Finding and Maintaining Motivation

by Eileen Shea

Goals

Why do we set new goals in a new year? The calendar is simply a reminder to reflect on what you want to work towards, but can also provide a psychological reset. Perhaps the new year brings a greater sense of motivation or ability to succeed. Even though one digit doesn’t make you more capable; you were always capable.

You may set new goals in various aspects of your life, including spiritual growth, personal growth, relationships, career, finances, and health, each bringing different kinds of fulfillment and benefits with the success of each change. In the beginning, a challenge can be exciting, but sometimes your skills may be lacking.

Over time as your skill level increases, but the “challenge” does not, it’s easy to get bored. Conversely, you may set a goal that is too challenging and cause yourself anxiety. Combating boredom and anxiety in order to stay motivated and dedicated towards your goals is the real challenge for some.

Part of the success of goal attainment has a great deal to do with forming habits and developing a routine. A new normal is creating consistency with something new. It’s important to not focus too much on the reward or outcome, but rather on the process and progress made towards a goal, even if it doesn’t happen in the way or time that was expected.

Sometimes it’s okay to start with the end in mind, but other times you may get in such a rush to reach the end goal that you miss important steps along the way, and things won’t work out how you envisioned.

Motivation

Finding the motivation to keep going when facing new challenges along the way can be particularly testing, and maintaining motivation requires planning for progress not to be linear. Remind yourself why you’re working towards a goal when setbacks arise.

How often do you ask yourself, “Why?” Motivation describes the wants or needs that direct behavior toward a goal—the reason why you self-improve. Motivations are commonly separated into drives and motives. Drives are primarily biological; motives, on the other hand, are primarily driven by social and psychological mechanisms. Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic.

Intrinsically-motivated behaviors are generated by the sense of personal satisfaction that they bring. Extrinsically-motivated behaviors, in contrast, are performed in order to receive something from others.

Emotion and motivation are linked in several ways: both influence behavior and can lead us to take action, and emotion itself can act as a motivator. Finding motivation can come from something small, an immediate or short-term benefit, or something greater that stems from your deepest desires and personal life’s purpose.

Circumstances

Did the pandemic have a positive or negative effect on your motivation? Some took this time to embrace change. You may have found yourself out of work or isolated due to stay-at-home orders. Resiliency and courage are taking the circumstances you are given and doing your best to make, or at least see and focus on, the positive aspects of those circumstances.

Did the pandemic allow you to pursue a passion, or did you feel like you were in survival mode? Perhaps the pandemic reminded you to be grateful for your health and time with loved ones. Perhaps the pandemic only highlighted how fragile wellness is or how limited time we have. Where does your perspective stem from? Are you a victim or survivor?

How has ARO dealt with motivation?

At ARO, the pandemic has impacted us as well. As a result of the pandemic, many private donors shifted their efforts towards more local initiatives, while some cut back on donations due to financial hardship. Government funding and grants have been delayed because of other necessary national needs.

On the other hand, the pandemic has brought the availability of new grants that didn’t exist before. At the start of the pandemic, with many people displaced and jobless, ARO found itself with plentiful skilled and dedicated volunteers; however, as many return to work, those willing, interested, and able to commit to this type of role are harder to find.

On the bright side, a large group of our volunteers have been with us for several months, and wouldn’t have considered seeking out a volunteer role if they hadn’t been out of work, but have found the work they are able to do with ARO meaningful and impactful; something they will continue to choose to participate in regardless of monetary compensation.

Many of our volunteers feel deeply connected to our mission because of personal experiences with abuse. The pandemic helped us to reach women who are motivated towards our mission on a personal basis early on in our growth; women who are therefore dedicated, hard workers, making ARO’s growth that much more expansive.

Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.” This emphasizes how much attitude determines success or failure.

Perspective is everything when it comes to finding and maintaining motivation.

We truly hope that you are able to achieve all the goals that you set for 2022. For more advice and discussion on this topic, join us for our online event Finding Motivation: Transitioning to a New Normal as the Pandemic Continues, February 20-26.