What sets the most motivated entrepreneurs apart from the rest is that they’ve turned self-motivation into a habit.  That’s why all those other tactics work for them; they no longer have to think about them.

And here’s the best part: What works for them, can work for you. But before we get there, let’s take a closer look at what it really means to be motivated in the first place.

The science of motivation: The locus of control

Ever looked at someone and wondered how they’re so motivated? Or maybe the opposite: Ever met someone and wondered why they’re so lazy, defeated, or reactive?

According to psychologists, the answer is simple: A person’s motivation (or lack thereof) is a result of their  locus of control .

A locus (latin for “place” or “location”)  of control is  the degree to which someone believes they have control over their life.

Each of us habitually defaults to one of two loci of control: Internal or external.

 

Internal locus of control

Those with an internal locus  of control believe  they are in control of their fate  and, if they want change,  they have the power to create it .

For example, when the entrepreneur failed to raise money for his startup, he acknowledged that he didn’t deliver a compelling enough pitch to investors. He resolved to find an experienced mentor to guide him through the process next time.

External locus of control

Those with an external locus  of control believe  someone else is in control of their fate  and, if they want change,  someone else has to create it .

For example, when the entrepreneur failed to raise money for his startup, he blamed the investors for failing to see the potential in his product. He resolved to find “smarter,” more “visionary” investors in the future.

Changing your locus of control

Where’s your  locus of control? Do you accept responsibility for your circumstances, or are you the victim of someone else’s actions?

If you struggle with motivation, you’ve probably been operating from an external locus.  The most motivated people, on the other hand, use an internal locus; a genuine belief they have the power to create the results they desire.

Here’s the good news: It’s possible to change. If you want to be more motivated, you need a firmly-rooted internal locus of control. Once you’ve got that, the rest will come naturally.

Here are four methods to find your internal locus of control and master self-motivation, today.

1. Use rewards, consequences, and commitment devices

In The Power of Leverage , author Tony Robbins says motivation is controlled by two needs:  Avoiding pain and experiencing pleasure.

In practice, that means you can train yourself to become more motivated by teaching your brain to associate pleasure with motivation and pain with “unmotivation.”

The three most effective ways to do that are rewards, consequences, and commitment devices. Let’s take a closer look at each.

Rewards

A reward is something you give yourself for staying motivated and completing your goals. They should be personally meaningful and enticing enough that you’ll actually work to achieve them.

For example: If I reach out to five new prospects today, I’ll take my family to the beach this weekend.

The trick is following through on your rewards when you meet your goals. If you promise yourself a beach day with your family, make time for it.

Train your brain to associate motivation with pleasure.

Consequences

A consequence is something you lose by not staying motivated or completing your goals.

They should be detrimental enough that you’ll want to avoid them, but they don’t need to be extreme. Research has shown that our brains often react to consequences in the same manner, regardless of severity .

For example: If I don’t reach out to five new prospects today, I’m going to skip this week’s Game of Thrones episode.

Like the rewards above, the trick is to follow through on consequences. You want to …

Commitment devices

A commitment device is a combination of both reward and punishment.

Yale’s economic department defines a commitment device  as,  “an arrangement entered into by an agent which restricts his or her future choice by making certain choices more expensive.”

For example: Give someone you trust $100. If you reach out to at least five new prospects by the end of the day, you get your $100 back. If you don’t, you lose that $100.

The great thing about commitment devices is that they’re scalable. If you’re really struggling to stay motivated about a certain task, raise the stakes  and increase the value of the commitment device.

2. Change the way you communicate with yourself

How you communicate  with yourself about a task directly influences your motivation to  complete  that task.

 

標籤：