Unlocking Motivation: Getting Students and Ourselves to Break Out From the Pack

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. - Thomas Edison

What is motivation- Really?

It is often defined as the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a specific way or the general desire or willingness of someone to do something- Webster’s Dictionary, but what does that mean? For some it is a whisper in their ear, a spark of curiosity or even a glimpse into the future. An idea that embeds itself like a worm, slowly nagging until they act upon it. While for others motivation is a part of them: enthusiasm and determination both a driving force in their personality and perseverance. While one thing may be a focus to one it may be a distractor to another. How do we hone in on our interests? Psychologists and educators have written countless books on the subject. However, what truly motivates us as individuals is not fully understood because motivation is internal, personal and fluid. What may be a catalyst for some is a hindrance for others and we simply will never know why. Seeing as motivation is unique to each of us, how can we tap into someone else’s- get them interested and invested in our ideas, or their own?

Can we tap into someone else’s motivation?

In a round-about way maybe. If they display interest or fervor in something we can help them establish goals and a road map for success. But for us to do that, we must be present and listen. I have five children and believe me when I say, they are not motivated or driven by the same things. Their talents have evolved not by my guidance but of their disposition, impulse and motives. They each chose what they are passionate about and I stayed out of their way. Academics first, this inclination may have needed a nudge or two but they found their affection, engrossment and actuation all on their own. Many parents steer their children down the same path they travelled and for some this is all the motivation they need but for many their identity comes from the independence to explore all things until they hone in and pursue what truly embodies them. Their calling. The only way we can tap into our children’s interests is for them to tell us what they are. The only way we can get our students to open-up and share their passions and hobbies with us is to value everything. No matter how simplistic it may seem. Because to them it means everything. Our attentiveness and support will make all the difference.

How can we construct our own motivation framework?

In the immortal words of Eddie Vedder- I use the image of her in this song, Hard Sun, as a metaphor for motivation and personal drive. When I get down on myself, which I tend to do, or doubt myself, which I also tend to do, I listen to this song and it reminds me that the world is difficult and challenges come and push us to our limits but ultimately it is us, our motivation, our minds that lead us into the shade so we can keep moving forward. There will always be a big hard sun all we can do is find a huge umbrella to keep us cool.

“When I walk beside her, I am a better man, when I look to leave her I always stagger back again. Once I built an ivory tower so I could worship from above, when I climbed down to be set free, she took me in again. There’s a big, a big hard sun, beaten on all the big people, in a big hard world.” The big hard sun is a permanent fixture in life. Creating obstacles, challenges and forever changing our outlook. But motivation is not constant, it is static ebbing and flowing like the tide. We can become unmotivated in an instant or motivated in the blink of an eye. But motivation is forgiving when we drop it, always letting us back in to her good graces when we need her. The most important things we can do to build our motivational framework: 1) always be honest with ourselves, 2) seek out new adventures and ideas by reading, watching and living, 3) reflect and take the time to understand why we lose motivation, 4) believe in ourselves and do not get too hard on ourselves when we lose our impulse and inclination. We need to follow our internal voice as it gives us something to believe in or to let go. It is our internal drive after all. This does not mean get lazy and complacent, merely allow ourselves the flexibility to find new stimuli and incentives that steer us on our journey.

How can we spark motivation in our students?

Gimmicks, ploys and artifices will only motivate our students for so long. They may ‘hook’ them quickly, but very soon thereafter they will wiggle from our grasp. Counterfeit coaxes do not work for long. Genuine experiences that they design based on interest, relevance and just plain comfort level, motivate them. If they are self-driven, personal and respectful lessons they will embrace them and we will continue to hold their attention. Students need to be renegades, pioneers, outlaws and rebels and in their minds, they need to feel like they are. We need to dare them to step away from the norm and get lost in the unknown. Provide the line of strength that they can use to stay connected but also the length and distance to feel the urgency of action. To be dissidents in the sense that they were taught to think for themselves. This is motivating. Anyone can find reason and actuation when they are given the tools, strategies, and encouragement to take risks, openly fail and falter, and see the finish line. If we are motivated we can see the goal, measure its distance away and gear ourselves up for the trek. But when we are unmotivated due to stifling rules, expectations, leering eyes of judgement upon us, we place that goal miles away and in between a dry, harsh, terrifying desert of uncertainty and doubt emerges.

We can spark motivation in our students not by thinking we can create it for them, but in the belief and confidence that they are self-determined and motivated to find it themselves. We generate curiosity not with smoke and mirrors but with individual opportunity for growth. Challenges that push them a little bit out of their comfort zone, they will persevere not with rewards and incentives but with personal drive to investigate, arouse interest and summon success. We all have a sense of vindication. We all want to accomplish new things but if they are too hard we become unmotivated, but if they are just out of reach and we must problem-solve to accomplish them, we are willing to push ourselves just a little farther, a moment longer until we reach the solution.  Provide these authentic, thought provoking, stimulating opportunities and students will be motivated not because they are flashy but because they are gratifying. For motivation is an instinct a personal emotion we have created to fulfill this need. The need to know we can choose our place in this world, our interests and our own accomplishments. For these accomplishments make us who we are and the motivation for self-discovery is endless.