Motivation - maybe I will change something, or maybe I will wait?
"Why did the chicken cross the road?"
The author of the book "Motivation: Biological, Psychological, and Environmental Perspectives," Lambert Deckers, asks himself this question.
This philosophical question begins our journey through the nuances of human "to be and act" or "to be and not act".
In today's post, we touch on the topic of motivation - What can you do to want it badly enough and stay in the mode of being motivated?
How do we approach the question of why we don’t take the next step, even though all signs on Earth and in Heaven tell us it’s time... like crossing to the other side of the street, much like that feathered creature.
The Grammar of Motivation
Motivation - the process in which an individual is pushed or pulled towards a chosen end state.
To be Motivated - the transition to action or change in action.
Urge - refers to motivation stemming from deprivation. It acts as an internal stimulus that motivates to reduce the drive.
Incentive - an anticipated reward or aversive event occurring in the environment, a significant environmental feature that motivates avoidance or approach direction
Positive incentives - anticipating positive consequences. For example - an increase in self-esteem, parental pride, admiration from peers for a well-maintained physique, motivates regular physical activity.
Negative incentives - anticipating negative consequences. For example, a child's fear that if a parent discovers a stolen lollipop, it will be taken away, motivates hiding with the lollipop and eating it secretly.
Pushing - the force to take action based on the drive to satisfy a need. Example: when we are hungry, the need to satisfy hunger pushes us to look for a snack. Satisfying hunger leads to the fulfillment of a physiological need, "the proverbial bowl of soup" no longer interests the person. When we are cold, from the dawn of time, we have been seeking warmth and shelter. If we live in a warm apartment, nothing pushes us to seek warm shelter... as in the 1981 movie "Quest for Fire.
Attraction - the force to act based on our imagination of the anticipated increase in our value when we achieve a certain goal. The level of attraction depends on the value system of the individual.
For example, someone is motivated for long-term effort/attracted by the idea of completing higher education, such as medical school, because after graduation, they will achieve success in their own and their close ones' eyes.
Another person, through hard work and talent, by persistently training, will achieve remarkable sports results, which will evoke admiration from the public and their satisfaction—the imagination of success sustains their motivation to act.
CLIMBING WORLD RECORD AT THE PARIS OLYMPICS
Mathematics of Motivation
Incentives + Pushing + Attraction + Urge
=
MOTIVATION
In conclusion, I would add that in the "mathematics of motivation," self-awareness (of deficits and resources), belief in one's own strength, oneself, and one's abilities - a sense of self-worth, and the creation of a plan grounded in reality are important to achieve the goal.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
The Iconic Shower Scene | Psycho (1960)
Hard work does not always equal the happy establishment of financial stability. And now, let's roll the dice with a few facts from the 21st century. Pandemic - isolation - a ban on leaving the house - because the proverbial brick from the sky will fall on us - Covid 19.
War beyond the eastern border, like a wind overturning the world of financial and health security, and the principles of many people's social lives. In the face of these facts, no one remains indiAerent. The direct threat, as well as witnessing the losses of others, leads to crises.
What is Post-Traumatic Growth? with Sonja Lyubomirsky
The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM)
It is worth mentioning generational trauma and the associated state of freezing in subsequent generations—people who have had no direct contact with traumatic events in the here and now.
Mental Time Slip
SNUJ SIĘ
Freezing of Motivation to Act
The Trap of Overload
The Trap of Roles
"I am entirely my parents' dream... I am just like my
friends... husband... wife... boss..."
I was born to bring you happiness, Mom, Dad...
I am destined to be a Superhero... but I’m not sure if
I’m fit for the role.
The Freezing effect of falling into the trap of roles is a
struggle many people face. In childhood, important figures in our lives present
us with a vision of the world and our predetermined place in it.
They define roles for us: "You must be a good person—at
all costs." Being "good" often means not thinking about yourself
but about others. "You must continue our family tradition—work in your
father’s company, stay in this town." "You must... you must."
The imperative "I must" stays with many people for
life. But "must" is not always the same as "want." A
thoughtless "must" blocks movement and self-exploration. It becomes a
spell cast in the mind, preventing decision-making and obstructing motivation
for action or change.
For deeply ingrained family "freezing spells"
resistant to change, I suggest seeking therapy. The therapeutic process helps
unfreeze personal needs, release the burden of "must," and replace it
with the empowering spell of "I want" or "I don't want."
Another trap of roles is self-freezing—"Iceman
Attention Function." .When important figures fail to acknowledge or
minimize the needs and emotions of another person—or are simply too caught up
in the high-speed train of everyday life to notice them—it can lead to zero
motivation and the state of "doing nothing." The world of such a
person revolves around the unfulfilled need to be seen and considered. In the
end... whether someone is watching or not, a person is valuable—though sometimes,
for various reasons, that truth gets lost.
Roles are dictated not only by family members but also by
circumstances and the broader environment… How easy it is to fall into a role
that is not aligned with our nature, temperament, or personality. A striking
example of this—recalling the late Philip Zimbardo, who passed away in 10.2024.
TED - Youtube
Perfectionism – Good Enough… on the Way
Enslaved by Habit…
For example, if we are hungry and food appears on the table, its smell triggers salivation—our brain anticipates the effect: satisfying hunger. Years of schooling shape various habits and associations with learning. Some people, upon seeing books, immediately think about the material they need to study for the next day. Others, however, might think about taking their dog for a walk—using it as a convenient excuse to delay studying.
The puzzle of habits shapes our lives. A habit is neither inherently good nor bad; what matters is whether it acts like concrete shoes—weighing us down and draining our motivation for change and action—or whether it serves us in a positive way.
More on habits and how to work on changing them below.
Atomic Habits: How to Get 1% Better Every Day - James Clear
Learned Helplessness
Conditioning leads us to another motivational trap—one that could be considered the ultimate extinguisher of the drive for change: learned helplessness.
Learned helplessness is the loss of hope in one's ability to influence change or break free from a long-term negative situation. It occurs when repeated failures teach a person that they have no control over outcomes and that no action will help them escape the negative stimulus.
After multiple failures and an inability to perceive a cause-and-effect connection between their actions and results, a person develops the belief that no matter what they do, they will be struck down and unable to change their painful situation. As a result, anxiety-induced freezing mechanisms emerge, leading to inaction in response to destabilizing stimuli.
"A person experiencing learned helplessness avoids expending energy on action because repeated efforts have yielded no results.
The concept of learned helplessness was first described by Martin Seligman and Steven Maier.
Overcoming learned helplessness involves unlearning passivity and relearning a sense of agency. Since helplessness is rooted in inertia and a loss of hope, breaking free from it often requires external intervention and support—guidance on possible solutions, encouragement to take action, and reinforcement of even small positive outcomes.
The Psychology Podcast – YouTube
A Constellation of Disrupted Motivational Stars
Are there states or situations in which a person's drive becomes disrupted?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – ADHD
This is a phrase that many children and adults with ADHD hear repeatedly. In its classic form, ADHD is associated with a deficiency of dopamine and norepinephrine, which affects motivation and executive functioning.
The ADHD mind generates a vast number of thoughts, ideas, and concepts. Once an idea emerges, a person with ADHD often feels a strong urge to act on it immediately. However, just as quickly as the idea is born, it can fade away. This happens due to difficulties in maintaining momentum, direction, and structured planning.
As a result, unfinished or partially completed projects accumulate, constantly being replaced by new ideas constantly replacing the old ones.
Difficulties in sustaining attention, susceptibility to
distractions, and fluctuating motivation often mean that, despite good
intentions, a person with ADHD struggles to follow through on their goals.
People with ADHD often experience strong aversion and
discomfort when faced with mundane, repetitive tasks or challenges that require
sustained focus. Despite support and efforts to develop healthy habits, many
struggle to regulate their workflow, often functioning in bursts—engaging
intensely in tasks before falling into periods of inactivity.
ADHD exists on a spectrum, with symptoms varying in
expression. In high-functioning adults with ADHD, behavioral compensation
mechanisms often develop to manage deficits. Some individuals limit activities,
particularly those requiring sustained effort. Others engage in project-based
work, focusing intensely on one project while neglecting others. Many adopt a
slower work pace to accommodate difficulties with focus.
However, the cost of living with unmanaged ADHD can be high.
Professional support—whether through psychiatric treatment, psychological
therapy, or coaching—can be invaluable.
On the brighter side, few people are as naturally creative
as those with ADHD. Their brains are biologically wired to generate unique
ideas and solutions. When well-managed, ADHD can be a powerful asset, and
finding strategies to harness its strengths can be truly life-changing.
ADHD in Women
"My Name is Depression"
"A smiling face, a sad face—depression does not always follow the same script."
Depression is a state of mind rooted in disrupted brain biology. A deficiency of neurotransmitters, combined with a surge of stress hormones, alters the brain’s functioning.
"Nothing was ever good in the past, you are worthless, and the world is hopeless."
This is the script written by the mind of a person with depression. -"So why even try?"
Depression freezes motivation. During a depressive episode,
the mind struggles to generate ideas for actions that might bring relief. The
gratification mechanism—responsible for linking incentive, goals, action, and
results—malfunctions.
Nothing feels appealing or rewarding. Needs become
minimized, and joy becomes scarce—so how can one find the motivation to act?
"The severity and presentation of depression vary,
making it especially important to discuss high-functioning depression.
At first glance, individuals with high-functioning depression may appear 'okay.' They often escape into activities or numb themselves with substances. Yet, they exist as shadows of themselves—detached, merely coexisting with their own lives.
Another often-overlooked subtype is anesthetic depression—a
state in which a person feels nothing, neither joy nor sadness.
Then there is masked depression, where deep inner turmoil
does not present through classic symptoms but instead manifests as non-specific
issues, such as sleep disturbances or changes in appetite.
A person with depression needs support and guidance—a path
back to the awareness that they can function and take action within their
abilities, without being entirely hindered by depression.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Enslaved by the Mind – Trapped in an Unproductive Loop of
Thoughts and Actions"
"Frozen in the moment—caught in an endless replay of
‘The Day of the Freak.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – A Prisoner of One’s Own Mind.
A person with OCD is a hostage to their own thoughts.
Obsessions can be compared to intruders in the mind—unwanted and intrusive,
often taking the form of distressing or unacceptable mental images.
These thoughts consume time and mental space, leading to
unproductive and often absurd ruminations about unrealistic fears or scenarios.
They drive compulsive behaviors, fueled by the need to reduce anxiety triggered
by irrational thoughts.
A person may wonder, "Will my parents die if I don’t clean the bathroom exactly three times?" or "Will something bad happen if I don’t count to 120 in my mind?" Disturbing thoughts can also arise, such as "Does having violent thoughts about my mother mean I will hurt her?".
These are just a few examples of the intrusive thoughts that
can torment a person with OCD. Because obsessions are often irrational and
deeply distressing, individuals may experience intense shame and hide their
symptoms for years.
Breaking the OCD cycle and redirecting motivation toward
constructive action often requires professional support, including therapy—and,
in some cases, psychiatric intervention.
TED Ed - Youtube
Avolition/Abulia – Impaired Will in Addictions
Abulia – Addicted to Drifting in the Pool of Pleasure, Lying
Half-Conscious on the Shore.
Addictions – The Devourers of Will and Motivation. The mechanism of addiction, which fixates a person on satisfying their dependency, along with self-regulation through behaviors and substances, creates a cycle of illusion and denial. Over time, this process reshapes motives for action, dulls emotions, and numbs the experience of most needs.
Depending on the type and severity of addiction—whether
behavioral or chemical—a person gradually becomes increasingly disconnected
from their own needs.
The most extreme example is severe opioid addiction, where
an individual stops caring about where they sleep, whether they eat, or what
they must do to sustain their habit. Originally designed to relieve pain,
opioids, when abused, numb a person entirely—turning them into a 'zombie.'
The global opioid crisis is both alarming and terrifying. How can one build a life and pursue change when functioning at half capacity, reducing all needs to the singular goal of numbing the mind and body?
Recovering from addiction is a process, rarely a
straightforward path.
To 'unfreeze' motivation and reconnect with oneself,
long-term effort is often required. But first and foremost, it takes
acknowledging the problem—and sometimes hitting rock bottom.
But you have to start somewhere...
Film bilder -Youtube
Practice Makes Perfect...
My Inner Panda Talks to Master Oogway
Kung Fu Panda - Imdb
If You're Feeling Reflective and Need a Concrete Plan -grab a piece of paper and a pencil. Write down:
What is your goal?
What are your incentives—both positive and negative?
Is your goal realistic and achievable, or have you skipped
the necessary step-by-step milestones?
Was this exercise difficult?
If you found it hard to answer these questions, it might not
be the right time yet. Another possibility is that you're feeling overwhelmed,
making it difficult to organize your thoughts.
Perhaps it would be helpful to explore these questions with
a therapist—someone who can amplify your inner voice, help you understand
yourself, and clarify your needs.
Still caught up in stereotypes about therapy?"
A therapist doesn’t tell you what to do or provide
ready-made solutions. Instead, they guide and support you—drawing from both professional
knowledge and life experience—to help you find your own answers.
There are various therapeutic approaches, each suited to
different challenges. Motivational Therapy specifically focuses on exploring
motivation and overcoming blocks to action.
The choice of therapy depends on individual needs and the
nature of the issue. Below are some examples…
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Therapy (MT) or Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Positive psychology
The new era of positive psychology | Martin Seligman
In Conclusion...
It's worth approaching growth on both a micro and macro scale methodically—thinking of yourself in terms of evolution. We may be surprised by what lies beyond the next door..:)
Augmented evolution: Why the definition of “human” is about
to change | Michelle Thaller | Big Think
Until the next post...
