Have you ever set a goal for yourself, like getting straight A’s every term of the school year, going to the gym every day, or being picked for a sports team? Like lots of people, maybe you started out doing great, but then lost some of that drive and had trouble getting motivated again. Think about this: world leaders, athletes, scientists, university students and overall well-rounded, successful people all have one commonality: motivation.
According to dictionary.com, motivation is the act of providing a strong reason to act in a certain way or accomplish something. Without motivation, our goals would not be accomplished, and our dreams would remain simply dreams; the world would be a totally different place. The only way people can grow, learn, and thrive in the world today is through motivation.
From setting goals, to working hard to achieve them, and finally accomplishing them, there are two main types of motivation that one can take inspiration and use in one’s own life: internal and external motivation. External motivation can look like students aiming to succeed in school because their grades reflect their performance. On the other hand, students who try to succeed in school because they’re genuinely interested in the content are intrinsically motivated.
Intrinsic motivation, or internal motivation, comes from within. It is present when you do something because it aligns with your interests, passions or personal values. These motivators have internal rewards, for example, the feeling of knowing you’re following your life purpose. Some people are motivated by the love of learning a new skill, or have attitude motivation, and love spreading positivity. Others may have satisfaction for the feeling of accomplishment. Another example of intrinsic motivation may be motivation by biological needs like food and water. This exists due to years of evolution which shaped humans the way we are nowadays.
The second main type of motivation is extrinsic motivation (external motivation) which refers to external factors that drives a person to do something. This has to do with the incentive theory of motivation, which suggests that people are motivated to do things because of external rewards. Furthermore, people may also be motivated by the fear of an undesirable outcome. Social motivation is a type of motivation that describes the desire to be accepted by one’s social group. People who lack self-motivation need help from others to keep themselves motivated and are usually temporary.
For me, self-motivation is empowering. Finding something that I enjoy and love to do and setting the final goal of achieving it is such a remarkable journey. My main goal that I have set right now is to finish the school term knowing that I’ve tried my best. I am motivated not by the bad grades that I may get from failing an examination, but by the fascinating content that I learn. I tell myself to take assignments one at a time, simply complete the task at hand before moving on to the next. Through doing so, I am able to finish all the things that I need to do knowing that I have the faith to push myself and motivate myself along the way, even if that means taking necessary breaks.
Our generation, Gen Z, is surrounded by screens 24/7 - phones, tablets, laptops, you name it. We’re all immersed in the world of social media, which is a double-edged sword. Through social media, we can become inspired. We see other people sharing their goals and their accomplishments, to which we can build our desires of ourselves off of. However, the other end of the sword prevents us from achieving our goals. People on social media tend to put their best side of their lives on screen, intentionally or unintentionally portraying themselves as perfect human beings. When we seek motivation through social media, we should remind ourselves of how realistic the content we are viewing really is and avoid becoming discouraged by misleading information.
We’re lucky to be born in a generation where society is accepting of people from diverse cultures, who place their values and beliefs at the heart of their work. I believe anyone can achieve their goals as long as they have passion in what they are doing and motivation to continue with their pursuits.
Author: Hannah Jiang
Biography: Hannah Jiang is currently a Grade 8 student at Harrow Beijing, China. Some of Hannah’s hobbies include dancing, playing the piano, reading and simply taking a stroll in the park. She also has a liking for the performance arts, and participates in the school musical every year.
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