Most of us would probably like to lose a bit of weight, eat better, exercise more or get more sleep. Others may want to learn a new language or spend less at the mall. So how do we get started? In theory, the answer is simple. Just do it. Avoid junk food, eat brown rice instead of white, run 20 minutes daily and go to sleep an hour earlier instead of playing games on the phone at night. If the answer is so simple, why do many of us struggle with our goals? Why can’t we just do it? It all boils down to a lack of sufficient motivation. Motivation is an internal process where a person develops a strong reason for accomplishing something, or acting in a certain way, says Ms Michelle Tan, a Clinical Psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).
Everyone is motivated in different ways and by different things. According to researchers, people are motivated to do something because:
- It is fun
- It leads to rewards
- They want approval from others
- They want to achieve personal goals or standards
- It fits with their personal beliefs
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