to follow where his motivation is leading him.

He’s training for a marathon, and he’s super motivated. His strength might take a dip during his training, but his motivation is higher than it’s ever been.

That’s what I mean by motivations are dynamic.

Okay, let's transition to some practical ideas.

#1 WAKE UP EARLY AND START YOUR DAY WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT REQUIRE THE MOST SELF-MOTIVATION

This might be the greatest advice I can offer.

You’ve probably heard plenty of people suggest rising early and getting after it, but you might not know why this works so well.

The reason so many people swear by this, myself included, is because it’s optimized for self-motivation.

Think about it.

You just got a night of sleep for recovery.

You start your day with the most self-motivation you’re probably going to get for that day.

So, take advantage of it.

Now, what happens progressively throughout the day?

You get fatigued.

You’re drained.

You don’t tend to feel self-motivated when you get home from work or school.

So, you skip the hard things and take the path of least resistance.

Have you noticed that most unhealthy habits happen at night?

Snacking, drinking, binging, staying up too late, doom scrolling…

It’s because you’re tired.

Your willpower and motivation are running low and need to be recharged.

My best advice is to go to bed early and consider becoming a morning person.

#2 ADD SOCIAL CONNECTION TO THE AREAS YOU NEED MOTIVATION

We already discussed how the research supports this.

Social connection is a major boost to motivation.

For whatever reason, it’s like adding gasoline to your motivational fire.

You can look at it as accountability, but truthfully, the benefits are far more extensive than that.

If you want to be more consistent at the gym, for instance, find some buddies who will commit to going with you.

If you want to be more spiritually motivated, consider joining a church community.

If you want to be more motivated financially, consider getting an advisor in your corner to add a social connection.

It seems overly simple, but it’s incredibly impactful.

#3 START AND DON’T STOP

Too many people wait around for motivation to strike before they start.

That’s not how it works.

You have to understand that the research shows that motivation is at its absolute lowest before you start, and it grows stronger after you start.

The hardest step for many of you will be the first step.

The first act of starting.

I know it sucks and feels impossible, but you’ve just got to do it.

Remember, movement creates momentum.

Just start.

Self-motivation will get stronger.

It’s built like an engine.

The engine can be hard to start cold, but as it continues to run, it gets warmer and stronger.

It’s like pushing a snowball over a mountain; it starts off small, but eventually momentum takes over, and it gets bigger and bigger and faster and faster!

This is why I would also advise you not to stop.

If you let yourself come to a complete stop, your momentum is gone.

If you lose momentum, your motivation dies with it.

And then you have to go through the starting process all over.

It’s much easier to maintain self-motivation than to start it in the first place.

So, start, but then keep the engine going!

#4 DOCUMENT YOUR JOURNEY

I highly recommend you journal in some capacity to document the days, weeks, months, and years.

I think it was Bill Gates who said, “Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a year and underestimate what they can achieve in ten years.”

This is one of the reasons I journal.

It keeps me self-motivated to track the short-term progression and see just how much transpires over the long term.

#5 WHEN TO GET PROFESSIONAL HELP

I would be remiss if I didn’t include this last piece.

Some of you may be watching this, and none of this is helping you.

You still feel stuck.

It still feels impossible to you.

Well, I want to bring up the very real possibility that you’re clinically depressed and may need professional help.

That’s not something you need to feel ashamed about.

That’s not something you need to hide.

I'm not a licensed professional counselor but I walk a lot of people through depression in my field of work and help them find professional help.

It’s really hard.

I’m so sorry you’re going through that.

My best advice to you would be to start with professional counseling.

Open up to a loved one about it and let them have the honor of arranging it for you and walking with you through that journey.

Accepting help isn’t admitting weakness; it’s showing strength.

Well, no matter where you are in your journey. I hope this helped.

I’m cheering for you.

Keep fighting the good fight.

I'll see you again real soon!