Finding and keeping motivation can be difficult. It is not always easy to want to work hard and adhere to deadlines and expectations. When you are struggling to feel motivated, reconnect with your ‘why.’ Why are you in college? What are the goals you are working toward? What opportunities will a degree offer you? Who is depending on you to be successful? Everyone has different answers to those questions. Discover and identify your ‘why’ and recommit to it when you feel unmotivated. Oftentimes, a person’s motivators fall into two categories: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. 

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation originates from you and your personal goals, values, beliefs, and perspectives. An intrinsically motivated person may think “I view myself as a hardworking person, therefore I will work hard in this class,” or “I want to be a good engineer so I will use tutoring to help me in this class.”

Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation originates from sources outside of yourself. Extrinsic motivators could be money, grades, praise from others, avoiding consequences, and more. An extrinsically motivated person may think “I need to study to get an A,” or “I will work hard so I can get a raise at work.”

Everyone is a combination of motivation types, so recognizing which type of motivation is at play for you in a situation can help you determine what strategies to use to get, and stay, motivated. A Success Advisor will help you discover how you find motivation and brainstorm creative ideas for you to utilize in staying motivated and focused.

Other Resources

  • Motivation – Re-think your motivation
  • Thrive Online – Resources and routines to keep your progressing with online coursework

 

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