Self-Motivation / Willpower

Self-Motivation is Like a Muscle  |  Manage and Take Account of your Energy Levels  |  Have and use Inspiring Goals  |  Get into the Right Mindset  |  The Use of Visualization  |  Learn to Take Control of your Now  |  Overcoming Temptation and Bad Habits  |  Implementing Good Habits  |  Keep Getting Back Up  |  General Self-Motivation Tips

Useful or interesting Links  |  Quiz/Tests

 

Self-Motivation, also termed willpower or self-control, is the self-discipline to do what you know you should when you should, despite having a desire to do otherwise.

Self-motivation is about doing the harder but more valuable thing, when you have the option of doing the lazy or easy thing.

Whilst most people fail to do so, we all have it within ourselves to achieve a tremendous amount and to be happy in doing so. Our success or failure in doing so is largely down to ourselves; not circumstances or other people. Our success or failure is down to our willpower, and significantly increasing our willpower is something we can all learn.

Knowledge of what we ought to do is rarely the problem. Good self-control enables us to do the things that we ought to do when we ought to do them. People who are able to do so are generally happier, healthier, able to deal with life’s downs, get on better with other people, do better in their working lives, and live longer than those less able to do so.

We are all able to change our behavior if we choose. Our past failures and our current circumstances are no excuse. It is our conscious ability to choose that defines us as human beings.

Those who lack self-discipline lack freedom. They are unable to control their lives through their own choices and thus they have their lives dictated by other people.

 

Self-Motivation is Like a Muscle

 

 

Manage and Take Account of your Energy Levels

 

 

Have and use Inspiring Goals

You are totally responsible for your own sense of purpose, or lack of purpose.

 

Get into the Right Mindset

Our mindset has a significant impact on our behavior. If we believe we were born a certain way and that won’t change, then it won’t. However if we believe we can change, then we can.

 

The Use of Visualization

 

 

Learn to Take Control of your Now

It is only at this very moment that you can do or change anything.

 

Overcoming Temptation and Bad Habits

Most of our life is governed by our habits. It is hard work applying our conscious brain to overcome the natural instincts and habits of our unconscious brain. It can be done, but it is hard work and as the day progresses we are less able to do so. One of the best uses of our conscious brain is therefore to eliminate bad habits.

 

Implementing Good Habits

Most of our life is governed by our habits. It is hard work applying our conscious brain to overcome the natural instincts and habits of our unconscious brain. It can be done, but it is hard work and as the day progresses we are less able to do so. One of the best uses of our conscious brain is therefore to create good habits.

 

Keep Getting Back Up

The will is strengthened through battling on through adversity.

 

General Self-Motivation Tips

Determination and persistence will overcome most obstacles.

 

Useful or interesting Links

 

http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/self-motivation.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Self-Motivated

 

Quiz/Tests

[Alternative version of Quiz with Scoring]: Requires ActiveX enabled

Reminder on taking tests: It’s not about trying to prove you already know it, it’s about learning.
Question 1

Which of the following are true statements about self-motivation:

a. Self-motivation is something you are either born with or you’re not.
b. Self-motivation is like a muscle which gets tired but which you can strengthen through exercise.
c. Self-motivation is not difficult. You just need to make up your mind to be self-motivated and you will be. Those who struggle with this are simply weak minded.

 

Question 2

List some easy day to day exercises you can readily undertake to help exercise your willpower:

 

Question 3

It’s late in the evening. And the person you are with is a bit short with you. Which of the following are possible explanations for this:

a. They are just being thoughtless.
b. It’s the sort of person they are.
c. There’s probably something I said or did which has upset them.
d. They’ve probably had a long hard day, and it’s only natural they should be a bit less self-controlled late on in the day.
e. They are not really being short, it is me being over sensitive.

 

Question 4

Your self-motivation, your willpower, will weaken during the day. Which of the following are tactics to help you pace yourself and be able to still apply a reasonable modicum of willpower later in the day.

a. Keep a range of high sugar sweets to hand to top up your brain glucose when you start to flag.
b. Avoid doing any stressful or brain draining activities during the day so you keep up your brain energies for later in the day.
c. Do lots of small willpower exercises during the day to increase you overall willpower.
d. Avoid having a big meal during the day or in the evening, and adopt a balanced diet during the day.
e. Keep yourself hydrated during the day, largely with water.
f. Have a nap in the early evening.
g. Arrange your environment such that you are not faced with temptations or distractions in the evening, and have a clear plan for what you want to do.

 

Question 5

If you are continually struggling to increase your will-power, and unable to even get started on doing regular self-motivation exercises, whose fault is it:

a. It’s your own fault.
b. It’s your parents fault.
c. It’s the fault of the people around you who are not adequately encouraging or helping you.

 

Question 6

Complete the following phrases:

‘You can do anything, but … .’
‘The will to win is not as important as … .’
‘It is not talent that will get you to where you want to be, it is … .’

 

Question 7

If you can’t resist buying cakes or sweets when you go out for your weekly or other general food shopping, what tactics might you try to stop doing so:

 

Question 8

What is meant by moral licencing?

 

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