Do inspiration and motivation matter? – Part 2

Tue Mar 17, 2015

(Continued from last week)

“You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible” — Deepak Chopra

Equally as important as the concept inspiration, is the concept of motivation. These two concepts fuel each other within an individual. When you are inspired, which is a mental thought of something to be done, to allow the translation into an action or behaviour, that person would require motivation.{{more}}

Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviours. Motivation is what causes us to act, whether it is getting a glass of water to reduce thirst, or reading a book to gain knowledge. It involves the biological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces that activate behaviour. In everyday usage, the term motivation is frequently used to describe why a person does something. For example, you might say that as a student, I was so motivated to get into the psychology programme that I spent many nights studying.

Anyone who has ever had a goal (like wanting to lose 10 pounds or wanting to run a marathon….’inspiration’) probably immediately realizes that simply having the desire to accomplish something is not enough. Achieving such a goal requires the ability to persist (‘motivation’) through obstacles and endurance to keep going in spite of difficulties.

There are three major components to motivation: activation, persistence, and intensity. Activation involves the decision to initiate a behaviour, such as enrolling in a psychology class. Persistence is the continued effort toward a goal, even though obstacles may exist, such as taking more psychology courses in order to earn a degree, although it requires a significant investment of time, energy, and resources. Finally, intensity can be seen in the concentration and vigour that goes into pursuing a goal. For example, one student might coast by without much effort, while another student will study regularly, participate in discussions and take advantage of research opportunities outside of class.

So, what are the things that actually motivate us to act? Psychologists have proposed a number of different theories to explain motivation:

o Instincts: The instinct theory of motivation suggests that behaviours are motivated by instincts, which are fixed and inborn patterns of behaviour. Psychologists, including William James, Sigmund Freud, and William McDougal, have proposed a number of basic human drives that motivate behavior.

o Drives and Needs: Many of our behaviours, such as eating, drinking and sleeping, are motivated by biology. We have a biological need for food, water, and sleep; therefore we eat, drink, and sleep. Drive theory suggests that people have basic biological drives and that our behaviours are motivated by the need to fulfill these drives.

o Arousal Levels: The arousal theory of motivation suggests that people are motivated to engage in behaviours that help them maintain their optimal level of arousal. A person with low arousal needs might pursue relaxing activities, while those with high arousal needs might be motivated to engage in exciting, thrill-seeking behaviours.

“If you want to succeed in the world must make your own opportunities as you go on. The man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on dry land will find that the seventh wave is a long time a coming. You can commit no greater folly than to sit by the roadside until someone comes along and invites you to ride with him to wealth or influence.”

LIVE INPSIRED AND MOTIVATED!!!

Prepared by

Dr Jozelle Miller

Health Psychologist

Milton Cato Memorial Hospital