Is motivation simple or complicated?

What Motivates You? Why bother getting up in the morning?

I think the only thing that motivates me is a chemical reaction in my brain that makes me do things. Much like electricity motivates a light bulb to shine. Its as if I'm a biological machine following my programming. I feel as though I may be missing something, so I thought I'd post this question for all to think about and hopefully respond to with what I may be missing (if anything) or if not then an agreement comment. Thoughts?

Here are some factors that determine motivation:

· Your programming when you were a young child
· Your current living status
· Your liking of the pleasures in life
· Your family
· Your friends
· Your spouse (if you have one)
· Your kids (if you have one)
· Your intelligence-to-experience ratio

If you had really good programming when you were a kid by your parents and/or teachers when you were growing up and/or inherit a good work ethic, you can wake up each day no problem with no motivation at all. If you have lots of money and like doing things that pleasure you, your motivation could be money, pleasure, and/or entertainment. If you have people you like to hang around with, your motivation could be to see those people. If you aren't very smart and haven't had much life experience, you motivation might be lacking. Think of an "emo" kid who kills himself as part of a ritual or out of depression. He lacks the proper knowledge to discern certain...things...and stuff...

Hmm, it appears my motivation to continue this post has left me.

I'll leave it at that then.

I find I have to create my motivations. I have to decide on goals. I need both long term and short term goals.
If I have only a long term goal, I eventually burn out, run out of energy. It is sad to say but I sometimes need some sort of addiction to keep myself moving on a day to day, minute to minute basis. At times that has been smoking cigarettes, other times it has been running, or certain foods like chocolate, horseback riding.....

These things develop a desire in my body which gives me a little jump in energy when I consider them. I will get out of bed faster to go do them or get them; I will work harder at a chore or job when I imagine them as my reward at the end. It makes my body produce the right chemicals to move.

My long term goals don't supply the same energy everyday because as years pass without ever getting that carrot, it is like my body gives up on the vision, even if my mind is still very set and believing in it.

I've found some people get motivated by things like fear- fear of death, for example? -Instead of "running towards", they get themselves "running away" with the same effect ultimately. My husband does that.

I have a hard time creating that because I guess I just had a very hard childhood in which I became very discouraged and went through so much, none fo it really frightens me enough. Death itself (even if it means complete an utter end to any sort of continuing consciousness or being) sounds just as equal to living, in my mind, (if not better). Not to say I am suicidal! I just don't feel afraid of death, so even in projecting that as a possibility if I don't move doesn't motivate me.

I've already been homeless, been without food, without love, without health or comfort, and none of that scares me.

So, yeah- goals, attachments and addictions. I choose them to keep going. With no direction, my wheels just come to a stop.

Originally posted by Bluesma
I've already been homeless, been without food, without love, without health or comfort, and none of that scares me.

Thanks for your reply. I hope you can better describe your motivations for doing various things and what you did during all of those times you describe. I once went without food while fasting and very strangely never really desired food during that time. If I went without food for a longer period of time I think it would have been a lot different.

Originally posted by seachange

Originally posted by Bluesma
I've already been homeless, been without food, without love, without health or comfort, and none of that scares me.

Thanks for your reply. I hope you can better describe your motivations for doing various things and what you did during all of those times you describe. I once went without food while fasting and very strangely never really desired food during that time. If I went without food for a longer period of time I think it would have been a lot different.

I was young and didn't have a choice. But what I found is that after a certain period of time, you lose the hunger. I mean, your tummy can hurt, but you don't make the connection between that and food, as when it hurts, it makes the idea of eating seem even less attractive. The same way you lose your appetite when you're sick?


Many of these things are like that. You go without others (love) for long enough, soon you don't feel any need or desire for others.

Perhaps we are just highly adaptive creatures. Sometimes, when you have gone without something long enough, the challenge can be making yourself want it or enjoy it then! Like anorexics, or people who get used to being unhappy, or suffering. Those who were neglected and alone as children so often grow up being the "independant" individuals who seem to hate or at least reject any sort of relationships- whereas those who always had relationships (parents, etc.) cannot stand the idea of NOT having them! For them, the potential of losing relationships with those they love can be a big motivator.

It kinda seems like addictions again..... addiction to comfort, to discomfort, to love, to not being loved, to certain emotions, to certain familiar circumstances and contexts. These addictions to what we know and are familiar with can be big motivators.

I think another thing that influences how motivated you feel, is your diet. Eat crap and you'll feel tired and sluggish, eat the good stuff and you'll have bags of energy. Definitely rings true for me, anyway.

In its simple form, I think that an obvious one is avoiding the negative consequences, such as getting up in the morning in order to keep your job. Another is doing something in order to obtain a reward.

But I struggle with the other kind. I enjoy swimming, but I am constantly finding excuses not to push myself into going to the pool, even though I know it's good exercise for me. It doesn't matter what resolutions I make and even write down, when it comes to actually carrying them out, I always find this the most difficult thing for me to accomplish. There are no external stimuli to get me to go, such as pressure from friends or other people. It is strictly a personal thing. I want to go four times a week, but I haven't done that in a while. So what is keeping me from going on certain days? Well, I can be easily distracted by other activites and just forget the time, for instance. I do hate the drying off and getting dressed in winter, but this is still summer and I have to engage in self-talk, even though I don't always listen, lol. I have tried to provide motivation for myself such as keeping a spreadsheet and dividing the cost of the yearly membership by the number of times I actually go, in order to find the average cost per swim and lower it, but even that does not do it.

I found that if I have a certain amount of physical momentum beforehand, then I'm more likely to leave the house. But even that momentum involves a balance between discipline and feeling too tired after. I just have not found the answer.

reply to post by seachange


I'm kind of lazy , but hearing a random song might give me goosebumps and motivate me to want to make music for the next 8 hours non-stop.

Or I randomly might see my room is a mess but only once I can't stand it will I clean it spotless.....

Motivation comes not from one thing. but from bits and pieces of our lives.


One day I will be motivated to accomplish something, the next day I lack any whatsoever and just want to take it easy.

Not sure why though. Maybe it's because I don 't have that drive to attain as much money as possible. even though I would love to have as much money as possible.