Being able to stay motivated over the long term is a challenge that many of us face. Isn’t it? So, here’s how to stay motivated.
Are you familiar with both types of motivation? You will discover them here, with coach questions and a tool.
Motivation
To understand how to stay motivated, understanding both types of motivation is very helpful! First, extrinsic motivation, and then intrinsic motivation. Here are their differences:
Extrinsic motivation
Extrinsic motivation is linked to external rewards such as salary, bonuses, job titles, flexible hours, work environment, benefits, etc. This type of motivation has no long-term effect on individuals’ motivation, and can have negative effects if these factors are not perceived as “right”.
In other words, extrinsic elements must be perceived as fair, i.e. the tangible value I receive from my employer corresponds to the value I think I should receive in relation to the value I provide, my experience, the market, etc.
Extrinsic motivation is what our work environment offers us, in a tangible way.
And I tell you, this is not enough to “keep” someone. To attract a candidate, probably, but to keep motivated in the long term, no.
How many times have I heard: “The conditions here are great, but the working atmosphere and the company culture are not at all. And I’m not talking about my boss with whom the relationship is not obvious. I’m looking for another job if you hear something. »
What you’re missing in this case is the next type of motivation: intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation
Examples of elements that can generate this type of motivation include: personal satisfaction, sense of competence, autonomy, social contacts, quality of life, frequent feedback, positive interactions, clarity.
This type of motivation promotes a person’s development, commitment and perseverance or persistence.
Intrinsic motivation is what our role gives us in terms of satisfaction, joy, freedom.
Coach Questions!
- What are your extrinsic motivations at work right now?
- What are your intrinsic motivations in your role at work right now?
- Now compare the answers to the two previous questions. What do you see?
If you have an imbalance:
a) Extrinsic: What can you do? What solutions can you propose? Who can help you? Who can you talk to? If you’re working from home and your work environment is a problem, I’m sure you can come up with a simple idea or two to improve that. In any problem, there is always a part that you can control and solve independently.
b) Intrinsic: If you need to understand the meaning of your role or a project, who can you ask? If you need more autonomy or a sense of competence, what can you do? And again, who can you ask?
THAT SAID, there’s good news: you have power over your intrinsic motivation, here’s how.
Here’s how to stay motivated by doing something that’s totally within your control.
YOU can have a positive impact on YOUR motivation. Do you remember? Are you in control of your attitude? (If necessary read the article on the zones of control, influence, concerns )
Here’s how (and while we’re at it… What if you took a moment to do this exercise in real time?)
1. Create Motivating Goals (SPOPA)
To create motivating goals, follow these rules:
(s) Be specific
What is the result you want to achieve? Be specific.
Like what:
- (Non-specific) To have more time for myself.
- (Specific) Having 2 hours of free time with my family every night of the week.
(P) Know the Why
Why is this goal important to you? How does your mission or personal interests relate to this goal? How will you feel about the success of this goal? What will the success of this goal open up for you?
(O) Circumventing Obstacles
Once you get here, I bet your inner voice will start naming you a lot of obstacles. “Geneviève, forget it. You won’t be able to have 2 hours of free time with your family EVERY day. You’re exaggerating. Don’t forget that you have to make meals, that you want to go to training, etc. » 😊
So you’re going to honor that voice and listen to it while finding a strategy to get around it. Write down each obstacle and a workaround strategy.
For the above obstacle, what I did is show my son how to cook and most of the time we cook together. If he doesn’t feel like it (he’s only 8 years old anyway 😊 And for sports, I found a family Boxing Club and we go there together.
My point is that if you want, you will find it. You’re louder than your voice that just doesn’t want to get out of its comfort zone.
(P) Plan
Now that you’re ready. List the steps or ideas you have.
An idea without a plan is a wish.
If you really want to succeed, make a plan, nothing complex. Make a What/When/How/Means Needed Chart.
In other words: you need to move forward concretely. The steps should be possible to be done in a few minutes, or a few hours.
It will keep you motivated to see that you are moving forward. And the clearer you are, the easier it will be to move out of your comfort zone.
(A) Taking Action
Enough discussion 😉 , get into action right now. Set aside time in your calendar. Make this call. Make that decision.
Bonus point to go further? Read your page – from goal to action plan – out loud. You should feel a smile created. And see the motivation! If not, go back to the why!
If you subscribe and want this tool, write to yourself directly via instant messaging and we will send it to you!
2. Apply this tool on a daily basis
The previous tool is useful for setting short- or medium-term goals, but do you have a never-ending to-do list?
If so, I’ll give you my trick. Next to each item on my list, I write the “why”.
Example:
- Update the Savoir-Agir tool / help a client
- Call my contractor for the recurring problem / pride in setting my limits
- Write a Comfort Zone Article/Contribute to My Community
In conclusion
To conclude on how to stay motivated, we have seen that extrinsic motivations will not make you happy, in the long run. If you want more satisfaction, joy and freedom, focus on the intrinsic motivations and remember the acronym SPOPA: specific, why, obstacles, plan, action.
Are you experiencing challenges in engaging and motivating your team members?
What do you need to do to manage performance, which is human, first and foremost? Learn how to motivate your team, adjust your follow-up, align recognition, offer and receive feedback in a caring way, and develop your management and leadership skills to generate more motivation from your team in the Motivate and Recognize Performance online training.
