Understanding yourself is crucial to living a happy and successful life. Finding out what motivates you in life is one method to gain a deeper understanding of yourself.
What motivates you to act is best characterized as what drives you to do something. You may desire to make a difference in your life, but in order to do so, you must first understand what will motivate you to act. This will be determined by a number of things. It's critical to understand the various sources of motivation so you can employ the most successful ones in your own life.
Progress Isn't Always Movement
Because most individuals are preoccupied with completing tasks, identifying your drive is rarely discussed. You simply recognize that you have a goal that you want to achieve and that you are willing to go to any length to get it.
While this method can be successful, it is not the most efficient. When you don't know what inspires you in life, you're relying solely on your willpower to achieve your objectives.
Willpower, on the other hand, is a finite resource, which is why only about 20% of people keep their New Year's resolutions each year. You'll need more than willpower if you want to be among the 20% of people who effectively transform their life. You'll need a strategy that's designed to play to your strengths.
It's Important to Know What Motivates You in Life
Someone who is focused on their job advancement is more concerned with the title than with the money. As a result, offering more money but the same title will not encourage this type of person. If you offered the same individual a newer title with the same compensation, they would be more likely to accept because advancement is important to them.
Don't underestimate the importance of understanding what drives you in life. Most prosecutors must establish a motive for a jury to assess a defendant's guilt for a cause. It's because your beliefs must be linked to your actions.
If someone believes their life is in jeopardy, there is a reasonable expectation of what they will do. The person's action and the reason for taking the action must be consistent.
Simply said, you want your activities to correspond to the outcomes you intend to attain. Consider the following factors while determining what motivates you in life:
You'd Do It Even if It Wasn't Free
If you're lucky, you'll be able to make a living doing something that motivates you. That isn't always the case, though. Many people have not been able to make a living doing what they enjoy. Vincent Van Gogh is regarded as one of history's finest artists.
Did you know that in his entire life, he only sold one painting? Van Gogh painted nearly 900 paintings in his lifetime, but only one of them was sold.
People did not begin to appreciate his artwork until several years after his death. Van Gogh was unconcerned about whether or not people bought his paintings since he liked to paint.
Van Gogh's motivation was not based on whether or not people liked his art, nor on his capacity to make a living. Van Gogh painted it because he was passionate about it.
It Is Constantly on Your Mind
When you go to sleep and wake up, what do you think about it? You may be moving so quickly in life that you are oblivious to the message from your inner self. Have a notebook next to you when you get up so you can write down your initial thoughts each day. These are indicators of what drives you in life.
Keep your notebook on you at all times and jot down any thoughts you have. You should be able to notice some commonalities in your thoughts as you fill the pages in your notebook. You care about the things you think about all of the time.
What motivates you in life will comprise things that you are always talking about, in addition to your inner thoughts. What things do you always bring up while you're around your friends and family? Have you ever found yourself in a grocery store talking about the same thing with the cashier or bagger? If that's the case, you've probably discovered something you're enthusiastic about and want to pursue.
You Become Distracted While Learning
Are there any activities that you can't get enough of and end up losing track of time doing? These are clues that you may have discovered something in your life that motivates you. According to studies, if you are reading stuff that stimulates you, you will read and recall more than if you are reading material that does not.
The key to motivation is being compelled to do action. You'll want to pay attention to why you're taking action whenever you feel motivated to do so.
It's Possible to List It During the Most Rewarding Periods of Your Life
Self-reflection is an excellent way to figure out what drives you in life. Consider the instances in your life when you were most pleased with yourself. It may be the time you hit the game-winning home run or got the job of your dreams. Whatever these moments are, jot them down on a piece of paper. Examine your list to determine if there are any commonalities.
Were you with your family, performing in front of an audience, or assisting people in need? These are hints to what motivates you in life, no matter what you were doing.
Take action to confirm what motivates you once you've identified the commonalities. Find a means to express your creativity if it's something you enjoy doing. You may discover that you are motivated by a specific facet of creativity.
Others will be driven by the desire to assist those in need. Volunteer and see how you feel if you believe you appreciate assisting others. You may discover that you prefer not to support just anyone, but rather a certain cause that you care about.
If No One Was Looking, You'd Do It
There are some things in life that you do because society tells you they're wonderful ideas. Society instructs you on which school to attend, which degree and career to pursue, and even which place to reside in. Certain options are seen as prestigious and will be positively appreciated by the majority of people. Then there's a lesser-known way that's rarely taken.
The question, "Why am I on this path?" can only be answered by you. Are you on the right track to earning a pat on the back from your parents or friends? Or are you on a road that just a few people comprehend and value?
It's been said that what you do when no one is watching defines you. You have already received your prize if you take action to gain appreciation from others in your life. If, on the other hand, you are compelled to behave in accordance with your inner purpose, you are doing what inspires you in life.
Sum It Up
What drives you to succeed in life will shift over time. Life may have been simpler when you were younger. Maybe you wanted to develop a multibillion-dollar corporation because you were driven by a desire for achievement and significance. However, as you grew older, you were inspired by freedom and the prospect of roaming the globe. After that, you had children, who became the driving force behind all you did.
As you go through different life experiences, you'll notice that your motivations change. That's why it's a good idea to revisit what drives you in life on a regular basis. As your motives change, you'll be able to adapt your goals accordingly.