The Self-Motivation Workbook: Teach Yourself

Adrian Tannock

• Publisher: Teach Yourself
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781444187014
• eBook ISBN: 9781473627253
• Topic: Personal Development
• Subtopic: Personal Success

- Understand why you lack motivation, and learn how you can change the direction of
your life
- Overcome procrastination and lethargic and negative emotions, and focus on what you
want to achieve
- Find the motivation you need to work harder at your job and succeed in your career
- Use the techniques of motivation to stick to healthy eating and exercise, and quit
smoking and other bad habits
- Get started with a new hobby, learn a new language or instrument, and succeed at
sportDo you want to beat procrastination and make positive changes in your life? Do you want to improve your performance at work or in your studies, or spur yourself on to get a new job? Do you want to challenge your negative core beliefs and harness the power of motivation to quit bad habits, lose weight, and learn new things? This new Teach Yourself Workbook doesn't just tell you how to improve your motivation. It accompanies you every step of the way, with diagnostic tools, goal-setting charts, practical exercises, and many more features ideal for people who want a more active style of learning. Specially created exercises will help you boost and maintain your motivation to achieve your goals.This book includes information on:
motivation
self-help
procrastination
career
goals
anxiety
core beliefs
work
sports performance
study

What is motivation?

In this chapter:

• you will learn about motivation: what it is, where it comes from and how to improve it

• you will learn how to get the most from this workbook and discover the secret of better motivation

• you will need: a pen, a portable notebook and an open mind!

The force that drives us forward

What is your motive for reading this workbook? What do you hope to achieve?

Whatever your motive, it has compelled you to act. You are now ‘motive-ated’. Your reasons and objectives have given you impetus – the force that drives us forward. You cannot be motivated without an objective in mind. There has to be a reason.

In theory, self-motivation involves three simple steps:

1 Think about your motive for taking action.

2 Feel desire and a willingness to act.

3 Act until your objective is complete.

Of course, life isn’t quite this straightforward – there are challenges to overcome. Motivation is easily lost, and people are prone to wasting time. However, learning to motivate yourself is possible. And doing so will change your life.

Self-motivation depends on using certain skills. This workbook explains everything you need to know. You will explore techniques for building desire and focus, and learn how to overcome the challenges we all face. Your progress will reflect the time you spend practising. As with everything, you get back what you put in.

Perspectives on motivation

‘Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.’

Benjamin Disraeli

There are many competing theories on motivation – too many to explore here. However, let’s consider self-motivation from various perspectives. You will then understand how it can improve.

Motivation gives us impetus. Like all human experiences, it affects us in different ways. Consider the following:

• Motivation changes our thoughts: we consider what we could do next.

• Motivation changes our emotions: we feel willingness, desire and intention.

• Motivation changes our behaviour: in the most obvious sign of motivation, we act towards our aims.

Motivation increases or decreases in strength. Contrast the list above with this:

• Low motivation changes our thoughts: we avoid thinking about the tasks at hand.

• Low motivation changes our emotions: we feel inert, frustrated or anxious.

• Low motivation changes our behaviour: we’ll do anything other than make a start.

Low motivation often causes distraction and avoidance; we are compelled to do less rewarding things. Motivation is a question of direction as well as strength.

UNCONSCIOUS PROCESSES

Your brain is currently performing sophisticated tasks: controlling your eyes, understanding these words, processing the information you’re reading, forming new memories, etc. This activity creates your experience of being you, but it sits beyond your conscious awareness.

You might be aware of your ‘voice’ in your mind, but you are not conscious of its construction. This is true of most things; your reality is created without your conscious input. In fact, your reality is idiosyncratic and subjective, even though it feels ‘real’ to you.

Similarly, we are not even aware of our whole mind. Unconscious beliefs, values, hopes and fears are woven through the fabric of who you are. Relinquish any ideas of perfect control or self-awareness. People are complex and contradictory, with hidden depths and irrational rough edges.

Learning to motivate yourself means working with these processes. You cannot just snap your fingers and demand that things simply change. Progress depends on learning new skills, changing your perception and training your brain to think differently.

MOTIVATION AS A PROCESS

We saw how motivation affects us on different levels, changing our thoughts, feelings and actions. Being a process, motivation evolves over time. It ebbs and flows, strengthens and weakens, reacting dynamically to the challenges we face.

Here is how self-motivation looks when mapped across time:

Before action:

• Our thoughts: we plan our next move and commit to taking action.

• Our emotions: willingness increases and we feel ready to act.

• Our behaviour: the moment comes and we take action.

During action:

• Our thoughts: sometimes focused and sometimes distracted, our thoughts evolve from moment to moment.

• Our emotions: our willingness may occasionally give way to frustration, but sustained focus should see us through.

• Our behaviour: even though we may become distracted – depending on our thoughts, our feelings and the challenges we face ...

Table of contents

• Cover 
• Title
• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Contents 
• How to use this book
• 1 What is motivation?
• 2 What is your motive?
• 3 The emotional mind
• 4 Your compelling vision
• 5 Setting well-formed goals
• 6 Identifying your ‘goal time’
• 7 Demotivating challenges
• 8 Overcoming demotivating behaviour
• 9 Overcoming stressful feelings
• 10 Motivated thinking and planning
• 11 Overcoming a negative mindset
• 12 Overcoming unhelpful habits and excuses
• 13 The art of feeling motivated
• 14 Your motivated life
• Appendix 1: The motivation process
• Appendix 2: BET record sheet
• Copyright