what is self motivation essay

Self-Motivation Explained + 100 Ways To Motivate Yourself

To demonstrate this point, let’s consider two scenarios you’ve likely experienced:

• You have something you have to do . You’re not excited or passionate about it, but you know you need to get it done. This feeling of obligation motivates you to work hard to complete the task;
• You have something you get to do . You’re interested in your task—you might have even assigned this task for yourself rather than receiving it from someone else—and you are happy to put in the time and effort to complete it.

In which scenario are you more effective? In which scenario are you more efficient? And, in which scenario do you feel the most fulfilled?

I’m willing to bet that your answer to each of those questions is Scenario 2.

It likely won’t come as a surprise that doing something for its own sake and for your own purposes is likely to be more fulfilling, enjoyable, and successful than doing something to meet external standards or to please others.

The feeling described in Scenario 2 is that of being self-motivated . Read on to learn more about self-motivation and why it’s the most effective kind of motivation.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Goal Achievement Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients create actionable goals and master techniques to create lasting behavior change.

This Article Contains:

• What Is the Meaning of Self-Motivation?

3 Examples of Self-Motivation

The psychology of self-motivation: how are self-efficacy and motivation related, the importance of self-motivation, is self-motivation a skill and can it be developed through training, how to foster self-motivation in the workplace, research on self-motivation.

• 17 Activities, Exercises, and Worksheets for Self-Motivation (PDF)

5 Meditations to Promote Self-Motivation

Self-motivation quizzes, questionnaires, and tests, apps for increasing self-motivation, popular podcasts on self-motivation, 22 quotes and messages to ignite self-motivation, 6 images to inspire self-motivation, 15 recommended movies to get yourself motivated, ted talks, speeches, and videos on self-motivation, 7 books on self-motivation, a take-home message, what is the meaning of self-motivation.

Above, we explored a basic example of self-motivation, but here’s a succinct definition of the concept:

“Self-motivation is, in its simplest form, the force that drives you to do things”

(Skills You Need, n.d.).

It’s the drive you have to work toward your goals, to put effort into self-development, and to achieve personal fulfillment.

It’s important to note here that self-motivation is generally driven by intrinsic motivation, a kind of motivation that comes from sincerely wanting to achieve and desiring the inherent rewards associated with it.

Self-motivation can also be driven by extrinsic motivation, the drive to achieve that comes from wanting the external rewards (like money, power, status, or recognition), although it’s clear that intrinsic motivation is usually a more effective and fulfilling drive.

Self-Motivation and Emotional Intelligence

According to emotional intelligence expert Daniel Goleman, self-motivation is a key component of emotional intelligence . Emotional intelligence is the measure of one’s ability to recognize and manage his or her own emotions and the emotions of other people.

Self-motivation’s relevance to emotional intelligence highlights its role within our ability to understand ourselves, relate to others, and succeed in reaching our goals .

Goleman states that there are four components of motivation:

• Achievement drive, or the personal drive to achieve, improve, and meet certain standards;
• Commitment to your own personal goals;
• Initiative, or the “readiness to act on opportunities”;
• Optimism, or the tendency to look ahead and persevere with the belief that you can reach your goals (Skills You Need, n.d.).

• A man who goes to work every only as a means to pay the bills, keep his family off his back, and please his boss is not self-motivated, while a man who needs no external forces to make the trek into work every day and finds fulfillment in what he does is self-motivated;
• The student who only completes her homework because her parents remind her or nag her, or because they ground her when she fails to complete it is not self-motivated, but the student who completes her homework with no prodding because she wants to learn and succeed in school is self-motivated;
• The woman who only goes to the gym when her friends drag her there or because her doctor is adamant that she needs to exercise to get healthy is not self-motivated, but the woman who likes the way exercise makes her feel and schedules time at the gym whether or not anyone encourages her is self-motivated.

As you can see, self-motivation is all about where your drive comes from; if your motivation comes from within and pushes you to achieve for your own personal reasons, it can be considered self-motivation.

If you are only motivated to achieve standards set by someone else and not for your own internal satisfaction, you are probably not self-motivated.

It’s possible to be self-motivated in some areas and not in others. For example, if the man from the first example is not internally motivated to go to work but is sure to make time for his marathon training, he is not self-motivated when it comes to work but might be self-motivated to run.

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Psychologist Scott Geller is at the forefront of research on self-motivation, and he explains that there are three questions you can use to determine whether you (or someone in your life) is self-motivated:

• Can you do it?
• Will it work?
• Is it worth it?

If you answered “yes” to each question, you are likely self-motivated.

If you believe you can do it, you have self-efficacy . If you believe it will work, you have response efficacy—belief that the action you are taking will lead to the outcome you want. And if you believe it is worth it, you have weighed the cost against the consequences and decided the consequences outweigh the cost (Geller, 2016).

Speaking of consequences, Geller considers “consequences” to be one of four vital “C” words that underpin self-motivation:

• Consequences: To be self-motivated, you sincerely have to want the consequences associated with the actions you take rather than simply doing something to avoid negative consequences;
• Competence: If you answer all three of the questions above with a “yes,” you will feel competent in your ability to get things done;
• Choice: Having a sense of autonomy over your actions encourages self-motivation;
• Community: Having social support and connections with others is critical for feeling motivated and believing in yourself and your power to achieve (Geller, 2016).

Much of Geller’s work on self-motivation is grounded in the research of psychologist and self-efficacy researcher Albert Bandura . In 1981, Bandura set the stage for Geller’s current conceptualization of self-motivation with this description:

“Self-motivation . . . requires personal standards against which to evaluate ongoing performance. By making self-satisfaction conditional on a certain level of performance, individuals create self-inducements to persist in their efforts until their performances match internal standards. Both the anticipated satisfactions for matching attainments and the dissatisfactions with insufficient ones provide incentives for self-directed actions”

(Bandura & Schunk, 1981).

From this quote, you can see where Geller’s three questions come from. Believing that you can do it, that it will work, and that it is worth it will drive you to match the internal standards you set for yourself.

We explore this further in The Science of Self-Acceptance Masterclass© .

The DARN-C acronym is a commonly used tool in motivational interviewing. Motivational interviewing is a directive, client-centered treatment that enhances intrinsic motivation to make positive life changes (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).

The DARN-C acronym stands for desire , ability , reason , need , and commitment , which builds the basis of change talk.

1. Desire indicates precisely what the client wants and wishes for. This desire is the motivating factor for change. 2. The ability component of motivation is necessary because clients must believe that they can change, so a realistic perspective on how achievable this change can be is needed. 3. The reason for the change can be motivated by current pitfalls, benefits of a changed future, or aspects of both. 4. The need indicates the urgency of the change without specifying the underlying reason. The needs that arise during motivational interviewing questions reflect the importance of the shift to the individual. 5. Lastly, commitment is about specific actions that the client will take to change, an understanding of how to convert intentions into concrete action plans.

As you have likely already guessed, self-motivation is an important concept. While pleasing others and meeting external standards can certainly motivate us to get things done, such efforts aren’t exactly labors of love.

In other words, doing things because we feel we have to do them or to gain some external reward is enough in many cases, but it doesn’t invoke the passion needed to drive innovation and excellence.

It’s fine to use external sources to motivate you in some areas, but external motivation is less likely to leave you feeling personally fulfilled and finding deeper meaning in your life .

Not only do we generally do better work when we are self-motivated, but we are also better able to cope with stress and are simply happier when we are doing what we want to be doing.

The answer is a definite “yes.”

Self-motivation is driven by a set of skills that are within your control. Read on to learn how to use this to your advantage.

12 Tips and Skills to Motivate Yourself Today

The Skills You Need website lists six vital skills that form the foundation of self-motivation, and they are all skills that you can develop through sustained effort:

• Setting high but realistic goals (e.g., SMART goals);
• Taking the right level of risk;
• Constantly seeking feedback to figure out how to improve;
• Being committed to personal and/or organizational goals and going the extra mile to achieve them;
• Actively seeking out opportunities and seizing them when they occur;
• Being able to deal with setbacks and continue to pursue your goals despite obstacles (i.e., resilience).

Further, there are six things you can do to maintain your self-motivation:

• Continue learning and acquiring knowledge (i.e., develop a love of learning);
• Spend time with motivated, enthusiastic, and supportive people;
• Cultivate a positive mindset and build your optimism and resilience;
• Identify your strengths and weaknesses, and work on them;
• Avoid procrastination and work on your time management skills;
• Get help when you need it, and be willing to help others succeed (Skills You Need, n.d.).

14 Strategies for Students to Increase Their Self-Motivation to Study

Students are particularly well-suited to reap the benefits of self-motivation, but it can be hard to be self-motivated in the current educational environment.

Luckily, there are some things you can do as teachers, parents, and adult mentors to help students become self-motivated. In addition, there are plenty of strategies that students can apply themselves.

Here are some ideas for how to encourage self-motivation in students:

• Provide students with as much autonomy and freedom of choice as possible (e.g., give students a choice in their seating arrangements or a range of options for their final project, and implement problem-based learning);
• Provide useful feedback, praise hard work, and deliver critical feedback using words like “and” and “what if” instead of “but” to encourage student competence;
• Cultivate a high-quality relationship with your students by taking a genuine interest in them, acting friendly, staying flexible, keeping your focus on the end goal of learning, and not giving up on them;
• Encourage your students to think about, write about, and discuss how what they are learning is relevant to their own lives (Ferlazzo, 2015).

And, here are some ways that students can bolster their own self-motivation:

• Attach meaning to your studies and take personal ownership over your knowledge and learning;
• Create a plan: Map out your semester, your month, your week, and even your day;
• Build a routine and apply time management skills to become more organized and productive;
• Identify several comfortable study environments (they should be quiet and have few distractions);
• Get enough sleep, eat nutritious food, and exercise regularly to stay healthy;
• Tame “time monsters” like the internet, video games, or unproductive time spent with friends;
• Avoid multitasking by choosing one subject or task to work on at a time and focusing all of your attention on it;
• Take planned—and well-earned—breaks to stay refreshed and motivated;
• Connect with a support system of friends and family who will encourage you to do your best;
• Talk positively to yourself (Buckle, 2013).

You may find it much easier to encourage self-motivation in the workplace than in school.

After all, everyone in the workplace is there because they chose to be there, not because they’re required to be there by the law or by their parents. Employees might have vastly disparate reasons for being at work, but it’s unlikely they were compelled to work for their specific organization against their will.

As a manager, there are many ways to foster self-motivation in the workplace, including:

• Giving your employees one-on-one attention, feedback, and recognition;
• Ensure your employees have opportunities for meaningful advancement as well as training and education opportunities;
• Set the example in terms of tone, work ethic, and values . Be a role model for positivity, optimism, and hard work;
• Cultivate an uplifting and motivating culture that encourages employees to want to do their best;
• Foster socialization through teamwork and team-based activities, projects, and events;
• Stay as transparent as possible and open yourself up to questions, concerns, and ideas from your employees. Implement an open-door policy to ensure your employees feel heard (DeMers, 2015).

Writers Nick Nanton and J. W. Dicks at Fast Company offer some further strategies to ensure that both you and your employees stay motivated:

• Sell your mission statement to your team as you would to an investor. Ensure the people working to meet that mission understand it and buy into it;
• Foster a culture in which each employee has a specific job and a specific role with the organization, and give them room to grow and opportunities to implement ambitious new ideas;
• Focus on inspiring your staff instead of just motivating them. Inspired employees will inherently be motivated;
• Show your team recognition and appreciation for the hard work they do;
• Share your passion with your team and lead from the front by developing a positive mindset and displaying a positive attitude (2015).

Techniques to Motivate Yourself at Work

You can also take control of your own self-motivation at work. Some good techniques for becoming more self-motivated at work include:

• Finding work that interests you (This is a vital tip—it’s much easier to be self-motivated when you are passionate about what you do and fully engaged in it.);
• Request feedback from your boss or colleagues to learn about where you can improve and to enhance role clarity;
• Learn a new skill that is relevant to your role (or your desired role);
• Ask for a raise. Financial incentives are generally considered extrinsic motivation, but if you’re happy with your position, being paid what you think you are worth can be very self-motivating;
• Remind yourself of your “why,” the reason you do the work you do. When you are doing meaningful work, you are more likely to find fulfillment and stay self-motivated;
• Volunteer your services to others (This is especially helpful if you have trouble defining your “why.”);
• Take a vacation to allow yourself to rest, recharge, and come back refreshed and ready to work (Stahl, 2016).

The research on self-motivation clarifies its vital role in helping us achieve our goals. Check out the findings on two important and related topics below.

Self-Discipline and Self-Motivation

While self-discipline and self-motivation are two distinct concepts, self-discipline is vital to maintaining self-motivation. It’s not enough simply to be self-motivated—to achieve your goals, you need to couple self-motivation with self-discipline.

A study of online learners showed that even though they might all be considered self-motivated (since they are all taking a voluntary course with the goal of learning), those with self-discipline were the most likely to succeed.

Those who were highly self-disciplined displayed higher competence at the end of the course, fulfilled more external tasks, and were more effective in achieving their goals (Gorbunovs, Kapenieks, & Cakula, 2016).

Self-Motivation and Weight Loss

Very often, self-motivation is a key component of weight loss. Research on the connection between the two is quite clear.

In multiple studies, researchers found that participants who reported greater autonomy support and self-determined motivation were more effective in losing weight, more likely to keep the weight off for longer periods of time, and more positive about their weight loss journey (Teixeira, Silva, Mata, Palmeira, & Markland, 2012).

When we have our own closely held reasons for wanting to lose weight—and these reasons are based on personal fulfillment rather than meeting external standards—we are much more likely to find success.

16 Activities, Exercises, and Worksheets for Self-Motivation (PDFs)

Check out the activities, exercises, and worksheets below to find ways to enhance your self-motivation. Or, share these resources with your clients to help them get self-motivated.

Quick and Easy Motivation Techniques

Some techniques and exercises are more difficult than others. If you’re looking for a quick and easy exercise or activity to boost your self-motivation, try these:

• Listen to motivational music, like: a. Bill Conti’s Gonna Fly Now ; b. Paul Engemann’s Push it to the Limit ; c. Queen’s We Will Rock You ; d. Kenny Loggins’ Danger Zone ; e. ACDC’s Thunderstruck .
• Watch a motivational movie, like: a. Forrest Gump ; b. The Pursuit of Happyness ; c. Life is Beautiful ; d. Rain Man ; e . The Family Man .
• Read books that boost motivation from authors like: a. Napoleon Hill; b. Brian Tracy; c. Tony Robbins; d. Jim Rohn (Mueller, 2012).

Stronger Motivational Techniques

If you need techniques with a bit more power, you can try these:

• Set wisely chosen and deeply personal goals that you are excited about working toward;
• Schedule rewards for yourself when you accomplish your goals (or when you make steps toward your goals, for the larger ones);
• Visualize yourself achieving and fulfilling these goals;
• Create a vision board with your goals, aims, and dreams in mind, and post it somewhere you will see it often;
• Pay attention to your “hierarchy of needs” (à la Abraham Maslow) and ensure you are meeting your lower-level needs (including physiological needs like food and sleep, safety needs, social needs, and esteem needs);
• Consider using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), the study linking neurology, language, and programming to understand human experience and motivation;
• Envision what could happen when you reach your goals, as well as what could happen when you fail to reach your goals;
• Incorporate things you are interested in and engage your curiosity when setting and working toward your goals;
• Make a commitment to someone or something to ensure your future self will find it difficult to change plans or put things off (Mueller, 2012).

Self-Motivation Workbook (PDF)

This workbook is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to develop self-motivation.

It contains 23 pages of self-motivation information, activities, and exercises to help you find the drive within yourself that’s needed to achieve your goals.

You’ll find sections like:

• What Makes People Self-Motivated?;
• Lack of Energy or Self-Motivation?;
• Making Decisions;
• Don’t Make Excuses;
• Be Clear About Your Decisions;
• The Three Decisions That Will Shape Your Life;
• The NAC Concept of Pain and Pleasure;
• Transforming Yourself.

Please note that you will need to register with www.plr.me to download this workbook. You can find more free motivation tools and worksheets here .

Exercise: Build Self-Efficacy

Building self-efficacy is one of the best ways to develop your self-motivation. It might sound difficult or complex, but there are three simple activities you can do that help get you there:

• Ensure early success by choosing activities or steps that you know you can do;
• Watch others succeed in the activity you want to try—this is particularly effective if the person you are observing is similar to you and/or close to you;
• Find a supportive voice, like a coach, counselor, friendly manager, or mentor to encourage you and give you feedback (Mantell, 2012).

Set SMART Goals

As noted earlier, setting SMART goals is a great way to enhance your self-motivation.

When you set these goals, make sure they are:

• Measurable;
• Attainable;

Creating goals for yourself is one of the best things you can do to build a foundation for self-motivation. And if your goals are SMART, you are much more likely to find it easy to motivate yourself.

Getting Motivated to Change

This PDF from Texas Christian University’s Institute of Behavior Research offers many useful handouts and worksheets on motivation, along with some instructions for how to use them and suggestions for implementing change-focused counseling and coaching (Bartholomew, Dansereau, & Simpson, 2006).

It breaks things down into four parts:

• Motivation 101;
• The Art of Self-Motivation;
• Staying Motivated;
• Making It Second Nature.

All four parts contain great resources, but the Art of Self-Motivation section includes some really useful handouts and worksheets, including:

• Motivation and Change handout (page 28);
• Taking a Hard Look – Pros and Cons (page 29);
• Target Log (page 30).

Some of the resources in this PDF are targeted to people who are recovering from addiction, but it’s easy enough to alter and adapt them for more general use.

Click here to access this 63-page resource.

Meditation can be a great way to help maintain your self-motivation.

Try these meditations to help you stay self-motivated:

• Mountain Refuge’s Meditation for Self-Motivation ( 20-minute guided meditation from Meditainment);
• Meditation to Help Stop Procrastination (guided meditation from Jason Stephenson that’s about one half-hour);

• Guided Meditation—Motivation (11-minute guided meditation from Minds with Integrity);

• 10 Minute Meditation for Motivation and Building a Positive Mindset (10-minute guided meditation from The Mindful Movement);

• Guided Meditation—Increase Motivation and Confidence (nine-minute guided meditation from Michael Mackenzie at Project Meditation).

There are several fun quizzes and questionnaires you can use to explore your level of self-motivation. They aren’t all rigorous and validated instruments, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be helpful.

Self-Motivation Quiz From Richard Step

You can find this quick five-minute quiz from Richard Step at this link . It includes 45 questions rated on a three-point scale (with Rarely, Maybe, and A Lot as the three options).

You can take it with a focus on your life in general, or you can narrow your focus to one of several areas, including:

• Academics and schoolwork;
• Business ownership;
• Career growth and change;
• Creativity;
• Entrepreneurship and self-employment;
• Faith and spirituality;
• Family life;
• Fitness and health;
• Friendships;
• Future vision;
• Goal setting and completion;
• Helping other people;
• Hobbies and casual interests;
• “I was asked to take the test”;
• Just for fun or curiosity;
• Leadership and management;
• Life purpose and passions;
• Marriage and relationships
• Money and wealth;
• Psychological research;
• Retirement and legacy living
• Self-discovery and development;
• Shopping and spending;
• Teaching and training others;
• Teamwork and team-building;
• Trauma recovery.

Your results from this quiz will help you determine what makes you tick and what your main motivators are.

Motivation Style Quiz

If you want to learn what type of incentives you are most responsive to, this quiz from Martha Beck at Oprah.com can help. It includes only 10 questions with five response options each, so it’s a quick and easy way to discover your motivation style.

Your results will be presented via a score on the five different motivator types:

• Connection;
• Accomplishment;
• Enlightenment;

Scores can range from 1 to 10, with higher scores indicating that something is a greater motivator for you. Anything with a score of 6 or higher can be considered one of your major motivators, while anything below 3 is only minimally important. Your main motivational style is the component with the highest score.

Along with your scores, you will see descriptions of each motivation style to get an idea of what your “type” is like.

The Self-Motivation Inventory

For a slightly more research-backed scale of self-motivation, you might want to consider the Self-Motivation Inventory. This inventory will help you determine your level of self-motivation and whether you’re driven more by internal or external motivators.

It includes 30 items rated on a scale from 1 (less true) to 5 (more true), dependent on how well you feel each item describes you.

A few sample items include:

• I frequently think about how good I will feel when I accomplish what I have set out to do;
• If asked about what motivates me to succeed, I would say that the number one factor is a sense of personal fulfillment, that I gave my all and did my best;
• When I think about the reward for doing something, the first thing I think about is the sense of accomplishment or achievement;
• On several occasions, I have given myself a consequence for making a poor or less optimal decision. For instance, if I chose to eat an extra helping of dessert, I tell myself to work out an extra 10 minutes at the gym;
• Even if something makes me feel slightly nervous or uncomfortable, I typically do not have much trouble getting myself to do it.

When you have answered all 30 questions, total your responses for your overall score. Your score will place you within one of the following categories:

• Total Score 113-150: highly self-motivated;
• Total Score 75-112: somewhat self-motivated;
• Total Score 38-74: slightly self-motivated (perhaps in one or two areas, but not overall);
• Total Score 0-37: not at all self-motivated (more externally motivated).

This inventory was developed by Milana Leshinsky and Larina Kase, and you can find it at this link .

If you’ve committed to becoming more self-motivated and working toward your goals, these seven smartphone apps can help you get started and maintain your drive:

• DayOneApp : This journaling app allows you to add pictures, local weather data, and geo-location to each journal entry (iOS and Android);
• MyFitnessPal : This food- and exercise-focused app helps determine the calories and overall nutrition of the food you eat and records your exercise activity (iOS and Android);
• Headout : This app shares exciting, last-minute deals on fun experiences, including nearby activities, events, and tours. Make sure you make time to rest and relax in addition to all the work (iOS and Android);
• Coach.me : This app acts as a sort of digital coach by posing powerful questions that will help you narrow down your desires, set goals, and stay open-minded and on track (iOS and Android) (Boss, 2016).

If you’re a fan of podcasts, you might be happy to know that there are plenty of motivation-related podcasts available.

Here’s just a sample of the podcasts out there focused on this topic:

• The Daily Boost: Best Daily Motivation ( website );
• The Accidental Creative ( website );
• Inspire Nation—Daily Inspiration, Motivation, Meditation ( website );
• The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes ( website );
• Cortex ( website );
• The Tony Robbins Podcast ( website );
• Happier with Gretchen Rubin ( website );
• Beyond the To Do List—Personal Productivity Perspectives ( website );
• The Charlene Show ( website );
• The Ziglar Show—Inspiring Your True Performance ( website );
• Courageous Self-Confidence ( website ).

Check out other great podcasts that are focused on improving your motivation at https://player.fm/ .

Sometimes you just need a quick boost to get self-motivated, and quotes are a great way to get the spike in motivation that you need. Among this list are 17 quotes collected by Lydia Sweatt (2016). Give these quotes and messages a read next time you’re lacking in motivation.

“The only time you fail is when you fall down and stay down.”

“Most people can motivate themselves to do things simply by knowing that those things need to be done. But not me. For me, motivation is this horrible, scary game where I try to make myself do something while I actively avoid doing it. If I win, I have to do something I don’t want to do. And if I lose, I’m one step closer to ruining my entire life. And I never know whether I’m going to win or lose until the last second.”

Allie Brosh

“Always choose the future over the past. What do we do now?”

Brian Tracy

“You are your master. Only you have the master keys to open the inner locks.”

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”

Norman Vincent Peale

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”

Walt Disney

“Where there is a will, there is a way. If there is a chance in a million that you can do something, anything to keep what you want from ending, do it. Pry the door open or, if need be, wedge your foot in that door and keep it open.”

Pauline Kael

“Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.”

George Herbert

“Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you.”

George Whitefield

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

“Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star.”

W. Clement Stone

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.”

Sam Levenson

“There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits.”

Michael Phelps

“Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.”

Theodore Roosevelt

“We aim above the mark to hit the mark.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“One way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals.”

Michael Korda

“Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.”

Simone de Beauvoir

“You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

Arthur Ashe

“Why should you continue going after your dreams? Because seeing the look on the faces of the people who said you couldn’t . . . will be priceless.”

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”

Harriet Beecher Stow

Similarly, sometimes a motivational poster, meme, or image can work wonders for your self-motivation. Below are six of my favorite motivation-related images. (Images that are not Creative Commons can be accessed via the links.)

The Classic Road Sign

I don’t know about you, but there’s something that calls to me in this image: the blue sky and clouds, the angle encouraging us to look up, and “Motivation” in big letters. For some reason, it just works!

Looking at this image makes me think about life as a journey and motivation as an important piece of that journey. If we want to reach our next destination, we need to put forth some effort to make it happen. And when we do, seeing that big road sign welcoming us can often be reward enough.

The Yes I Can image also points out that the best motivation is self-motivation; as we’ve learned in this piece, that is truly the case. When we are motivated for our own internal reasons and committed to reach our goals for personal fulfillment rather than meeting the standards of others, we are more likely to succeed.

Sometimes, all we need is a quick reminder that “Yes I can!” Keep this image handy, especially when you’re working towards a particularly challenging goal, and it might give you the boost of motivation you need to stay on track.

I Cannot Change Yesterday, But I Can Change Today

The message of this image  is such an important point to remember, especially for those of us who struggle with leaving the past where it belongs: in the past.

It can be all too easy to dwell on past experiences, mistakes you’ve made, and roads that you should have taken. However, that does nothing to improve your current state. It’s good to reflect on what has brought you to where you are today, but letting worry, shame, embarrassment, and self-doubt based on your past creep into your present is a sure recipe for failure.

Remember that yesterday is done and gone—you can’t change it, so there’s no point dwelling on it. Take your lessons learned and apply them to something you can change: today.

What Matters Most Is How You See Yourself

This is another classic image in self-motivation and self-esteem, probably because it has a kitten in it. Kittens make for popular images.

Besides being cute, it also gets an important point across: The most important thing is the view you have of yourself. What other people think simply doesn’t matter most of the time. It’s what you think and feel about yourself that drives your behavior.

If you want to stay motivated and achieve your long-term goals, make sure to work on your sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy. See the best in yourself when you look in the mirror, and you’ll ensure that the best in yourself is what you manifest through your actions.

(Im)possible

This exhilarating (and potentially anxiety-inducing) image reminds us that what seems impossible is sometimes very possible. Of course, some things are truly impossible, based on things like gravity and the laws of nature, but this image isn’t about those things. It’s about things that seem impossible until you actually try them.

Challenge yourself to try something that seems impossible, giving it at least one solid attempt. You may be surprised at the outcome.

Don’t Worry, You Got This

This meme is both adorable and motivational. Featuring a tiny hedgehog in a victorious pose, this is a great image to go to when you’re in need of self-motivation combined with light-heartedness and humor. It can sometimes give a boost that simply can’t be found in more solemn inspirational quotes.

Looking at the cute little hedgehog and telling yourself, “ You got this! ” might be enough to get yourself in the frame of mind to take on a new challenge with enthusiasm and a smile.

If you’re a cinephile, you might find movies a good source of motivation.

If so, this list of 15 motivational movies (along with the movies listed above) might be enough to give you a boost:

• To Kill a Mockingbird (1962);
• The Shawshank Redemption (1994);
• Queen of Katwe (2016);
• Apollo 13 (1995);
• The Queen (2006);
• Lion (2016);
• Southpaw (2015);
• The African Queen (1951);
• Dangal (2016);
• Field of Dreams (1989);
• My Life as a Zucchini (2016);
• The Finest Hours (2016);
• Begin Again (2013);
• Sing Street (2016).

To see descriptions of the motivational power of these movies, read Samuel R. Murrian’s (2017) article  here .

Don’t have time for a full-length feature film? That’s okay! There are also tons of great TED Talks and YouTube videos on self-motivation. Check out any of the videos listed below to learn more about self-motivation:

The Psychology of Self-Motivation – Scott Geller

Psychology Professor Scott Gellar (mentioned earlier in this article) explains how to become more self-motivated in this inspiring TEDx Talk.

How Can We Become More Self-Motivated – Kyra G.

Thirteen-year-old Kyra shares in this TEDxYOUTH talk how to be motivated by setting goals and looking up to positive role models.

Self Motivation – Brendan Clark

Another young TEDxYOUTH speaker, Brendan Clark shares his own philosophies on motivation and success in this video.

Of course, there’s always the old-fashioned option to learn more about self-motivation: reading.

Check out these excellent books on self-motivation if you want an in-depth look at the topic:

• Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation by Edward L. Deci and Richard Flaste ( Amazon );
• The Self-Motivation Handbook by Jim Cathcart ( Amazon );
• Self-Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality, and Development by Carol Dweck ( Amazon );
• The Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard ( Amazon );
• The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win by Jeff Haden ( Amazon );
• No Excuses! The Power of Self-Discipline by Brian Tracy ( Amazon );
• The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson ( Amazon ).

17 Tools To Increase Motivation and Goal Achievement

These 17 Motivation & Goal Achievement Exercises [PDF] contain all you need to help others set meaningful goals, increase self-drive, and experience greater accomplishment and life satisfaction.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

In this piece, we covered what self-motivation is, how it fits into similar concepts in psychology, how you can boost it in yourself, and how you can encourage it in others.

It’s possible to increase self-motivation, and in turn, to increase your productivity and success. Hopefully, this article gave you some techniques and tools for achieving this.

What’s your take on self-motivation? What works best for you? Do you find yourself motivated more by external rewards or by internal drives? Did you find that your motivation differs in different areas of life? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Goal Achievement Exercises for free .

• Bandura, A., & Schunk, D. H. (1981). Cultivating competence, self-efficacy, and intrinsic interest through proximal self-motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41 , 586-598.
• Bartholomew, N. G., Dansereau, D. F., & Simpson, D. D. (2006). Getting motivated to change. TCU Institute of Behavioral Research. Retrieved from http://ibr.tcu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/TMA06Sept-mot.pdf
• Boss, J. (2016). 7 apps to help integrate tech with self-improvement goals. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/254636
• Buckle, K. (2013). 10 tips for self-motivation for students. Gratia Plena. Retrieved from https://gratiaplenacounseling.org/10-tips-for-self-motivation-for-students/
• DeMers, J. (2015). 6 motivation secrets to inspire your employees. Inc. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/jayson-demers/6-motivation-secrets-to-inspire-your-employees.html
• Ferlazzo, L. (2015). Strategies for helping students motivate themselves. Edutopia. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/strategies-helping-students-motivate-themselves-larry-ferlazzo
• Geller, E. S. (2016). The psychology of self-motivation. In E. S. Geller (Ed.) Applied Psychology (pp. 83-118). New York, NY, US: Cambridge University Press.
• Gorbunovs, A., Kapenieks, A., & Cakula, S. (2016). Self-discipline as a key indicator to improve learning outcomes in e-learning environment. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 231 , 245-262. Mantell, M. (2012). Four strategies that build lasting motivation (and how to use them to achieve your goals). LifeHacker. Retrieved from https://lifehacker.com/5958782/four-strategies-that-build-lasting-motivation-and-how-to-use-them-to-achieve-your-goals
• Mueller, S. (2012). Self-motivation techniques: Proven motivation tactics to boost your motivation. Planet of Success. Retrieved from http://www.planetofsuccess.com/motivationtechniques/
• Murrian, S. R. (2017). 15 inspiring, uplifting movies you can watch right now on Netflix for a hopeful new year. Parade. Retrieved from https://parade.com/632586/samuelmurrian/15-inspiring-uplifting-movies-you-can-watch-right-now-on-netflix-for-a-hopeful-new-year/
• Nanton, N., & Dicks, J. W. (2015). 5 steps to keeping your employees—and yourself—motivated daily. Fast Company. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/3041620/5-steps-to-keeping-your-employees-and-yourself-motivated-daily
• Skills You Need. (n.d.). Self-motivation. Skills You Need: Personal Skills. Retrieved from https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/self-motivation.html
• Stahl, A. (2016). Seven ways to get motivated at work. Forbes: Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2016/11/22/seven-ways-to-get-motivated-at-work/#414d52633cd5
• Sweatt, L. (2016). 17 motivational quotes to help you achieve your dreams. Success. Retrieved from https://www.success.com/article/17-motivational-quotes-to-help-you-achieve-your-dreams
• Texeira, P. J., Silva, M. N., Mata, J., Palmeira, A. L., & Markland, D. (2012). International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 9, 22.

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Thank you for the abundance of information.

This article very helpful for me. For me, intrinsic motivation work for me. Thank you so much to the writer.

Wow.. wonderful article. Covered all corners .. its so inspirational and insightful.

thanks alot of information

Excellent resource and information for all areas of life. I look forward to reading some of the books your listed.

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Thank you so much for this wonderful post. Really great

This is the one of best example “A man who goes to work every only as a means to pay the bills, keep his family off his back, and please his boss is not self-motivated, while a man who needs no external forces to make the trek into work every day and finds fulfillment in what he does is self-motivated;” Thanks for sharing this helpful post in fast-changing life!

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3 Goal Achievement Exercises Pack

• Self-motivation

Table of Contents

Self-motivation is an essential element in achieving success and leading a fulfilling life. It refers to the internal drive that propels individuals to take action toward their goals, even in the face of adversity or challenges. Cultivating techniques for-self motivation help individuals foster a sense of purpose, unleash their creativity, and enhance their adaptability in different domains of life.

What is Self-Motivation?

Self-motivation is a valuable skill that enables individuals to drive themselves toward achieving their goals without any external influence.

It involves controlling the inner drive and determination that comes from an individual’s values, beliefs, interests, and past experiences of success and accomplishments. Self-motivation skills can also inspire and influence others, by drawing a strong sense of drive and purpose in their life.

Scholars and researchers in various fields, including psychology, education, and organizational behavior, have studied the concept of self-motivation over time.

Abraham Maslow 1  Liu, Z., Xiang, J., Luo, F., Hu, X., & Luo, P. (2022). The Study of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory in the Doctor-Nurse Integration Teaching Method on Clinical Interns.  Journal of healthcare engineering ,  2022 , 6388068. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/6388068 , an American psychologist, proposed one of the earliest and most influential motivation theories, which highlights the innate drive individuals possess to achieve personal growth and realize their full potential through inner motivation.

The self-determination theory 2  Patrick, H., & Williams, G. C. (2012). Self-determination theory: its application to health behavior and complementarity with motivational interviewing.  The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity ,  9 , 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-9-18 is another crucial notion that suggests that self-motivation is heightened when individuals feel a sense of control over their actions and a connection to others who share similar goals and interests. By understanding the concept of self-motivation and developing the skills to harness it, individuals can push toward excellence, even in the face of obstacles or setbacks.

Examples of Self-Motivation

Self-motivation can be cultivated by:

• Encouraging oneself with positive self-talk 3 Tod, D., Hardy, J., & Oliver, E. (2011). Effects of self-talk: a systematic review.  Journal of sport & exercise psychology ,  33 (5), 666–687. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.33.5.666
• Setting specific, measurable goals
• Celebrating momentary successes 4 Hart, W., & Albarracín, D. (2009). The effects of chronic achievement motivation and achievement primes on the activation of achievement and fun goals.  Journal of personality and social psychology ,  97 (6), 1129–1141. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017146 along the way
• Developing a consistent routine and committing to it
• Surrounding oneself with positivity, whether it be through supportive people or uplifting content
• Incorporating physical activity 5 Brophy, S., Cooksey, R., Davies, H., Dennis, M. S., Zhou, S. M., & Siebert, S. (2013). The effect of physical activity and motivation on function in ankylosing spondylitis: a cohort study.  Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism ,  42 (6), 619–626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semarthrit.2012.09.007 into one’s routine to boost energy levels and mental clarity
• Pursuing activities 6 Chen, M., Xue, S., & Shi, Y. (2018). Leisure activities and leisure motivations of Chinese residents.  PloS one ,  13 (11), e0206740. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206740 that align with one’s passions and interests.

Characteristics of a Highly Self-motivated Person

Individuals who possess a high degree of self-motivation have specific traits that enable them to stay focused and achieve their objectives. Some of the essential characteristics of highly self-motivated people are:

• An optimistic attitude 7 Conversano, C., Rotondo, A., Lensi, E., Della Vista, O., Arpone, F., & Reda, M. A. (2010). Optimism and its impact on mental and physical well-being.  Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health : CP & EMH ,  6 , 25–29. https://doi.org/10.2174/1745017901006010025 toward life, allows them to approach challenges with resilience and hope.
• The ability to organize and manage their time and resources effectively, allowing them to prioritize tasks and remain productive.
• A persistent and determined mindset enables them to push through setbacks.
• A clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, allows them to leverage their strengths while addressing their weaknesses.
• A desire to continuously improve and develop themselves, taking on new challenges and learning new skills.

Why is self-motivation essential in life?

Self-motivation plays a crucial role in achieving both success and happiness in life. Here are five reasons why is self-motivation important:

1. Creates a Sense of Purpose

Self-motivation helps individuals to identify their purpose 8  Sutin, A. R., Luchetti, M., Stephan, Y., & Terracciano, A. (2022). Sense of purpose in life and motivation, barriers, and engagement in physical activity and sedentary behavior: Test of a mediational model.  Journal of health psychology ,  27 (9), 2068–2078. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053211021661 and goals in life, providing them with a clear direction and sense of meaning.

2. Fosters Creativity

Individuals with self-motivation are often more creative and innovative 9  Oleynick, V. C., Thrash, T. M., LeFew, M. C., Moldovan, E. G., & Kieffaber, P. D. (2014). The scientific study of inspiration in the creative process: challenges and opportunities.  Frontiers in human neuroscience ,  8 , 436. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00436 , as they are not bound by external constraints and can think outside the box.

3. Promotes Adaptability

Self-motivated individuals are better equipped to adapt to changing 10  Ybarra O. (2023). The skills that help employees adapt: Empirical validation of a four-category framework.  PloS one ,  18 (2), e0282074. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282074 circumstances and overcome obstacles, as they can maintain a positive attitude and persevere through challenges.

4. Improves Relationships

Self-motivation can lead to healthier and more positive relationships 11  Okello, D. R., & Gilson, L. (2015). Exploring the influence of trust relationships on motivation in the health sector: a systematic review.  Human resources for health ,  13 , 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-015-0007-5 with others. It helps people to become more assertive in their communication with others, leading to better understanding and more effective communication, which can help build stronger relationships.

5. Encourages Risk-taking

Self-motivation can empower individuals to take calculated risks 12  Li, M., Lauharatanahirun, N., Steinberg, L., King-Casas, B., Kim-Spoon, J., & Deater-Deckard, K. (2019). Longitudinal link between trait motivation and risk-taking behaviors via neural risk processing.  Developmental cognitive neuroscience ,  40 , 100725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100725 in pursuit of personal fulfillment and growth, leading to greater confidence and a broader range of experiences.

Elements of Self-Motivation

The elements of self-motivation refer to the factors or components that contribute to an individual’s ability to motivate themselves for achieving their goals.

Here are some points explaining the different elements of self-motivation:

1. Visualization

Visualizing oneself to achieve 13  Blankert, T., & Hamstra, M. R. (2017). Imagining Success: Multiple Achievement Goals and the Effectiveness of Imagery.  Basic and applied social psychology ,  39 (1), 60–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/01973533.2016.1255947 the desired outcome can help in building motivation, confidence, and focus.

2. Self-reflection

Reflecting on one’s experiences 14  Pillny, M., Krkovic, K., Buck, L., & Lincoln, T. M. (2022). From Memories of Past Experiences to Present Motivation? A Meta-analysis on the Association Between Episodic Memory and Negative Symptoms in People With Psychosis.  Schizophrenia bulletin ,  48 (2), 307–324. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbab120 , strengths, weaknesses, and progress helps in identifying areas of improvement, setting new goals, and staying motivated.

3. Self-belief

Believing in one’s abilities, skills, and potential helps in overcoming obstacles, taking risks 15  Bayat, B., Akbarisomar, N., Tori, N. A., & Salehiniya, H. (2019). The relation between self-confidence and risk-taking among the students.  Journal of education and health promotion ,  8 , 27. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_174_18 , and pursuing challenging goals is considered to be one of the crucial factors of self-motivation.

4. Self-discipline

Developing self-discipline 16  Claver, F., Martínez-Aranda, L. M., Conejero, M., & Gil-Arias, A. (2020). Motivation, Discipline, and Academic Performance in Physical Education: A Holistic Approach From Achievement Goal and Self-Determination Theories.  Frontiers in psychology ,  11 , 1808. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01808 and self-control helps in avoiding distractions, staying focused, and following through with commitments.

5. Persistence

Persisting towards one’s goals 17  Moyers, T. B., & Rollnick, S. (2002). A motivational interviewing perspective on resistance in psychotherapy.  Journal of clinical psychology ,  58 (2), 185–193. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.1142 , despite setbacks and obstacles, and learning from failures helps to develop self-motivation.

Types of Motivators

Understanding different types of motivators can help individuals to identify their source motivation and create strategies to sustain it for achieving goals. Here are the two most common types of motivators:

1. Intrinsic Motivators

Intrinsic motivators refer to the internal drive 18  Di Domenico, S. I., & Ryan, R. M. (2017). The Emerging Neuroscience of Intrinsic Motivation: A New Frontier in Self-Determination Research.  Frontiers in human neuroscience ,  11 , 145. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00145 or desire that comes from within an individual to perform a certain behavior or activity. Intrinsic motivators can be very powerful and long-lasting.

Examples include the desire for personal growth, the sense of accomplishment, and the satisfaction to do a job well.

2. Extrinsic Motivators

This refers to external factors 19  Ramirez-Andreotta, M. D., Tapper, A., Clough, D., Carrera, J. S., & Sandhaus, S. (2019). Understanding the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations Associated with Community Gardening to Improve Environmental Public Health Prevention and Intervention.  International journal of environmental research and public health ,  16 (3), 494. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030494 that drive individuals to perform a certain behavior or activity. These motivators are usually tied to rewards or recognition from outside the individual.

Examples include money, promotions, awards, public recognition, etc.     

Self-motivation and Mental Health

Self-motivation can have both positive and negative effects on our mental health, depending on how it is experienced and expressed. Here are some examples:

Positive Effects

1. sense of control.

When people are self-motivated, they feel a greater sense of control 20  Yahya J. (2021). Breaking Beyond the Borders of the Brain: Self-Control as a Situated Ability.  Frontiers in psychology ,  12 , 617434. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.617434 over their lives. This can help reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, as individuals feel empowered to take action and make positive changes.

2. Resilience

Self-motivation can help us build greater resilience 21  Whitfield, K. M., & Wilby, K. J. (2021). Developing Grit, Motivation, and Resilience: To Give Up on Giving In.  Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) ,  9 (2), 109. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy9020109 and cope with challenges more effectively. When people are motivated, they are better able to bounce back from setbacks and stay focused on their goals, even in the face of adversity.

Read More About Resilience Here

3. Better Mental Health Outcomes

Studies have shown that self-motivation is linked to better mental health 22  Sheehan, R. B., Herring, M. P., & Campbell, M. J. (2018). Associations Between Motivation and Mental Health in Sport: A Test of the Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation.  Frontiers in psychology ,  9 , 707. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00707 outcomes, including lower rates of depression and anxiety.

Negative Effects

1. pressure and stress.

When people are over-motivated, they may put too much pressure 23  Yang, M., Viladrich, C., & Cruz, J. (2022). Examining the relationship between academic stress and motivation toward physical education within a semester: A two-wave study with Chinese secondary school students.  Frontiers in psychology ,  13 , 965690. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.965690 on themselves to achieve their goals. This can lead to negative mental health outcomes, such as feelings of stress and burnout.

Read More About Stress Here

2. Obsession and Addiction

When self-motivation turns into an obsession, an individual may become overly occupied with a particular goal or behavior. Some individuals may exhibit addictive-like behaviors 24  Koob, G. F., & Volkow, N. D. (2016). Neurobiology of addiction: a neurocircuitry analysis.  The lancet. Psychiatry ,  3 (8), 760–773. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(16)00104-8 such as working excessively long hours, neglecting their personal lives and relationships, or engaging in risky or unhealthy behaviors to maintain their productivity.

Read More About Addiction Here

3. Perfectionism

Self-motivation can sometimes lead to perfectionism, where individuals set impossibly high standards 25  Vicent, M., Sanmartín, R., Vásconez-Rubio, O., & García-Fernández, J. M. (2020). Perfectionism Profiles and Motivation to Exercise Based on Self-Determination Theory.  International journal of environmental research and public health ,  17 (9), 3206. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093206 for themselves and are never satisfied with their achievements. This can lead to a negative impact on mental health such as feelings of frustration and stress.

Read More About Perfectionism Here

Effects of Lack of Self-motivation  

Maintaining motivation and enthusiasm to achieve one’s objectives in challenging situations can be difficult. Lack of self-motivation can have a significant impact on an individual’s life, impeding one’s ability to reach their targets, pursue interests, and lead fulfilling lives.

A lack of self-motivation can lead to:

1. Procrastination

Without self-motivation, individuals may be more likely to put off important tasks or avoid taking action 26  Beutel, M. E., Klein, E. M., Aufenanger, S., Brähler, E., Dreier, M., Müller, K. W., Quiring, O., Reinecke, L., Schmutzer, G., Stark, B., & Wölfling, K. (2016). Procrastination, Distress and Life Satisfaction across the Age Range – A German Representative Community Study.  PloS one ,  11 (2), e0148054. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148054 altogether. This can lead to a sense of overwhelm and a cycle of inactivity.

Read More About Procrastination Here

2. Low Productivity

It can be challenging to stay focused and productive without self-motivation. People may struggle to get things done or take longer to complete tasks, which can affect their work performance 27  Lohela-Karlsson, M., Jensen, I., & Björklund, C. (2022). Do Attitudes towards Work or Work Motivation Affect Productivity Loss among Academic Employees?.  International journal of environmental research and public health ,  19 (2), 934. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020934 or personal goals.

3. Lack of Achievement

When individuals lack self-motivation, they may find it challenging to achieve 28  Hart, W., & Albarracín, D. (2009). The effects of chronic achievement motivation and achievement primes on the activation of achievement and fun goals.  Journal of personality and social psychology ,  97 (6), 1129–1141. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017146 their goals or pursue their passions, leading to a sense of frustration or regret.

4. Poor Self-esteem

A lack of self-motivation can also affect one’s self-esteem 29  van der Kaap-Deeder, J., Wouters, S., Verschueren, K., Briers, V., Deeren, B., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2016). The Pursuit of Self-Esteem and Its Motivational Implications.  Psychologica Belgica ,  56 (2), 143–168. https://doi.org/10.5334/pb.277 and confidence. People may feel like they’re not living up to their potential or that they’re not capable of achieving their goals. This can lead to self-doubt and low self-worth.

Read More About Self-Esteem Here

5. Decreased Happiness

Ultimately, a lack of self-motivation can impact an individual’s overall happiness 30  Esch T. (2022). The ABC Model of Happiness-Neurobiological Aspects of Motivation and Positive Mood, and Their Dynamic Changes through Practice, the Course of Life.  Biology ,  11 (6), 843. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11060843 and sense of fulfillment. Without the drive and passion to pursue their goals and dreams, they may feel unfulfilled or unsatisfied with their lives.

How to Increase Self-motivation

Here are six effective tips for self-motivation that can help an individual to get started:

1. Set Specific Goals

Clear and concise goals can help you focus and stay motivated 31  Fang, H., He, B., Fu, H., Zhang, H., Mo, Z., & Meng, L. (2018). A Surprising Source of Self-Motivation: Prior Competence Frustration Strengthens One’s Motivation to Win in Another Competence-Supportive Activity.  Frontiers in human neuroscience ,  12 , 314. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00314 . Break down larger goals into smaller, achievable steps to keep yourself on track.

2. Establish a Routine

A consistent routine can help you develop positive habits 32  van der Weiden, A., Benjamins, J., Gillebaart, M., Ybema, J. F., & de Ridder, D. (2020). How to Form Good Habits? A Longitudinal Field Study on the Role of Self-Control in Habit Formation.  Frontiers in psychology ,  11 , 560. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00560 and increase productivity. Whether it’s a morning routine to kick-start your day or a set schedule for work or exercise, find a routine that works for you.

3. Identify Your Why

Understanding the reasons behind your goals 33  Manton, K. J., Gauld, C. S., White, K. M., Griffin, P. M., & Elliott, S. L. (2019). Qualitative study investigating the underlying motivations of healthy participants in phase I clinical trials.  BMJ open ,  9 (1), e024224. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024224 and aspirations can provide a powerful source of motivation. Connect with your values and motivations regularly to stay inspired.

4. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

Perfectionism can lead to feelings of self-doubt and procrastination. Instead, focus on incremental progress 34  Höchli, B., Brügger, A., & Messner, C. (2018). How Focusing on Superordinate Goals Motivates Broad, Long-Term Goal Pursuit: A Theoretical Perspective.  Frontiers in psychology ,  9 , 1879. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01879 and celebrate small victories along the way.

5. Reward Yourself

Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Rewards 35  Liu, Y., Yang, Y., Bai, X., Chen, Y., & Mo, L. (2022). Do Immediate External Rewards Really Enhance Intrinsic Motivation?.  Frontiers in psychology ,  13 , 853879. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.853879 can motivate you to continue making progress toward your goals.

6. Surround Yourself with Positivity

Surrounding yourself with positive people 36  Horowitz L. G. (1985). The self-care motivation model: theory and practice in healthy human development.  The Journal of school health ,  55 (2), 57–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.1985.tb04079.x , messages, and environments can increase your mood and motivation. Seek out supportive friends and family members, read inspiring books or articles or create a workspace that inspires you.

Self-motivation nearly affects every facet of our lives. Therefore, maintaining realistic goals, practicing self-care, and focusing on positive outcomes are of utmost need to lead a fulfilling life.

At A Glance

• Self-motivation is a key factor in achieving success and fulfillment in all areas of our lives.
• Examples of self-motivation include pursuing personal goals, seeking new challenges, and finding inspiration within oneself.
• Self-motivation is important in life because it helps individuals achieve their targets, and fulfill their potential which leads to a fruitful life.
• It can positively impact our mental health, providing a sense of purpose and control, and developing strength.
• It is important to cultivate healthy self-motivation to avoid negative outcomes such as stress, burnout, and addiction.
• Some effective techniques for self-motivation include prioritizing self-care, striving for balance in all aspects of life, and setting realistic and achievable goals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. how does self-motivation influence self-concept.

Self-motivation can positively influence self-concept by fostering a sense of competence, achievement, and control over one’s life.

2. Is self-motivation an attitude?

Self-motivation can be considered an attitude as it involves having a positive mindset and internal drive to achieve one’s goals.

3. Are people born with self-motivation?

While some people may have a natural inclination towards self-motivation, it is primarily a learned skill that can be developed and improved over time.

4. What is the power of self-motivation?

The power of self-motivation lies in its ability to push individuals towards achieving their goals, even in the face of obstacles and setbacks, ultimately leading to personal growth and success.

5. What causes lack of self-motivation?

Lack of self-motivation can be caused by various factors, such as fear of failure, lack of direction, low self-confidence, and lack of interest or passion in the task at hand.

6. How does self-motivation affect mental health?

Self-motivation can have a positive impact on mental health by promoting feelings of accomplishment, purpose, and self-esteem, and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

References:

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• 36  Horowitz L. G. (1985). The self-care motivation model: theory and practice in healthy human development.  The Journal of school health ,  55 (2), 57–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.1985.tb04079.x

Mental Health Topics (A-Z)

• Abrasive Personality
• Academic Problems And Skills
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• Yoga For Mental Health
• Young Male Syndrome
• Zeigarnik Effect
• Zone of Proximal Development  

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What is self-motivation?

Why is self-motivation essential for achieving your goals, what are external and internal motivators, 11 self-motivation techniques, 3 examples of self-motivation, 5 benefits of self-motivation, 5 tips for fostering self-motivation at work, is your lack of motivation telling you something, self-motivation is a skill for life.

The best kind of motivation is self-motivation. 

But what is self-motivation? When you’re self-motivated, you do more than empower yourself to check things off the to-do list. Being self-motivated also means having enough self-awareness to know what works for you and what doesn't. Rather than depending on others to give you a reason for doing, your sense of motivation comes from within. Your drive comes from your interests, values, and passions, not someone else's checklist. 

But motivating yourself is easier said than done. Some days it feels like you're searching far and wide for anything to help you get things done. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, feelings of burnout and languish have become widespread. From less time outside to more time online, the past couple of years have taken on a toll on our well-being .

The good news? Learning the meaning of self-motivation can help you improve your mental fitness and start hitting your goals . In fact, self-motivation could be the key to feeling better in both your personal and professional life. Let’s dive into what self-motivation is and why it matters. 

To be specific, self-motivation is the internal drive that leads us to take action towards a goal. It keeps us moving forward, even when we don’t want to. An example of this is when you’re going for a run.

You set a goal to run for 20 minutes, but at 15 minutes you’re exhausted. You want to stop. Self-motivation is what keeps you disciplined to run out the clock. 

As the name implies, self-motivation works throu gh you, internally. It doesn’t depend on others. When you motivate yourself, you push yourself to reach your personal goals through hard work and passion.

You're the one reaching for new opportunities and doing the Inner Work® needed to make long-term change. This takes sustained effort, self-discipline , and true self-confidence .

Self-motivation is the secret weapon to achieving your goals. It impacts both your professional and personal life. Without it, you could struggle. Though having a support network is important, you can’t depend on others to push you your entire life. 

Our goals require a lot of focus , which can be easy to lose. Self-motivation keeps your focus tight because it’s the practice of reminding yourself about the bigger picture. This allows you to ask important questions like, “how will this new skill further my career ?”

Self-motivation helps you see your daily tasks as part of your long-term goals and consider how what you’re doing lines up with your life purpose . 

Setting goals that are aligned with your desires can improve your well-being . When you’re motivating yourself, you can work toward achievements that give you a sense of deeper meaning . If you encounter any challenges or obstacles, your self-motivation will propel you through them.

Rather than depending on others to determine your career path, you can make those decisions for yourself — and then find the power inside of you to achieve what you want. 

Self-efficacy , w hich refers to our belief in ourselves to meet our goals or a certain standard, is related to self-motivation. If we believe in ourselves and our abilities, we’re more likely to succeed. Knowing that we can stay motivated will improve our self-efficacy , which in turn improves our self-motivation. It’s a win-win.

Ultimately self-motivation shows you that by staying motivated now, you can make your 5-year-plan happen . You are capable of following your dreams — you just need to be resilient and continually focused. 

Now that you know what self-motivation is, you might be wondering how to find it. A great way to start is by understanding what motivates you. You’ll likely relate to one of two different types of motivators: internal and external. 

Internal motivators provide the motivation you need to do things you want to do. This is c alled intrinsic motivation . If you’re motivated by internal factors, you’re likely to feel satisfied, happy, and interested in your tasks . These tasks can be fun, like baking your favorite cake.

They can also be personal challenges that you know will teach you valuable things, like taking a coding course to get ahead at work. Intrinsic motivation fuels long-term goals that you know benefit your future.

External motivators, or extrinsic motivation , are all about rewards or punishment. These external rewards could be a paycheck or a promotion . Punishment could mean being reprimanded by your boss or even fired. When we're externally motivated, we might not have as much passion or drive as we would for intrinsic goals.

However, external motivators are a great way to stay accountable. In fact, studies have found that rewards enhance our learning in educational settings . Trying to avoid punishment, too, will motivate us to behave better and work harder . 

Self-motivation is largely intrinsic since it relies on your own desires and personal rewards to keep you going. But self-motivation might mean that you create external factors to motivate yourself.

For example, you could promise yourself that you can have a nice dinner when you finally finish your workweek. Or, you could invite someone over so that you have to clean your apartment. These are both very valid motivators.

Self-motivation isn’t a skill that you're born with. However, it can be learned if you take the time to focus and change up your normal routine.

If you're wonderi ng how to overcome a lack of self-motivation, here are 11 techniques to try:

• Build healthy habits that help you create momentum each day (like eating a healthy breakfast)
• Develop a growth mindset, not a fixed mindset
• Set goals with the SMART goals method : specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound
• Write up a personal vision statement to keep your intentions clear
• Take a moment to sit down and do a self-evaluation  
• Step out of your comfort zone sometimes
• Practice efficient self-management in ways that don’t drain you
• Look at your failures as learning opportunities
• Practice gratitude so you can be motivated by the good things in your life
• Try to keep a positive attitude and practice positive thinking when you’re discouraged
• Reward yourself for your successes and forgive yourself for your failures

Keeping these tips in mind will help you stay motivated when you’re struggling to move forward. And if you need extra support, consider trying BetterUp . We can help you stay on track with your goals and improve your mental fitness. 

You can implement self-motivation in all areas of your life. Whether it's at home, in relationships, or at work, self-motivation can be helpful anywhere. It might also look different, depending on where we use it.

Here are thr ee examples of what self-motivation is:

• You're working on a challenging project at work. Rather than wait for others to encourage you, you stay focused on overcoming the obstacles. You ask the right questions and do your own research to fix your problem. Rather than giving up and watching TV, you concentrate on the task at hand. 
• Your friends never have to drag you to work out at the gym because you go on your own. You know when your body needs some exercise, and you know that going to the gym makes you feel good. You schedule out time during the week to exercise, regardless of whether someone goes with you.
• At school, your teachers or professors never need to remind you to finish your work because you want to learn more and succeed. Nobody has to prod you or remind you of your deadlines because you're organized. You know your intentions with your education. When you feel like slacking off, you can remind yourself what you’re working toward to stay motivated.

Successful people haven't become successful by being indifferent to their goals. They reach their goals and continue to set new goals thanks to their self-motivation. 

Here are five benefits that self-motivated people experience:

• They learn how to present their best self in whatever task they're doing
• They become more resilient because achieving their goals takes time and effort
• They have an eagerness to succeed because their passion drives them forward
• When they fail, they see feedback as a learning opportunity
• They learn to take the initiative to manage their time better

Being motivated at work isn't just a bonus for your manager. Your workplace is an environment where you can learn new skills, connect with others in your industry, and do work that's meaningful to you. If you can become self-motivated at work, it can help you get your next promotion or even find a deeper meaning in your job. 

Many of us rely on deadlines or our managers to push us to get things done at work. If you can learn to motivate yourself, however, you can reach a new level of success at work. You’ll be more productive, focused, and respected when you empower yourself to accomplish tasks.

Plus , a study from the University of California discovered that motivated employees were three times more creative than those who lacked motivation. That extra creativity can help you stand out even more in the workplace. 

If you struggle with finding motivation, here are 5 tips to help you boost your self-motivation at work:

• Remind yourself of your purpose and why you’re doing the work
• Learn how to rest and avoid burnout so you have the energy to work hard again
• Volunteer to try new things at work or go to educational seminars and conferences 
• Learn more skills to keep yourself stimulated
• Ask for feedback on your recent projects to see where you can improve, then make an action plan on how you'll do that

Maybe you've tried all the techniques, tips, and advice in the world to become more self-motivated. Yet, it's just not working. Let this be a learning opportunity rather than seeing it as a failure. 

A lack of motivation can signify that your goals aren't challenging enough. If they're too easy, you know you don't have to put tons of effort into them. On the other hand, your goals could be too much at the moment. If they're too lofty or you don't believe in yourself, it may be time to reevaluate your goals. 

Adjust them to be something you can reasonably attain right now. A great strategy is to break your large goals down into several smaller steps. Then you can check each step off your list while making progress toward the ultimate goal.

You're not alone if you keep running into the question, "How do I self-motivate?" and only find frustration. Procrastination is natural, and learning how to self-motivate requires you to dig deep. It's your responsibility to figure out what's stopping you and how you can overcome it. 

With resilience and sustained effort, you'll learn more about what it takes to become self-motivated. One way to start is by trying some self-discovery . This can help you get in touch with your values, which will increase your self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-acceptance . All this will help you become more self-motivated. 

Some skills serve you temporarily. Self-motivation, though, will help you throughout your entire life. It reminds you of your p urpose, your values, and how you can live a meaningful life. Now that you know what self-motivation is, you’re on your way to mastering it.

If you’re struggling with a lack of self-motivation, don’t be embarrassed. Recognizing your struggle will help you dig deeper into your well-being and overall life satisfaction. As you find out what motivates you, you’ll see a change. When you’re working toward your dream life, you’ll have a much easier time staying motivated.

If you need extra support as you learn how to motivate yourself to reach your goals, consider working with BetterUp . We can help you stay focused and hold you accountable so that you become your own best source of motivation.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

41 tips to stay motivated even when it gets tough

What causes a lack of motivation plus 9 tips to get it back, how to do what you love and love what you do, fake it till you make it: how to use what you don’t know to grow, ready to be inspired here are 11 self-motivation examples, what moves you understanding motivation is your key to success, try a positive mindset for success and well-being, how to answer “what motivates you” in a job interview, how to get inspired: 15 ideas to help you reach your potential, similar articles, 10 ways to become your best self, how to use fear as a motivator, motivation vs. inspiration: the perfect combination for success, motivation and inspiration: examples in life and work, find your carrot: how extrinsic motivation will help you thrive, a guide for using motivation to achieve goals, is the carrot-and-stick approach right for your team, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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Self-Motivation: Why Is It important?

Do you sometimes wake up in the morning without any drive or passion? You’re not alone. Many people sometimes find…

Do you sometimes wake up in the morning without any drive or passion?

You’re not alone. Many people sometimes find themselves struggling to push themselves.

When you feel a lack of energy, ask yourself some questions to know yourself and reignite your drive.

Who are you? What are your strengths? Are you happy with where you are? Do you enjoy waking up every morning to go to work? Are you celebrating your successes or dwelling on failures?

The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Knowing yourself can motivate you to push yourself to meet your goals. Self-reflection helps widen your perspective and allows you to see things differently. You’re able to categorize your goals more efficiently when you learn to reflect on your actions.

Self-motivation or the ability to motivate yourself is an important skill. It helps you to carry on despite setbacks and seek new opportunities.

Personal motivation can come from various places in life. It could be a promotion at work or admission to the university of your dreams. But understanding what comes naturally to us and what pushes us to perform better lies at the heart of self-motivation.

Harappa Education’s  Interpreting Self course empowers you to explore different aspects of your life. It teaches you the importance of self-motivation to achieve career goals.

Identifying your strengths, aspirations and work styles will help you understand the kind of person you are. The Kaleidoscope Framework in the course will help recognize the areas of your life where you can put in more work. Look inwards to first know who you are and whether you want to achieve personal or professional goals.

Let’s now look at the meaning of self-motivation, why self-motivation is important and self-motivation examples.

What Is Self-Motivation?

Self-motivation is the reason why you do what you do. To put it simply, it’s the reason why you go to work, why you love your family, and why you enjoy traveling or reading. It’s about knowing what you really want.

The meaning of self-motivated is derived from passion and an underlying desire to achieve something. Personal motivation is a crucial driving factor in your professional journey. Nothing can stand in your way if you’re sure of what you want to do and how you want to do it.

Harappa’s Lead Habit focuses on self-development. You can leverage your strengths to realize objectives or you can alter your strategy if something isn’t working. Self-motivation can be developed if you leverage your strengths to your advantage.

Why Is Self-Motivation Important?

Let’s look at the importance of self-motivation for personal growth. Self-motivation is important because it does not let you depend on others and drives you tap your strengths to meet your goals. It also helps you ensure your work on your weaknesses and don’t let them hinder your plans.

Here are some key aspects of self-motivation and why you need to build it:

1. surviving in a competitive world.

The world may throw problem after problem at you, but if you’re motivated you can overcome any challenge. To hold out against the competition is one of the most useful skills you can develop. Not only does it give you the power to withstand setbacks but also helps you grow as an individual.

2. Achieving personal goals

Try to understand the meaning of self-motivated in the context of your personal life. For instance, you may be keen to volunteer abroad in Bali and help with the rehabilitation of turtles. You can either do your research and reach out to the relevant wildlife organization or you can get bogged down by why your plan won’t work.

Reasons such as lack of funds, trepidation about visiting a new country or a fear of stepping out of your comfort zone will always hold you back. The first step comes from conviction and determination. You have to believe in yourself and convince yourself that you can do anything you put your mind to.

3. Doing well in a professional setting

To really do well at work, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses. Self-motivation drives you to move past setbacks and failures to learn from your mistakes. It’s easy to feel bogged down at work, especially when you have a deadline coming up and you’re already running behind schedule.

You can approach this problem in two ways. You can either continue to feel discouraged or you can buckle up and get moving. Part of personal motivation is to push yourself to face every hurdle that comes along.

What Are Internal And External Motivators?

What you think, do or say is determined by both internal and external factors. Internal motivators include your thoughts, passion and desire to do something. This can be anything from visiting a close friend to listening to your favorite music. External motivators are elements such as buying a house or performing well at work.

Every day you have to strive to strike a balance between internal and external motivators. Let’s look at an example to understand the meaning of self-motivator.

Mariyam was recently inducted into her new role as a sales associate for an e-commerce website. Before this, she used to work for a nonprofit children’s center. Two months into her new job, Mariyam started to feel the pressure of meeting her monthly sales targets. She began to miss her old workplace even though it paid little compared to now. Her determination to accumulate her savings for the future and move to a bigger house motivated her to continue in her new role.

Self-motivation examples such as this one focus on how you can meet yourself halfway. The ideal situation is one where your internal motivators are aligned with external motivators. Think about a scenario where you love what you do and you’re getting paid enough to sustain the kind of lifestyle you desire. It’s not unattainable. Self-motivation helps you persevere and deal with testing situations on a daily basis.

Ways To Sustain Self-Motivation

We’ve all heard the saying “you are your own worst critic”. Instead of telling yourself why you can’t do something, think of why you can. You can do a lot more than you give yourself credit for. One way to go about it is to align your goals with your strengths. Work hard to refine your existing skills so that you become the best version of yourself

However, it’s important to remember that because you’re feeling motivated today doesn’t guarantee you’ll feel motivated tomorrow. This is a continuous process where you have to act as a personal coach to train your thought process.

Here are some self-motivation practices to achieve your long-term goals:

1. adopt a positive belief system.

It’s not always easy to stay positive, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t try. Adopting a positive belief system can help you during difficult times. If you keep talking down to yourself instead of lifting yourself up, you’ll fall into a pit of despair. Try to inculcate positive habits and embrace positive thoughts to block out any negativity.

2. Vision boards

A great source of personal motivation is a vision board. You must’ve seen plenty of vision boards on Pinterest packed with personal goals and uplifting quotes. Create a vision board for yourself and add pictures of things you wish to buy, your favorite bands or artists you want to meet, your dream travel destination and one thing you want to achieve in the next year. That’ll serve as a constant reminder to get moving on your goals.

3. Nature is therapeutic

Now more than ever, we understand the importance of connecting with our natural environment. Many people suffer a deep, inexplicable sadness—or what we call melancholy—when they’re away from nature for too long. Go to your neighborhood park and enjoy a leisurely walk outdoors. It’ll help you organize your thoughts and think clearly.

4. Music can lift your soul

It may be a tired cliché but music can really lift your soul. Whether you have a job interview in an hour and you’re having a mini panic attack or you had to cancel your trip to Peru because of a pandemic, there’ll be multiple situations when you won’t know what to do. In such cases, music can be the escape you need to clear your head and come up with an action plan .

5. Focus your attention on the most important task

Prioritize your tasks to motivate yourself. The Eisenhower Principle is a good way to categorize your to-do list. Former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower devised the ‘urgent-important matrix’ to categorize tasks as ‘urgent’, ‘not urgent’, ‘important’ and ‘not important’. This is a useful tool to prioritize tasks and work on the ones that require immediate attention.

Personal motivation is important because it gives you room to think about yourself. Harappa’s Interpreting Self course not only teaches you the importance of self-motivation but also helps you assess your strengths to develop self-awareness. Sign up for the online course to know yourself so that you can motivate yourself and get back in the groove.

Explore our Harappa Diaries section to know more about topics related to the Lead habit such as What is Leadership , Meaning of Resilience , Humility , Self-Esteem , Work Ethic  & Meaning of Mentoring .

How to Increase Self-Motivation

Recent research explores the four dimensions of goal pursuit..

Posted January 10, 2022 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

• What Is Motivation?
• Find a therapist near me
• Self-motivation means being driven by a personal desire to set valued goals and to focus on and move toward these goals despite obstacles.
• To motivate yourself, you need to either change the situation or change your understanding of the situation.
• The four constituents of self-motivation include goal setting, goal striving, goal juggling, and leveraging social support.

The present article reviews effective self-motivation techniques, based on findings cited in a paper by Fishbach, published in the December 2021 issue of Motivation Science .

Self-motivation means being driven by a personal desire to set valued goals and to focus on, commit to, and move toward these goals despite obstacles. Self-motivation is necessary for many situations, especially when what we desire immediately (e.g., eating pizza) is not what we should do (e.g., eating healthy). For instance, we motivate ourselves to do chores , engage in self-care , and better ourselves (e.g., become more conscientious ).

But how do you motivate yourself, exactly? Below, I review effective motivational strategies related to four elements of motivation: goal setting, goal striving, goal juggling, and leveraging social support. See Table 1.

• Goal Setting

We begin with strategies for successful goal setting.

• Set a goal, not a means to a goal: If goal pursuit does not excite you, you are probably pursuing a means to a goal (e.g., finding a parking spot in a crowded area), not the goal (e.g., buying a special gift for a loved one). So, keep in mind your ultimate destination.
• Set SMART goals: Smart stands for specific , measurable , attainable (i.e. neither too easy nor too difficult), relevant , and time-bound . Instead of saying, “I want to lose weight,” specify how many pounds and in how many months; and how you plan to accomplish your goal. Also, goals should be self-set, not imposed; otherwise, you might rebel against them.
• Set incentives: Incentives are like “mini-goals” and increase motivation. However, they sometimes undermine the original goal (e.g., you study just for the incentive of eating chocolate). Furthermore, uncertain incentives (e.g., 20 or 40 minutes to play video games, randomly chosen) are potentially more motivating than certain ones (always 30 minutes).
• Use intrinsic motivation : To motivate yourself, pursue intrinsically motivating goals —i.e. inherently beneficial and enjoyable activities (e.g., a job you love; an exercise you enjoy) and not a means to another goal (e.g., to lose weight, you jog, but you hate jogging).

Sustaining Motivation

To sustain motivation, monitor your progress.

• Dynamics of goal motivation: To motivate yourself, reflect on your achievements (e.g., good grades; work success). Why? Because they demonstrate commitment to your goal , thus promoting consistency. Alternatively, reflect on things you have not accomplished yet. Why? Because they indicate a lack of progress (e.g., not having completed any extra-credit assignments), thus enhancing motivation to make progress.
• The middle problem: Motivation is usually high initially and toward the end, but not in the middle. The solution? Keep the middles very short (e.g., instead of monthly goals, set weekly goals).
• Learning from negative feedback: People are less likely to learn from negative than positive feedback, perhaps because they take it too personally. The solution? To protect your ego, focus on the lessons learned; sharing these lessons with others, in the form of giving advice, may also protect your ego. Additional techniques include developing a growth mindset , intentionally making minor mistakes (to practice learning from errors), and learning from others’ failures.

Goal Juggling

Rarely do we pursue a single goal, so we must learn to juggle goals.

• Complementing goals: To increase goal commitment , select multiple means serving a single goal (e.g., eating healthy and dancing both help you lose weight; Figure 1B). To attain more goals , use means serving multiple goals (e.g., dancing for both weight loss and increased flexibility; Figure 1C). If you lose motivation, go back to performing activities that each serve mainly one goal.
• Compromising vs. prioritizing: To resolve goal conflicts, we prioritize (choose A over B) or compromise (choose the middle ground or a third goal C). Framing an activity as progress encourages compromise but framing it as commitment encourages prioritization (see Point 1 in the section on sustaining motivation). So, be careful how you frame activities.
• Self-control : Successful self-control requires first identifying a conflict. This necessitates examining behavioral patterns . For example, eating two slices of cake in one sitting is not a problem unless done regularly. Second, it requires us to exercise self-control. How? One, by changing the environment (e.g., filling the fridge with healthy food). Two, by changing our perception of a goal’s value (e.g., “I will feel proud of myself if I control my weight”) and reducing the value of the temptation (e.g., “I will feel guilty if I overeat” or “Looking at it closely, this doesn’t look appetizing”).
• Patience: Goal conflicts often involve having to choose between something good soon and something great later (e.g., a yearly vacation vs. buying a house in five years). How to motivate yourself to remain patient? Use distractors, remind yourself of the value of your goal, and trust the process (i.e. “good things happen to those who wait”).

Social Support

Social support can increase motivation.

• Leverage social support: The mere presence of people increases motivation, magnifying what you do. Additionally, others may set expectations for performance—though in rare cases, too high of an expectation, which lowers motivation—provide resources, join you (e.g., study groups), and serve as role models.
• Pursuing group goals: When pursuing goals as a group (e.g., be it a husband and wife, a class, or a community), in order to make sure all members are doing their fair share (i.e. to prevent free-riding and social loafing), make contributions public, increase members’ identification with the group, and inspire group members with your contributions. In addition, remember that in many groups, as far as resources are concerned, the goal is not an equal partnership but maximizing benefits for the group as a unit . Naturally, this can be motivating only if the resources you expect to obtain as a group justifies ignoring your personal desires or ambitions (e.g., relocating because of your spouse’s financially rewarding career ).

Arash Emamzadeh attended the University of British Columbia in Canada, where he studied genetics and psychology. He has also done graduate work in clinical psychology and neuropsychology in U.S.

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Essay 1.1 What Is Motivation, Where Does It Come from, and How Does It Work?

• Published: January 2023
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Motivation is the process that drives, selects, and directs goals and behaviors. Motivation typically arises out of the person’s needs, and it then comes to life through the person’s specific goals. In this essay, the authors examine the concept of “needs” as the crucible from which motivated behavior arises because all individuals are born with needs that jump-start the goal-oriented, motivated behaviors that are critical to survival and thriving. These are both physical needs (such as hunger and thirst) and psychological needs (such as the need for social relationships, optimal predictability, and competence). The aim of motivation is therefore to bring about a desired (need, goal) state. Motivation underlies and organizes all aspects of a person’s psychology. As it does so, motivation “glues” a person together as a functioning individual in their culture and context.

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Motivation Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on motivation.

Everyone suggests other than the person lack motivation, or directly suggests the person remain motivated. But, no one ever tells what is the motivation of how one can stay motivated. Motivation means to face the obstacle and find an inspiration that helps you to go through tough times. In addition, it helps you to move further in life.

Meaning of Motivation

Motivation is something that cannot be understood with words but with practice. It means to be moved by something so strongly that it becomes an inspiration for you. Furthermore, it is a discipline that helps you to achieve your life goals and also helps to be successful in life .

Besides, it the most common practice that everyone does whether it is your boss in office or a school teacher or a university professor everyone motivates others in a way or other.

Role of Motivation

It is a strong tool that helps to get ahead in life. For being motivated we need a driving tool or goal that keeps us motivated and moves forward. Also, it helps in being progressive both physically and mentally.

Moreover, your goal does not be to big and long term they can be small and empowering. Furthermore, you need the right mindset to be motivated.

Besides, you need to push your self towards your goal no one other than you can push your limit. Also, you should be willing to leave your comfort zone because your true potential is going to revel when you leave your comfort zone.

Types of Motivation

Although there are various types of motivation according to me there are generally two types of motivation that are self- motivation and motivation by others.

Self-motivation- It refers to the power of someone to stay motivated without the influence of other situations and people. Furthermore, self-motivated people always find a way to reason and strength to complete a task. Also, they do not need other people to encourage them to perform a challenging task.

Motivation by others- This motivation requires help from others as the person is not able to maintain a self-motivated state. In this, a person requires encouragement from others. Also, he needs to listen to motivational speeches, a strong goal and most importantly and inspiration.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Importance of Motivation

Motivation is very important for the overall development of the personality and mind of the people. It also puts a person in action and in a competitive state. Furthermore, it improves efficiency and desire to achieve the goal. It leads to stability and improvement in work.

Above all, it satisfies a person’s needs and to achieve his/her goal. It helps the person to fight his negative attitude. The person also tries to come out of his/her comfort zone so that she/ he can achieve the goal.

To conclude, motivation is one of the key elements that help a person to be successful. A motivated person tries to push his limits and always tries to improve his performance day by day. Also, the person always gives her/his best no matter what the task is. Besides, the person always tries to remain progressive and dedicated to her/his goals.

FAQs about Motivation Essay

Q.1 Define what is motivation fit. A.1 This refers to a psychological phenomenon in which a person assumes or expects something from the job or life but gets different results other than his expectations. In a profession, it is a primary criterion for determining if the person will stay or leave the job.

Q.2 List some best motivators. A.2 some of the best motivators are:

• Inspiration
• Fear of failure
• Power of Rejection
• Don’t pity your self
• Be assertive
• Stay among positive and motivated people
• Be calm and visionary

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Student Essays

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3 Best Essays on Self Motivation – Key to Success – 2024

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Self motivation is essentially important in our life. During the different phases of our life, we come across many ups and downs of life. There’s only power of self motivation that help us to stand out with resilience, courage and commitment. The following essay on Self motivation mentions the meaning, purpose & importance of self motivation, additionally it details how to have self motivation in life for greater purpose in life

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Essay on Self Motivation | Meaning, Purpose of Self Motivation in Life

Self motivation is simply the act of motivating oneself. But what exactly does it entail? Self motivation affects everything you do in life, from waking up early in the morning to complete your daily tasks, to studying hard for that upcoming exam, to working out at the gym when you are tired and just want to chill on the couch with a bag of chips. Self motivation is what makes you accomplish your goals and reach your full potential as a human being, and with it we can truly be unstoppable!

Self Motivation is the Key to Success

Motivation in life can come in different forms, it may be purely materialistic like wanting money or a nice fancy car to make you feel cooler, or it may be something that relates more to your life’s purpose like wanting to help others.

It’s a great way to perseverance and consistency in life. Self motivation comes in all shapes and sizes, but what is important to remember is that it is completely unique to you. The best kind of self motivation comes from within, and requires a lot of introspection and soul searching to really understand what it is that truly motivates you.

How to Stay Self Motivated

So how do we give ourselves that necessary push to motivate ourselves? Here are some tips on how you can become more self motivated:

• Wake up early. Like, as early as 5 am if you can manage it (or even earlier if you’re really hardcore). There’s a reason why all successful people seem to be early risers.
• Plan your day the night before, and write it on a note on your wall, on your desktop background, or in some other place you will see everyday. A day planner also works very well if it is the kind that you carry around with you to remind yourself of what you should be doing at any given time.
• Make a schedule for yourself, and include all the tasks you need to accomplish for that day. This will make it easier to do everything on time, without forgetting anything, and will keep you on track with your goals.
• Take small steps to success. You don’t have to wake up early and immediately start running 10 kilometers. Just get up, have a shower and breakfast, and start studying or working out. Once you get used to it you will be able to do it without even thinking about it.
• Once you start feeling tired or lazy, try doing some exercise or stretching. This will get your blood going and you’ll feel energized after that. Also, drinking a lot of water throughout the day will keep you hydrated and feeling good.
• Remember: A new day will always begin after just one night! So don’t feel bad about the things you didn’t accomplish yesterday, because there’s always a chance to start all over again.
• Make your goals SMART. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound goals will make it easier to stay motivated. For example, instead of saying “I will go to the gym three times a week”, saying “I will go to the gym every day from Monday through Friday at 5 pm” will make your goals more specific and measurable.
• Find a workout buddy. Someone who is going to be able to push you to do your best and motivate you if you happen to slack off.
• Listen to music while at the gym, cooking, studying or doing homework. Or watching a movie if you’re procrastinating on your studies. Music has the power to change our mood and can motivate us immensely!
• Treat yourself, but in moderation. Buy yourself a new top if you’ve been good this week and have met your goals, or if you’re having a good day, but don’t reward yourself with that expensive ice cream or chocolate cake if you’ve been slacking off. Treating yourself is a good incentive to stay motivated, but don’t let it become too much of a crutch.

As human beings, we are all motivated by different things. It’s a way to self respect and courage.  It is completely natural to not be motivated about certain tasks at certain times, but what is important is that you are aware of what it is that motivates you, and then use these motivations to your advantage. Find your motivation!

Essay on Motivation For Students:

Motivation is the driving force that enables individuals to achieve their goals and dreams. It is what pushes us to take action, even when faced with challenges and setbacks. For students, motivation plays a crucial role in their academic success. A motivated student has the desire and determination to learn and excel in their studies.

In today’s fast-paced world, where distractions are everywhere, it can be challenging for students to stay motivated constantly. However, there are several strategies that students can use to boost their motivation levels.

Setting Clear Goals

Having clear goals is essential for maintaining motivation. When students have a specific target or objective in mind, they are more likely to put in the effort and work towards achieving it. These goals can be short-term or long-term, and they should be challenging yet realistic. By setting clear goals, students can see the progress they are making, which can further motivate them to keep going.

Focusing on Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation refers to the internal desire and enjoyment that comes from learning and mastering a subject. It is different from extrinsic motivation, which involves external rewards such as grades or praise from others.

While extrinsic motivators can be helpful, relying solely on them can lead to a decrease in motivation once the reward is no longer present. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation provides a more sustainable source of drive for students.

Creating a Positive Learning Environment

The environment in which students learn plays a significant role in their motivation levels. A positive learning environment is one that promotes collaboration, creativity, and growth. It should also be a safe space where students feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes without fear of judgment or criticism.

When students are in a positive environment, they are more likely to engage with the material and stay motivated throughout the learning process.

Taking Breaks and Practicing Self-Care

While working hard towards their goals is essential, students must also remember to take breaks and practice self-care. Burnout can quickly occur when students push themselves too hard without giving themselves time to rest and recharge. By taking breaks, students can come back to their studies feeling refreshed and energized, which can boost their motivation levels.

Finding Support

Having a support system can be invaluable for students’ motivation. Whether it’s from family, friends, or teachers, having people who believe in them and their abilities can provide the encouragement and support they need during tough times. Additionally, joining study groups or finding a mentor in their field of interest can also be beneficial for students.

Overall, motivation is crucial for students to reach their full potential. By setting clear goals, focusing on intrinsic motivation, creating a positive learning environment, taking breaks and practicing self-care, and finding support, students can maintain their drive to succeed academically. With determination and perseverance, anything is possible for motivated students

Essay on Self Motivation For Students:

Motivation is the driving force that helps individuals achieve their goals and overcome challenges. It is a key ingredient to success in life, especially for students who face academic pressure and personal responsibilities. However, motivation is not something that magically appears; it requires constant effort and self-motivation to stay motivated. In this essay, we will discuss the importance of self-motivation for students and provide tips on how to foster it.

Why Is Self-Motivation Important For Students?

Self-motivation is crucial for students as it enables them to achieve academic excellence, build valuable skills, and become successful individuals. Here are some reasons why self-motivation is essential for students:

• Academic Success: Students who are self-motivated have a strong desire to learn and excel in their studies. They set high goals for themselves and work tirelessly towards achieving them, even when faced with obstacles or setbacks.
• Personal Growth: Self-motivation helps students develop important life skills such as time management, discipline, and perseverance. These skills not only benefit them in their academic pursuits but also prepare them for future challenges in their personal and professional lives.
• Self-Confidence: When students are self-motivated, they believe in their abilities and have a positive attitude towards learning. This confidence can help them overcome any self-doubt or fear of failure, leading to better performance and higher levels of achievement.
• Sense of Purpose: Self-motivation helps students identify their goals and align their efforts towards achieving them. This sense of purpose can give meaning to their academic journey and keep them focused on the bigger picture.

Tips for Fostering Self-Motivation

Here are some practical tips that can help students cultivate self-motivation:

• Set Clear Goals: Having specific, achievable goals is essential for staying motivated. Students should set both short-term and long-term goals, with actionable steps to work towards them.
• Find Your Why: It is crucial for students to understand why they are pursuing a particular goal or studying a certain subject. Knowing their motivations can help them stay committed during challenging times.
• Celebrate Small Wins: Celebrating even the smallest achievements can provide students with a sense of accomplishment and motivation to keep going.
• Create a Support System: Having a support system of friends, family, or mentors can help students stay motivated. They can offer encouragement, share experiences, and provide helpful advice when needed.
• Take Breaks: It is essential for students to take breaks and recharge their energy levels. This can prevent burnout and help them maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Self-motivation is the key to success for students. It helps them overcome challenges, achieve their goals, and develop important life skills along the way. By setting clear goals, finding their why, celebrating small wins, creating a support system, and taking breaks when needed, students can foster self-motivation and excel in their academic and personal pursuits.

Remember, motivation is not something that can be given or taken; it comes from within, and with the right mindset, anyone can cultivate it. So, stay motivated and reach for your dreams!

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Self Efficacy and Why Believing in Yourself Matters

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

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Self-efficacy is a person's belief in their ability to complete a task or achieve a goal. It encompasses a person's confidence in themselves to control their behavior, exert an influence over their environment, and stay motivated in the pursuit of their goal. People can have self-efficacy in different situations and domains, such as school, work, relationships, and other important areas.

When facing a challenge, do you feel like you can rise up and accomplish your goal, or do you give up in defeat? Are you like the little train engine from the classic children's book ("I think I can, I think I can!"), or do you doubt your own abilities to rise up and overcome the difficulties that life throws your way? If you tend to keep going in the face of obstacles, you probably have a high degree of self-efficacy.

Self-efficacy is important because it plays a role in how you feel about yourself and whether or not you successfully achieve your goals in life. The concept of self-efficacy is central to Albert Bandura’s  social cognitive theory , which emphasizes the role of  observational learning , social experience, and  reciprocal determinism  in personality development.

According to Bandura, self-efficacy is part of the self-system comprised of a person’s attitudes, abilities, and cognitive skills. This system plays a major role in how we perceive and respond to different situations. Self-efficacy is an essential part of this self-system.

Self-Efficacy Basics

According to  Albert Bandura , self-efficacy is "the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations." Self-efficacy is a person’s belief in their ability to succeed in a particular situation. Such beliefs play a role in determining how people think, behave, and feel.

Since Bandura published his seminal 1977 paper, "Self-Efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change," the subject has become one of the most studied topics in psychology. Why has self-efficacy become such an important topic among psychologists and educators?

As Bandura and other researchers have demonstrated, self-efficacy can impact everything from psychological states to behavior to motivation. Self-efficacy determines what goals we pursue, how we accomplish those goals, and how we reflect upon our own performance.

Our belief in our own ability to succeed plays a role in how we think, how we act, and how we feel about our place in the world.

The Role of Self-Efficacy

Virtually all people can identify goals they want to accomplish, things they would like to  change , and things they would like to achieve. However, most people also realize that putting these plans into action is not quite so simple. Bandura and others have found that an individual’s self-efficacy plays a major role in how goals, tasks, and challenges are approached.

Having high self-efficacy is a good thing. People with a strong sense of self-efficacy:

• Develop a deeper interest in the activities in which they participate
• Form a stronger sense of commitment to their interests and activities
• Recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments
• View challenging problems as tasks to be mastered

Poor self-efficacy, on the other hand, can have a number of detrimental effects. People with a weak sense of self-efficacy:

• Avoid challenging tasks
• Believe that difficult tasks and situations are beyond their capabilities
• Focus on personal failings and negative outcomes
• Quickly lose confidence in personal abilities

Self-Efficacy vs. Self-Esteem vs. Self-Confidence

Self-efficacy is sometimes confused with self-esteem , but there are important distinctions between the two. What is the difference between self-efficacy and self-esteem? Self-efficacy refers to how you feel about your ability to succeed in different situations, while self-esteem refers to your respect for your own value and worth.

Is self-efficacy the same as self-confidence? While the two terms are related, there are some important distinctions. Self-confidence is more general and refers to a person's overall belief in themselves in all contexts. Self-efficacy, on the other hand, is more specific and context-dependent. A person can have high self-efficacy in one area (such as in academics) and low self-efficacy in other areas (such as in sports).

Research suggests that self-efficacy predicts self-esteem. In other words, people with high self-efficacy also tend to have high self-esteem and vice versa.

How Does Self-Efficacy Develop?

We begin to form our sense of self-efficacy in early childhood by dealing with various experiences, tasks, and situations. However, the growth of self-efficacy does not end during youth but continues to evolve throughout life as people acquire new skills, experiences, and understanding.

What are the four types of self-efficacy?

Bandura identified four major sources of self-efficacy. The four ways that self-efficacy is achieved are mastery experiences, social modeling, social persuasion, and psychological responses.

Mastery Experiences

"The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences," Bandura explained. Performing a task successfully strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failing to adequately deal with a task or challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy.  

Social Modeling

Witnessing other people successfully completing a task is another important source of self-efficacy.   According to Bandura, "Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observers' beliefs that they too possess the capabilities to master comparable activities to succeed."

Social Persuasion

Bandura also asserted that people could be persuaded to believe that they have the skills and capabilities to succeed. Consider a time when someone said something positive and encouraging that helped you achieve a goal. Getting verbal encouragement from others helps people overcome self-doubt and instead focus on giving their best effort to the task at hand.  

Psychological Responses

Our own responses and emotional reactions to situations also play an important role in self-efficacy. Moods,  emotional states , physical reactions, and stress levels can all impact how a person feels about their personal abilities in a particular situation. A person who becomes extremely nervous before speaking in public may develop a weak sense of self-efficacy in these situations.  

However, Bandura also notes "it is not the sheer intensity of emotional and physical reactions that is important but rather how they are perceived and interpreted."  

By learning how to minimize stress and elevate mood when facing difficult or challenging tasks, people can improve their sense of self-efficacy.

Examples of High Self-Efficacy

So what exactly does high self-efficacy look like? You can probably think of some examples from your own life including areas where you feel a great deal of efficacy. People may possess a general sense of self-efficacy or in a specific domain where they believe they can do well such as school, work, friendships, parenting, sports, hobbies, and other areas.

Some examples of strong self-efficacy include:

• A person struggling to manage a chronic illness feels confident that they can get back on track and improve their health by working hard and following their doctor's recommendations.
• A student who feels confident that they will be able to learn the information and do well on a test.
• Someone who has just accepted a job position in a role they have never performed before but feels that they have the ability to learn and perform the job well.

Self-efficacy can play an important role in health psychology and how people manage their health, nutrition, and illness. For example, having a strong sense of self-efficacy can help people who are trying to quit smoking stick to their goals.

Maintaining a weight loss plan, managing chronic pain, giving up alcohol, sticking to an exercise schedule, and following an eating plan can all be influenced by a person's levels of self-efficacy.

Research has also shown that when teachers have high self-efficacy, it has a positive impact on academic outcomes, including student motivation and achievement.

Bandura suggests that self-efficacy can benefit a person's sense of well-being in a number of ways. For instance, they remain optimistic and confident in their abilities, even when things become difficult.

Because individuals with high self-efficacy look at difficulties as challenges rather than threats, they tend to be more intrinsically interested in the tasks they pursue. Difficulty and failure don't mean defeat; instead, these individuals redouble their efforts and look for new ways to overcome.

Issues With Low Self-Efficacy

People who are low in self-efficacy tend to see difficult tasks as threats they should avoid. Because of this, they also tend to avoid setting goals and have low levels of commitment to the ones they do make.

When setbacks happen, they tend to give up quickly. Because they don't have much confidence in their ability to achieve, they are more likely to experience feelings of failure and depression. Stressful situations can also be very hard to deal with and those with low self-efficacy are less resilient and less likely to bounce back.

Learned helplessness is the opposite of self-efficacy. It can occur when people feel they have no power to control what happens in a situation. Instead of looking for opportunities to change the outcome, they give up and behave passively.

Evaluating Self-Efficacy Strength

For a quick, informal assessment of your own self-efficacy levels, consider the following questions:

• Do you feel like you can handle problems if you are willing to work hard?
• Are you confident in your ability to achieve your goals?
• Do you feel like you can manage unexpected events that come up?
• Are you able to bounce back fairly quickly after stressful events?
• Do you feel like you can come up with solutions when you are facing a problem?
• Do you keep trying even when things seem difficult?
• Are you good at staying calm even in the face of chaos?
• Do you perform well even under pressure?
• Do you tend to focus on your progress rather than getting overwhelmed by all you still have to do?
• Do you believe that hard work will eventually pay off?

If you can answer yes to many or most of these questions, then chances are good that you have a fairly strong sense of self-efficacy. If you feel like your self-efficacy could use a boost, consider some of the following strategies for improving your sense of efficacy.

Building Self-Efficacy

Fortunately, self-efficacy is a psychological skill that you can foster and strengthen. Start by looking for ways to incorporate Bandura's sources of self-efficacy into your own life. Some ways that self-efficacy can be achieved include acknowledging your success, observing your mentors, getting positive feedback, and practicing positive self-talk.

Celebrate Your Success

Mastery experiences play a critical role in the establishment of self-efficacy. Bandura actually identified this as the single most effective way to create a strong sense of self-belief.

When you succeed at something, you are able to build a powerful belief in your ability. Failure, on the other hand, can undermine these feelings, particularly if you are still in the early phases of building a sense of personal efficacy.  

The ideal sorts of successes, however, are not necessarily those that come easily. If you experience a lot of easy success, you may find yourself giving up more readily when you finally do encounter failure. So work on setting goals that are achievable, but not necessarily easy. They will take work and perseverance, but you will emerge with a stronger belief in your own abilities once you achieve them.

Observe Others

Bandura also identified vicarious experiences obtained through peer modeling as another important means of establishing and strengthening self-efficacy. Seeing others putting in effort and succeeding, as a result, can increase your belief in your own ability to succeed.

One factor that plays a key role in the effectiveness of this approach is how similar the model is to yourself. The more alike you feel you are, the more likely it is that your observations will increase your sense of self-efficacy.  

Seek Positive Affirmations

Hearing positive feedback from others can also help improve your sense of self-efficacy. By that same token, try to avoid asking for feedback from people who you know are more likely to have a negative or critical view of your performance.

For example, your doctor telling you that you are doing a good job sticking to your diet plan can be encouraging. Feedback from friends, mentors, health practitioners, and people who you respect can help you feel greater confidence in your own abilities.

Positive social feedback can be helpful for strengthening your already existing sense of efficacy, but negative comments can often have a powerful undermining effect. Bandura suggested that social feedback alone is not enough to build your self-belief, but it can be a useful tool when you need a little extra encouragement.  

Pay Attention to Your Thoughts and Emotions

If you find yourself getting stressed out or nervous before a challenging event, you might feel less sure of your ability to cope with the task at hand.

Another way to boost your self-efficacy is to look for ways to manage your thoughts and emotions about what you are trying to accomplish.

Do you feel anxious? Looking for ways to ease your stress levels can help you feel more confident in your capabilities. Do you find yourself dwelling on negative thoughts? Look for ways to replace negativity with positive self-talk that promotes self-belief.

Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares strategies that can help you learn to truly believe in yourself, featuring IT Cosmetics founder Jamie Kern Lima.

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There are a number of different scales that are used to evaluate levels of self-efficacy including the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire.

Developing a strong sense of self-efficacy can play an important role in almost every aspect of your life. Life is full of challenges and high levels of self-efficacy can help you better deal with these difficulties more effectively. Your belief in your abilities can predict how motivated you feel, how you feel about yourself, and the amount of effort you put into achieving your goals.

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Hajloo N. Relationships between self-efficacy, self-esteem and procrastination in undergraduate psychology students . Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci . 2014;8(3):42-9. PMID: 25780374; PMCID: PMC4359724.

Barni D, Danioni F, Benevene P. Teachers' self-efficacy: The role of personal values and motivations for teaching . Front Psychol . 2019;10:1645. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01645

Maier SF, Seligman ME.  Learned helplessness at fifty: Insights from neuroscience .  Psychol Rev . 2016;123(4):349-367. doi:10.1037/rev0000033

Romppel M, Herrmann-Lingen C, Wachter R, et al. A short form of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE-6): Development, psychometric properties and validity in an intercultural non-clinical sample and a sample of patients at risk for heart failure . Psychosoc Med . 2013;10:Doc01. doi:10.3205/psm000091

Tod D, Hardy J, Oliver E. Effects of self-talk: A systematic review . J Sport Exerc Psychol . 2011;33(5):666-87.

Bandura A. Exercise of personal agency through the self-efficacy mechanisms. In: Schwarzer R, ed. Self-efficacy: Thought Control of Action.  Hemisphere: Taylor & Francis.

Bandura A. Self-efficacy. In: Ramachaudran VS, ed. Encyclopedia of Human Behavior , 4. Academic Press.

Turk DC. Psychological aspects of chronic pain. In: Benzon HT, Rathmell JP, Wu CL, et al., eds. Practical Management of Pain (Fifth Edition) . Elsevier.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

The effect of self-efficacy and self-set grade goals on academic outcomes.

• Institute of Education, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia

Introduction: Numerous motivational research have clearly demonstrated the critical role of self-processes in goal setting, self-regulated learning, and learning outcomes. However, studies have emerged that present conflicting findings regarding the relationship between goal setting and self-efficacy and how it affects academic performance. Based on the theories of goal setting and self-efficacy, the purpose of this paper is to assess the predictive power of self-efficacy and the mediating effect of self-set grade goals on learning outcomes.

Methods: As part of the online course, an exploratory study was conducted with a sample of 160 university teacher training students. Data on self-efficacy were collected with the MSLQ and analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis. Correlation analysis explored the relationships between motivational factors, grade goals, and learning outcomes. To test the models, structural equation analysis was conducted to predict the effect of self-efficacy on self-set grade goals and learning outcomes.

Results: The results showed the predictive effect of self-efficacy on expected and minimum grade goals and the mediating effect of expected grade goal on learning outcomes.

Discussion: The study highlights the influence of motivational factors on goal setting in the context of online learning and provides insight into the predictive effect of self-efficacy on learning outcomes.

1 Introduction

Despite the many advantages of asynchronous e-learning, such as learning regardless of time and place, learning at your own pace, personal approach, and considering the individual needs of the learner, e-learning also entails risks that can cause interruptions in studies. Some of the most important of these are ensuring the continuity of learning, developing an independent, responsible attitude, and taking responsibility for one’s learning process (learner autonomy and agency). Low learning motivation and lack of learning skills, including self-regulation and goal setting, often lead to course interruption and dropout ( Figueroa-Cañas and Sancho-Vinuesa, 2019 ). COVID-19 was accompanied by large-scale digitalization of the learning process, which put both learners and teachers to the test. Although increased e-learning opportunities are recognized as a way out and an opportunity to continue studies when contact learning is no longer possible, it may increase interruptions and dropouts ( Naylor and Nyanjom, 2020 ) if the necessary learning skills and prerequisites are unavailable.

Several studies have indicated the students’ perceptions of the extrinsic reasons for dropout like the unsatisfactory online course design and quality ( Yang et al., 2017 ; Joo et al., 2018 ), teachers’ insufficient digital teaching skills ( Cabero-Almenara et al., 2020 ), or their inability to engage learners and teach successfully in a digital learning environment ( Xavier and Meneses, 2021 ). Many studies (e.g., El Said, 2017 ; Tsai et al., 2018 ), however, show the students’ poor performance proficiency, inability to organize and regulate their learning process, and take responsibility for their learning outcomes. The latter is the key to the development of learner autonomy and agency, which, in line with basic self-regulated learning skills, pave the way to the development of lifelong learners ( Saks, 2016 ).

It is now well established in a variety of motivational studies that self-processes play a crucial role in self-regulated learning, goal setting and learning outcomes. However, literature has emerged that offers conflicting findings regarding the relationship between self-efficacy and goal setting and their impact on academic achievement, a gap that this study aims to fill.

2 Theoretical framework

The concept of self-regulated learning (SRL), initially originating from the socio-cognitive perspective ( Pintrich, 2000 ; Zimmerman, 2000 ), includes cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, affective and contextual factors. The current research draws on the general cognitive view of and the definition of self-regulated learning by Pintrich (2000) according to which self-regulated learning is an active, constructive process where learners set goals for their learning, monitor, regulate and control their cognition, motivation, and behavior, guided and constrained by their goals and contextual features on the environment. Research has shown that learners with better self-regulation skills achieve better results in the learning process ( Saks and Leijen, 2018 ) and are more aware of and committed to their learning goals and how to move toward them. They are able to choose and implement the most effective learning strategies, and are able to find and use help in case of problems or obstacles. Describing the SRL perspective, Pintrich (2004) extracted four general assumptions that most models share – (1) active, constructive assumption, (2) potential for control assumption, (3) mediators between personal and contextual characteristics and actual achievement or performance assumption, and (4) goal, standard or criterion assumption. SRL models assume the presence of goal or criterion against which the learning process is assessed. In the regular process of SRL, the individual sets goals, monitors his progress toward these goals, and adapts and regulates his cognition, motivation, and behavior to reach these goals ( Pintrich, 2004 ). In the student approaches to learning (SAL) models (e.g., Biggs, 1993 ), the goals are distinguished into extrinsic (linked to the surface learning approach) and intrinsic goals (linked to the deep learning approach) based on motivation and strategies for learning. In regular learning situations, however, the learner flexibly combines and adapts the goals and strategies according to the situational and contextual changes, before starting with the task as well as during the process ( Saks and Leijen, 2019 ).

The goals the learner sets for his learning are related to their expectancies for success, their subjective task values, and cost translated to time, effort, and loss of valued alternatives ( Eccles and Wigfield, 2002 , 2020 ). Expectancies for success, or personal efficacy, as Bandura (1977) called it, is an individual’s beliefs about how well they will do on an impending task ( Eccles and Wigfield, 2020 ). According to Zimmerman and Bandura (1994) , moving toward goals takes place mainly through reflexive processes (e.g., perceived self-efficacy, and effort). The higher the learner’s self-efficacy, the higher the goals and the stronger the commitment to the goals ( Locke and Latham, 2002 ; Morisano, 2013 ). Self-efficacy affects the level of goals set by the learner, as well as the effectiveness of strategies and responses to failures ( Erez and Judge, 2001 ). Failure can reduce self-efficacy and lead to abandonment or setting lower goals, but those with high self-efficacy respond to setbacks with greater effort and commitment. Studies have shown that self-efficacy affects both effort and persistence, mediators of performance goals (e.g., focus, choice of appropriate learning strategies), and performance in learning tasks ( Morisano, 2013 ). Self-efficacy holds two kinds of expectancy beliefs – outcome expectations (beliefs that certain behaviors lead to desired outcomes) and efficacy expectations (beliefs about effective performance to produce the outcome) ( Wigfield and Eccles, 2000 ). According to Bandura (1997) , individuals’ efficacy expectations determine goal setting, activity choice, willingness to expend effort, and persistence.

2.1 Goal setting

Goal-setting theory is a theory of motivation that explains what causes some people to perform better on learning or work-related tasks than others. The term goal is defined in goal-setting theory as the object or aim of an action ( Locke and Latham, 1990 ). Goal setting is operationalized as a state that involves identifying the desired outcomes and developing a plan to achieve them.

Goal setting has a prominent role in social-cognitive learning models. It is one of the prerequisites for successful self-regulated learning. Encouraging learners to set goals is used widely to promote behavior change ( Epton et al., 2017 ). When the goals are specific ( Locke and Latham, 2002 ), attainable ( Brunstein, 1993 ), optimally challenging, and relatively close at hand ( Koestner et al., 2002 ), they have a strong impact on both learning behavior and performance. Goals with specific performance standards activate self-evaluations of progress and enhance motivation more than general goals. Short-term goals enhance motivation better than long-term goals, also the goals learners perceive as difficult but attainable than goals that are very easy or overly difficult ( Schunk and DiBenedetto, 2021 ). In their systematic literature review, Locke et al. (1981) found that according to goal theory, difficult objectives lead to better performance than easy goals, notwithstanding their lower possibility of being fully reached. On the other hand, expectancy theory predicts the reverse – a positive relationship between expectancy and performance, provided all other factors remain equal. Therefore, low anticipation ratings may indicate that a participant was not intending to give it their all, while high ratings would indicate the reverse. A fictitious positive correlation between expectancy and performance would result from this.

The goal-setting theory ( Locke and Latham, 2002 ) emphasizes the role of difficulty and specificity of performance goals, learner persistence, and commitment, plus praise and feedback as supporting mediators in accomplishing the set goals. Based on the earlier studies by Morisano et al. (2010) formulated the four mechanisms through which goals affect performance. First, goals direct cognitive and behaviorally attention and effort toward goal-relevant activities; second, high goals energize and lead to greater effort than low goals; third, demanding goals prolong effort and increase persistence; and fourth, goals have an indirect effect on learner action by leading to the discovery, and utilizing task-relevant knowledge and strategies.

Successful goal setting and moving toward goals may be affected by several conditions. Besides the specific, attainable, and challenging nature of the goals, other factors that play an important role in ensuring the progress toward the goal achievement include learner motivation, positive expectations, and realism ( Perrone et al., 2004 ). Koestner et al. (2002) add the importance of a detailed implementation plan (time schedule and backup plan included), and Karakowsky and Mann (2008) consistency. If setting goals and successfully moving toward them supports self-efficacy, a person begins to set higher goals but also creates higher expectations for success (goals beget goals). Although goals do not affect motivation directly, they are considered to be strong motivators. Goals support focus and learner’s efforts toward task success. A discrepancy between the goal and perceived progress can motivate learners to increase the necessary effort and persistence ( Schunk and DiBenedetto, 2021 ).

Goals have been addressed and classified from different perspectives. The intrinsic and extrinsic goals based on the SAL model ( Pintrich, 2004 ) were mentioned above. Goals may also be classified according to the temporal perspective – long-term goals and short-term goals in the context of agency ( Biesta et al., 2015 ; Leijen et al., 2020 ), proximal and distal goals in the context of self-efficacy theory ( Bandura and Schunk, 1981 ), and outcome/performance goals and mastery/behavioral/learning goals in the self-theory ( Dweck, 2000 ) and goal-setting theory ( Locke and Latham, 2006 ). Eccles and Wigfield (2002) mapped the areas where goal orientation, operationalized as a trait, has been widely explored in traditional learning environments.

Grade goal (or self-set grade goal) is a type of goal that an individual defines as a desired standard for grade outcome. Grade goals are considered to be linked to academic performance ( Talsma et al., 2023 ); however, their effect has been reported to be rather low ( Dekker et al., 2021 ). The relationship between grade goals and academic performance depends on students’ personality traits, for example, core self-evaluations ( Bipp et al., 2015 ) that integrate traits such as self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and emotional stability. Previous studies have listed numerous variables that mediate self-set goals and academic outcomes to a greater or lesser extent, e.g., cognitive ability, learning skills, self-efficacy, emotions, etc. Academic outcomes have been found to be negatively related to making goal choices based on parental expectations and coping with failure, but positively related to learner self-concept. In addition, students’ goal choices mediate the effect of their grade goals on exam performance ( Morisano, 2013 ).

The conditions of e-learning add special features that the traditional learning context inevitably ignores. Therefore, given the current global health, economic, and security situation, where e-learning is often the only way to pursue education, it is crucial to understand the impact of goal setting on learning behaviors in the e-learning context.

2.2 Self-efficacy

In 1977, a Canadian-American psychologist, Albert Bandura defined self-efficacy as an individual’s belief in their capacity to act in the ways which are necessary to reach their goals. According to his social-cognitive theory, human actions are influenced by the interplay of personal, environmental, and behavioral factors. The learner who feels competent in the learning process can make better use of the opportunities offered by the environment (e.g., classroom) and modify their behavior accordingly. This is driven by the desire for the sense of agency realized by setting goals and implementing strategies to attain them. This agentic perspective is affected by the sense of self-efficacy resulting from evaluative and goal-oriented self-reflection ( Schunk and DiBenedetto, 2021 ).

Self-efficacy can be divided into two categories: general and task-specific self-efficacy. An individual’s assessment of their capacity to function in a range of diverse circumstances is known as general self-efficacy. It evaluates a broad and steady sense of personal competence to deal with a variety of tense situations ( Scherbaum et al., 2006 ). According to Eden (1988) , general self-efficacy is a stable trait-like attribute, while specialized self-efficacy is a relatively flexible independent variable. Task-specific self-efficacy, as assessed in a particular domain, looks at how someone feels about their capacity to carry out situation-specific actions. Perceived task-specific self-efficacy, which is contingent upon context and situational demands, is measured to obtain a relevant picture of an individual’s confidence in their capacity to perform a certain task or skill ( Bandura, 2006 ). In a range of tasks and contexts, general self-efficacy has a positive impact on task-specific self-efficacy ( Sherer and Maddux, 1982 ) – when an individual has high self-efficacy across several settings and activities, it typically translates to circumstances that are exclusive to that particular activity ( Chen et al., 2001 ).

Pintrich (1991) do not view self-efficacy as a static trait but as varying across different performance domains. Pintrich (1991) distinguished two aspects of expectancy in the scale of self-efficacy for learning and performance. First, expectancy for success [or personal efficacy ( Bandura and Watts, 1996 ) or outcome expectations ( Bandura, 1997 )] is related to task performance and refers to performance expectations or individuals’ beliefs about how well they will do on an upcoming task ( Eccles and Wigfield, 2020 ). Second, self-efficacy [or efficacy expectations ( Bandura, 1997 )], which includes an individual’s judgments about their ability to accomplish a task and their confidence in their skills to perform the task, is a self-appraisal of their ability to master a task. However, validity studies have rarely shown these two aspects to constitute distinct factors ( Lee et al., 2020 ). In the current study, we are focusing on the learners’ situation-specific self-efficacy while they self-report their self-efficacy and expectancies for success in the context of a certain online course.

As a motivational construct, self-efficacy is key to promoting student engagement and learning ( Linnenbrink and Pintrich, 2003 ). However, it is not always easy to understand its role in the learning process. According to Bandura (1977) , self-efficacy expectations rely on four sources of information. Performance accomplishments (or inactive mastery experience) are based on the learner’s previous successful experience ( Honicke et al., 2020 ). Repeated successes create an expectation of efficacy, which reduces the negative impact of failure ( Alqurashi, 2016 ). Vicarious experience, where a learner observes others performing an activity successfully, is based on social comparison. The vicarious experience becomes critical in the context of e-learning, where learners tend to remain isolated and have to deal with their tasks alone. To avoid this, learning tasks and activities should be created that require cooperation, sharing, peer assessment, and mutual feedback ( Korucu-Kış, 2021 ). The third source of information, verbal persuasion (or social persuasion) is mostly used in the form of feedback ( Lam and Chan, 2017 ). When encouraging learners to measure their success in terms of self-improvement rather than triumph over others ( Bandura, 1997 ) may lead to higher self-efficacy. Unrealistic feedback, however, may lower learner self-efficacy ( Alqurashi, 2016 ). The fourth source of information, physiological states, refers to negative arousals like stress and anxiety, which have a direct negative effect on learner self-efficacy. While the previously mentioned sources of information have impact on learner self-efficacy, then self-efficacy leads to goal choices ( Vincent et al., 2021 ), effort and persistence ( Thompson et al., 2022 ), behavioral, cognitive and motivational engagement ( Linnenbrink and Pintrich, 2003 ), and these in turn result in academic achievement and self-regulation ( Andres, 2020 ; Hayat et al., 2020 ). Even though most of the studies listed above were conducted in the context of traditional classrooms, similar sources have been identified in online learning environments ( Lin et al., 2013 ).

The interactions between self-efficacy and goals are not always clear. Morisano (2013) listed the mediators – attention, effort, persistence, and task strategies; and moderators – commitment, feedback, and knowledge and skills, which all may influence an individual when moving toward their goals. The higher the learner’s self-efficacy, the higher the goals they set and the greater their commitment to their fulfillment. This, in turn, supports the growth of self-efficacy.

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the predictive power of self-efficacy and the mediating effect of self-set grade goals on learning outcomes. The following guiding research questions were formulated for this work:

(1) What are the psychometric properties and indicators of the factor of self-efficacy?

(2) What are the indicators of the learners’ self-set grade goals?

(3) What is the effect of self-efficacy on self-set grade goals – ideal, expected, and minimum acceptable?

(4) To what extent do self-set grade goals – ideal, expected, and minimum acceptable – mediate the effect of self-efficacy on actual learning outcomes?

Proceeding from the theory the following hypotheses were addressed:

H 1: Self-efficacy has a positive effect on learners’ self-set grade goals – ideal, expected, and minimum acceptable.

H 2: Minimum acceptable is the self-set grade goal which most precisely predicts the actual learning outcomes (summative course grade).

H 3: Self-efficacy has an indirect effect on learning outcomes.

In order to answer the research questions, an exploratory study was conducted with teacher training students of a higher education institution within the framework of an online course.

2.3 Hypothesized models and their theoretical justification

When hypothesizing the models, earlier research results were considered. The first model ( Figure 1 ) was created in order to test the relations of self-efficacy measured with MSLQ ( Pintrich, 1991 ) and learners’ three self-set grade goals – ideal, expected, and minimum accepted. According to Zimmerman and Bandura (1994) , goals function primarily through self-processes, such as perceived self-efficacy rather than directly controlling motivation and behavioral attainments. Higher self-efficacy leads to higher goals and greater goal commitment. With the first model, it was assumed that self-efficacy has a positive effect on the three self-set grade goals.

Figure 1 . The model of self-efficacy and its positive effect on three self-set grade goals.

With the second model ( Figure 2 ), the direct effect of self-set grade goals and the indirect effect of self-efficacy on learning outcomes (summative course grade) were tested. Self-efficacy has several benefits aside from affecting goal commitment. It does not only predict self-set goals but also performance and retention ( Caprara et al., 2008 ). According to Erez and Judge (2001) , self-efficacy influences a person’s choice of goal level, the potency of their tactics, and how they handle failure. In this model, self-set grade goals were considered as a mediator of the effect of self-efficacy on learning outcomes.

Figure 2 . The model of self-set grade goals’ direct effect and self-efficacy’s indirect effect on learning outcome.

Morisano (2013) found that the ideal grade set by the learner tends to be overly optimistic, and the expected grade does not accurately reflect the goal per se . Only the minimum grade one would be satisfied with has proven to be the most valid of the self-set grade goals to predict learning outcomes ( Locke and Latham, 1990 ; Morisano, 2013 ). In order to test the hypotheses, both models were tested and analyzed.

In order to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses, a quantitative study was conducted as part of the teacher education course Basics of Learning, which is compulsory for all undergraduate and graduate students in the first semester of the first academic year. The fully online course was implemented in the Moodle environment with an introductory face-to-face meeting at the beginning of the course. The syllabus includes eight topics – cognitive development, perception and attention, memory, physical development, self-regulation and metacognition, emotions, and language and speech. Students mostly work independently - listen to video lectures and read materials. Each topic can be discussed in a common discussion forum, and questions are answered in private messages or the public forum. The course has four assignments that are evaluated, and the final grade is formed based on two essays, an observation task on self-regulation carried out in the classroom, and a learning diary where students reflect on their learning experience and analyze their learning process. Student satisfaction with the content of the course and its execution has been relatively high over the years. Most students appreciate the opportunity to work at their own pace, flexibility, and support from the lecturer.

An invitation to participate in the study was sent to all 353 teacher education students registered for the Basics of Learning online course. Of these, 160 (45%) students answered and completed the self-report questionnaire. Students were not rewarded or incentivized for their participation. 91 (57%) of the respondents were undergraduate students, 69 (43%) were graduates. All students were Caucasian. Approximately 10% of the students were of Russian origin but as the curricula are in Estonian, they study and communicate in Estonian. 50% of the students are working full-time or part-time (undergraduates mostly in kindergartens and vocational education, graduates in schools) and studying simultaneously. As the data collected with the questionnaire were analyzed related to the academic outcomes, the data could not be anonymous. However, the only person who had access to the data and performed the data analysis was the lecturer/the author of the paper. The students were informed about the aim of the study, the procedure of the data collection, data storage, and analysis.

3.2 Data collection

Quantitative data on learners’ self-efficacy and self-set grade goals were collected using the LimeSurvey electronic questionnaire. Data on self-efficacy were collected using the MSLQ motivation scale ( Pintrich, 1991 ). The motivation scale has 31 items in six factors (intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value, control of learning beliefs, self-efficacy, and test anxiety), which the respondents rated on the Likert-type scale from 1 – not at all true about me to 7 – very true about me. In addition, respondents were asked to enter three self-set grade goals: the grade they would like to receive for the course (ideal grade), the grade they think they will receive for the course (expected grade), and the minimum grade they would be satisfied with (minimum grade) ( Morisano, 2013 ). Grade goals were entered as letters (A – excellent, B – very good, C – good, D – satisfactory, E – poor, F – failed). After the course, the dataset was supplemented with the learners’ course summative grades (A–F). The grade was formed based on the points obtained for three written assignments (essay, class observation protocol, and short essay) and a reflective learning diary. The maximum score was 27 points.

3.3 Data analysis

All data were standardized with Z -score normalization before starting the analysis. Standardization was necessary to eliminate the scale differences of the variables. In order to reliably assess respondents’ self-report estimates of their self-efficacy, the factor structure of the motivation scale was tested with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Confirmatory factor analysis is a statistical method used to assess the suitability of a set of observed variables (indicators) with a theoretical model. We used maximum likelihood estimation to estimate model parameters—factor loadings, variances, and covariances. Factor loadings indicate the strength of the relationship between each indicator and its corresponding factor. Factors greater than or equal to 0.4 were considered acceptable. The fit of the model to the data was evaluated using goodness-of-fit indices – chi-square test ( χ 2 ), comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). Fit indices are used to determine whether the model fits the data well or whether the model needs to be modified. Although subsequent analyses continued with only the self-efficacy factor, it was necessary to conduct a CFA on the entire motivation scale to ensure that the items loaded correctly on the factor. CFA was followed by an assessment of factor reliability with Cronbach’s alpha, a measure of internal consistency.

The next step was to analyze the data using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The purpose of the latter was to identify relationships between self-efficacy as a predictor, self-set grade goals as a mediator, and summative grade as a dependent variable to create a predictive model. Structural equation modeling was the final step in the data analysis. By combining elements of factor analysis, regression analysis, and path analysis into a single framework, SEM allows for testing and evaluating complex relationships between observed and latent variables. SEM was considered the most appropriate method as it allows the study of both direct and indirect relationships between variables while accounting for measurement error and allowing for the inclusion of latent variables. All analyses were performed using SPSS and AMOS (version 27.0.1.0).

4.1 The psychometric properties and indicators of the factor of self-efficacy (RQ1)

In order to answer the first research question, the factor structure of the whole motivation scale of the MSLQ was tested. As a result of the CFA, most of the items had sufficiently high loadings. The only exceptions were two items in the control of learning beliefs factor, below 0.4 (item 9–0.3; item 25–0.38). After removing these low-loading items, the factor remained with two items. Typically, the smallest acceptable number of items in a factor is three ( Tabachnick et al., 2013 ). In a measurement model, a two-item factor is identifiable when the factor loadings of the items are more or less equal ( Bolger et al., 1998 ). This requirement was unmet (item 2–0.41; item 18–0.68). Another indicator that shows the reliability of the two-point factor is the high correlation between the variables ( r  > 0.70) ( Yong and Pearce, 2013 ). For the current two items, the correlation coefficient was relatively low ( r  = 0.372; p  < 0.001). Therefore, it was decided to drop the entire factor and the model was identified with five factors ( Table 1 ). The goodness-of-fit indices of the five-factor model were acceptable: χ 2  = 478,358; df = 303; p  = 0.000; CMIN/DF = 1,578; CFI = 0.919; TLI = 0.906; NFI = 0.810; RMSEA = 0.060. The other psychometric properties are presented in Table 1 .

Table 1 . Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and variance of the factors in the motivation scale.

Thus, it can be concluded that the motivation scale of the MSLQ questionnaire ( Pintrich, 1991 ) has good psychometric properties and is reliable for the following analyses.

A correlation analysis was performed in order to understand the relationship between the factors of the motivation scale and the self-set grade goals. The results ( Table 2 ) indicate statistically significant positive and negative, albeit weak correlations between all factors but extrinsic goal orientation and grade goals.

Table 2 . Correlation coefficients between the factors and self-set grade goals.

The face validity of the scale suggests that the items are clear and unambiguous. The students who completed the questionnaire and later reflected on their perceptions in their learning diaries expressed appreciation for the opportunity to gain deep and meaningful reflection on their self-regulated learning process and analyzed the aspects that need further development. The correlation analysis provided valuable information about the questionnaire factors, indicating strong positive correlations between intrinsic goal orientation, task value, and self-efficacy, which occur together and refer to a learner’s interest and appreciation of the learning content ( Taylor, 2012 ). Another interesting relation appeared between extrinsic goal orientation and test anxiety which are positively correlated with each other but negatively with the other factors. Ideal and expected grades were positively correlated with self-efficacy and negatively with test anxiety. Minimum grade satisfied with was positively correlated with task value, self-efficacy, and intrinsic goal orientation.

Since self-efficacy is the focus of this study, this factor is explored in more detail below. The factor has eight statements ( Table 3 ) loaded to one factor with sufficiently high weights.

Table 3 . Factor loadings and explained variance ( R 2 ) according to the two dimensions of self-efficacy.

Despite the fact that Pintrich (1991) distinguished two separate aspects in the self-efficacy factor – expectancy for success and self-efficacy – in the factor analysis, the two were not distinguished, and in the following analysis, they are treated as one single factor.

According to the learners’ estimates, the average value of their self-efficacy is 4.97 ( SD  = 0.97) (on a 7-point Likert-type scale) with Skewness of −0.64 (StE = 0.19) and Kurtosis of 0.07 (StE = 0.38) which both remain within acceptable limits proving the normal distribution of the data.

4.2 The indicators of the learners’ self-set grade goals (RQ2)

In line with the assessment system in the university, the respondents set their grade goals in letters (A – the highest, F – the lowest) which were converted to numbers (A – 5, F – 0) and standardized for further analyses ( Figure 3 ).

Figure 3 . The frequency of learners’ self-set grade goals (%).

Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test indicated statistically significant differences between the learner’s set goals for the ideal grade (Me = 5) and expected grade (Me = 4): Z  = −7.758; p  < 0.001, as well as between expected grade (Me = 4) and the minimum grade being satisfied with (Me = 3): Z  = −6.861; p  < 0.001.

4.3 The effect of self-efficacy on self-set grade goals – ideal, expected, and minimum acceptable (RQ3)

Correlation analysis was conducted first to assess the effect of self-efficacy on learners’ self-set grade goals. The analysis revealed positive but weak correlations of self-efficacy with two grade goals: ideal grade r  = 0.213, p  = 0.034; expected grade r  = 0.335, p  = 0.001; minimum being satisfied with r  = 0.431, p  = 0.000; and the summative grade r  = 0.227, p  = 0.024. These correlations were used as a basis for creating the SEM model. As a result, the Maximum likelihood analysis provided statistically significant effects of self-efficacy on all three grade goals. The standardized path coefficient from self-efficacy to ideal grade ( Figure 4 ) was 0.32 (SE = 0.07, p  = 0.009), indicating a positive relationship between the two variables. The coefficient was standardized by dividing the path coefficient by the product of the standard deviations of the variables. This effect was, however, smaller than the standardized effect of self-efficacy on expected grade, which was 0.50 (SE = 0.12, p  = 0.000), or the minimum grade being satisfied with, which was 0.51 (SE = 0.14, p  = 0.000).

Figure 4 . The standardized direct effects of self-efficacy on self-set grade goals.

The goodness-of-fit indices of the model indicated acceptable fit: χ 2  = 61,239; df = 38; p  = 0.010; CMIN/DF = 1,612; CFI = 0.947; TLI = 0.924; NFI = 0.877; RMSEA = 0.079, which proved a positive effect of self-efficacy on learners’ grade goals. Thus, the first hypothesis on the positive effect of self-efficacy on learner self-set grade goals was confirmed.

4.4 The effect of self-set grade goals – ideal, expected, and minimum acceptable – mediating self-efficacy and actual learning outcomes (RQ4)

After making the model more complex by adding the summative course grade, the coefficients of the mediators’ effects changed ( Figure 5 ).

Figure 5 . The standardized direct and indirect effects of self-efficacy and self-set grade goals on learning outcomes.

The ideal grade goal was no longer statistically significant and was therefore removed from the model ( Figure 6 ). The expected grade goal showed a significant mediating effect of self-efficacy on learning outcomes. The standardized effect of self-efficacy on expected grade was 0.48 (SE = 0.15, p  = 0.000), and on minimum satisfied with 0.49 (SE = 0.15, p  = 0.000). The expected grade is the only learners’ self-set grade goal which predicts the summative course grade – standardized effect 0.51 (SE = 0.09, p  = 0.000). The standardized indirect effect of self-efficacy on the summative course grade is 0.25.

Figure 6 . Standardized direct effects of self-efficacy and self-set grade goals.

The goodness-of-fit indices of the model indicated good fit: χ 2  = 52,144; df = 40; p  = 0.045; CMIN/DF = 1,304; CFI = 0.971; TLI = 0.960; NFI = 0.891; RMSEA = 0.060, which shows that the model fits well with the observed data and that the effect sizes reliably predict the course grade. Thus, the second hypothesis, which stated that the minimum grade is the most accurate predictor of the actual learning outcome, was rejected. The third hypothesis about the indirect effect of self-efficacy on learning outcomes was confirmed.

5 Discussion

Self-processes are established as essential for self-regulated learning, goal setting, and learning outcomes in several motivational research. However, research on the connection between goal setting and self-efficacy and their effects on academic accomplishment has been contradictory. This study aimed to assess the influence of self-efficacy and self-set grade goals on academic outcomes. In order to address the research questions, an exploratory study was carried out with teacher training students from a higher education institution within the context of an online course.

The MSLQ motivation scale ( Pintrich, 1991 ) retained five factors due to model estimation. Its acceptable model fit indices confirmed the consistency of the theoretical model with our observed data. The correlation analysis indicated the relationship between several motivational factors and self-set grade goals. The most telling of these is connected with test anxiety and its negative correlations with self-efficacy and grade goals. It has previously been detected that academic stress affects students’ perceptions of their grade goals and expectations ( Tan et al., 2008 ), creating significant barriers to learning and performance ( Andrews and Wilding, 2004 ) and leading to lower outcomes and higher student drop-out rates ( Vaez and Laflamme, 2008 ). Although some anxiety is normal and often helps maintain mental and physical alertness, excessive anxiety should be controlled by teaching how to mitigate test-taking skill deficits by combining skill-focused strategies with cognitive and behavioral approaches ( Ergene, 2003 ). Another interesting correlation appeared between minimum grade satisfied with, task value and intrinsic goal orientation. The latter two have also revealed relatedness in earlier research findings (e.g., Khan and Khan, 2015 ), confirming the role of motivational factors on goal orientation.

Similar to the latest validity studies (e.g., Maison and Syamsurizal, 2019 ), incl. in the context of e-learning (e.g., Khosim and Awang, 2020 ), this study also confirmed a single factor that includes the two aspects of expectancy for success and self-efficacy. Although some studies (e.g., Lee et al., 2020 ) have identified the items of these two aspects as different factors, the current sample of teacher training students’ performance expectations, i.e., their perceptions and beliefs about academic achievement, were strongly related to their self-appraisal of their ability to understand course materials. Greater concordance between expectancy and self-efficacy may result from adult learners’ more realistic self-view as a learner and more determined attitude toward their learning process. This is also confirmed by the results of the correlation analysis, which indicate a connection between self-efficacy and self-set grade goals.

The connectedness of self-efficacy and goals has been reported since the early works of goal setting ( Locke and Latham, 1990 ) and efficacy ( Bandura, 1997 ). Higher self-efficacy leads to higher goals and a stronger commitment to goals ( Alhadabi and Karpinski, 2020 ). Although the present study did not examine goal commitment, it clearly showed a direct effect of self-efficacy on all self-set grade goals, the highest on expected grade and minimum being satisfied with. It refers to the adult learners’ realistic performance expectations, setting goals that are attainable ( Brunstein, 1993 ) and relatively close at hand ( Koestner et al., 2002 ), plus realistic self-esteem. This conclusion is supported by the fact that the grade goal, which most accurately predicts the learning outcome, is the expected grade based on the student’s self-assessment of which grade they are most likely to receive.

What goals the learners set for themselves depends predominantly on their academic self-efficacy assessments. As mentioned above, the learner’s self-efficacy is based on various motivational factors. Given that the participants in the present study set their grade goals in the context of the entire course (rather than for individual assignments or tasks), it can be inferred that outcome expectations influenced their decisions directly, whereas efficacy expectations, which also considered their past effort, persistence, and learning strategies, had an indirect effect on their learning outcomes. In contrast to previous research that found the minimum grade to be the most accurate measure of grade goal ( Bertrams, 2012 ; Morisano, 2013 ), this study found the expected grade to be the most precise predictor of academic performance. The reason for the difference in results can be caused by the sample, which in Morisano’s study consisted of academically struggling students, while in our case, the sample was partly made of young people starting their undergraduate studies in the teacher training curricula, and partly of working teachers who need to improve their professional qualifications (however, no significant differences were revealed in comparing these two different sample groups). Their self-efficacy beliefs may differ, but the latter’s also more realistic and accurate, as shown by the higher predictive power of the expected grade goal. We can also hope the adult learner’s self-concept is good enough to set adequate, relevant, and achievable goals. On the other hand, motivational factors can also play an important role in setting goals. Starting from the reasons why one comes to study the chosen study program to the feelings and expectations of enrolling in the chosen (albeit mandatory) subject course.

The main limitation of the study is related to the sample. The relatively small number of respondents did not allow for invariance analyses or comparisons between groups of graduate and undergraduate or working and non-working students. The fact that they all come from the same institution but with different curricula does not allow the results to be generalized to wider student populations; they can only be interpreted in this context.

This article extends previous research and contributes to the existing literature on the relationships between self-efficacy, self-set grade goals, and learning outcomes. There is a paucity of published research on this topic highlighting the influence of motivational factors in online learning, and this study fills this particular gap by providing insight into the predictive effects of self-efficacy and grade goals. Studies (e.g., Morisano, 2013 ) have shown the mediating and moderating effects of several different factors. This research showed the importance of self-efficacy when setting realistic goals for one’s learning process based on one’s perception of one’s ability and resources. Self-efficacy, which is crucial for academic success and general development, can be supported by teachers in various learning situations. It is important to ensure that students understand the expectations and learning objectives. Learners are more likely to have confidence in their capacity to meet expectations when they know what is expected of them. Assisting students in establishing reasonable, attainable goals and breaking difficult tasks into smaller, more doable ones increases their confidence and self-efficacy. Students should understand the importance of effort and hard work in the learning process, the idea that challenges and setbacks are normal, and that learning often involves overcoming obstacles. The classroom environment where students feel safe to take risks and make mistakes, collaboration, and peer support help create a learning community that values every student’s individual contribution. No less important is constructive feedback that focuses on effort, progress, and improvement rather than the final outcome. Students should be encouraged to reflect on their own learning experiences. Reflection helps them become more aware of their strengths and areas for improvement, fostering a sense of control over their learning, autonomy, and agency. A supportive and encouraging teacher-student relationship and learning atmosphere greatly contribute to students’ self-efficacy and encourage them to set and strive for higher goals. The future research will consider the effects of effort, persistence, and commitment on both goal setting and learning outcomes. We also want to evaluate the motivation factors for different sample groups, considering their status in the labor market and their motives for starting to study. Further research needs to reach larger samples to include additional variables such as undergraduate/graduate academic status or working/non-working status.

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary materials, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Ethics statement

The requirement for ethical approval was waived based on the requirements of the University of Tartu. The study was conducted in accordance with local legislation and institutional requirements. Participants gave their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author contributions

KS: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

The author declares that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: goal setting, self-efficacy, grade goals, learning outcomes, structural equation modeling

Citation: Saks K (2024) The effect of self-efficacy and self-set grade goals on academic outcomes. Front. Psychol . 15:1324007. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1324007

Received: 18 October 2023; Accepted: 13 March 2024; Published: 28 March 2024.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2024 Saks. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Katrin Saks, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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SELF-MOTIVATION: An O2 For Higher Education (HE) Success

By: Gbenga Omole-Great

Motivation is the main factor for everyone’s actions, desires, and needs, while prompting us to make certain decisions or follow a certain path. We all know of motivation, but what is it and how does it affect our academic achievements?

Motivation is an indispensable factor in a learner’s academic preparedness and desire to learn. It should be noted that motivation can be both externally driven and internally generated. Internal motivation is often referred to as self-motivation.

A Canadian-American motivational Speaker, Brian Tracy, once said: “to accompli sh what you desire you must be self-motivated. Others can influence and encourage you but you are the one who must make the choice. You are the one who must take action!”

Self-motivation plays a crucial role in achieving academic success. It is the inner drive and determination that pushes students to set goals, persist through challenges, and strive for excellence in their educational pursuits.    However, the flexibility in lesson delivery and assessments in Higher Education (HE) requires a level of self-motivation. Without this, students may stray and lose focus, having knock-on effects on their studies.

Based on my personal reflective accounts – as an award-winning HE student, here are some ways self-motivation plays into academic success in higher education:

Self-motivated HE students are more likely to set specific and achievable academic goals. These goals act as guiding points, giving a clear direction to their studies. 

At the start of my HE program at City College Plymouth, I set the goal of not wanting to just be a face in the crowd of learners but to be an award-winning student by the end of my program. This goal motivated me to work diligently, attend classes regularly, study consistently, and give my best to all my assignments – competing with no one but myself towards achieving my possible best as I keep striving to be better always.

• Perseverance:

Academic journeys are often filled with obstacles and setbacks. Self-motivated HE students are better equipped to handle these challenges, possessing the determination to persevere through difficult times. For instance, despite challenges with the educational, technological and ‘social’ environments of HE at the start of my program, self-motivation and the never-give-up attitude kept me finding solutions, seeking help when needed, committing to personal development, and not giving up despite initial difficulties.

• Time Management:

Students showing self-motivation tend to be more organised and manage their time effectively, prioritising their studies, assignments, and other responsibilities. Balancing multiple courses, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments demands effective time management skills and self-discipline, but the drive of self-motivation makes this possible! 

• Initiative and Participation: 

One of the major pointers to identifying self-motivated HE students is that they are more likely to take initiative in their learning process. They actively engage in class discussions, ask questions, and seek additional resources to expand their knowledge which can positively impact academic performance. Additionally, fellow students and tutors are always happy to work with a motivated student. I found that having ongoing self-motivation for academic excellence helped me to always maintain strong initiative in classes and participate in discussions and group research. 

• Overcoming Procrastination:

Procrastination is a common challenge among many students, with HE students being no exception. Self-motivated individuals are more capable of overcoming procrastination as they can resist the temptation to put off tasks and assignments until the last minute. 

Instead, they work steadily towards deadlines, completing tasks well ahead of schedule. It is my usual practice to start preparation for every end-of-term assessment right from when we start taking lessons. A higher education student who is highly self-motivated will constantly overcome regular temptations to procrastinate academic activities, striving to maintain the balance between study, work, family life and other extracurricular activities.

• Continuous Improvement:

Continuous improvement and constant drive for personal development are traits you see in self-motivated HE students. Every self-motivated HE student I have seen always strives for continuous growth. They see challenges and failures as opportunities to learn and become better. This growth mindset can lead to higher academic achievements. 

For instance, receiving a lower grade to what I expected in the first presentation assignment at the start of my HE program challenged me, instead of discouraging me. I used it as a learning experience to identify my weaknesses, studying & preparing harder for the next assessment, to improve and receive a higher grade. 

Final Thoughts:

Self-motivation is the driving force behind academic success. It empowers students to set meaningful goals, persevere through difficulties, manage their time effectively, take initiative, stay focused, and continuously improve. In higher education, self-motivation is not only crucial for achieving good grades but also for developing essential skills and attitudes that will benefit students both in their future careers and personal lives.

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