Motivation

Our mood swings are a direct reflection of our motivation. This makes motivation a feeling. Neuroscientific research shows that motivation has a specific direction: it takes us from a point where we feel dissatisfaction to a point where we feel either less dissatisfaction or satisfaction. When we are demotivated we don't want to do anything. When we feel highly motivated that motivation comes from the sheer pleasure we feel in doing something. That's intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation delivers the best results because it minimizes our perception of the effort involved in order to do something. There are, also, several types of external motivation that can make us do things. External motivation can be a powerful motive but it doesn't last long (think: beach body diets and competition-type training). I am putting all this here because motivation is a question that comes up again and again in different contexts within The Hive. It is a complex, multi-factorial subject that touches deeply on our goals, aspirations, direction in life, sense of self, identity and even our understanding of how the world works.

Please feel free to ask any questions about all this. Stay safe.

 

[Simba]

Very good info! Thanks!

 

[demski]

I have found that my motivation and mood swings depended largely on my diet. When I don't eat well, I just don't have it in me to be motivated. So personally, I need to ensure that I eat well to be motivated and to develop exercise as a habit.

 

[Damer]

@demski that's very interesting and thank you for sharing it here. The foundation of our motivation is neurochemical. If our neurochemistry isn't right or if we experience an external stressor such as hunger perhaps, or nutritional deficiency we can't function as we should.

 

[Keshay]

Great insights! Motivation really is a multi-faceted topic. Intrinsic motivation definitely leads to more sustainable results. I appreciate you shedding light on the differences between intrinsic and external motivation. Looking forward to more discussions on this!