This week I want to mention Motivation.

Motivation is the driving force behind all aspects of human behaviour. It explains why we act in the way we do, the decisions we make, the choices we make, our behaviour on a daily basis. Different settings will hold different motivations, so it isn’t necessarily simple to define, but also issues can arise due to a lack of motivation, something which most people have experienced at some point.

Even Usain Bolt, consistently the fastest man in the world for a number of years, has reportedly explained how he experienced periods when he lacked motivation. He described that it was hard for him to stay hungry. Firstly he wanted to give his Mum and Dad a better life, clearing their debts, then his career allowed him to purchase nice things, such as cars and clothes, then he just wanted to make sure he had a secure future. Once he had achieved that he felt he didn’t have anything else to prove and therefore his motivation to continue disappeared.

For Usain Bolt the motivation was external — praise, trophies, money — known as extrinsic motivation, but it is important to realise that what can motivate one person may not motivate another. Some people will be motivated intrinsically, so will refer to skill development and enjoyment. Generally we are motivated by a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors, so while we might need to earn a living and we may chase a job that will allow us to do that, it is also a bonus if we enjoy and feel fulfilled by our job to stay motivated.

Motivation plays a huge part in how active we are and what we choose to do. My own  motivation to exercise has changed so much over the years. Originally I would say I exercised or took part in activities for competition and wanting to win particularly in my hockey and running days. However, this has changed, now I want to exercise because I want to keep moving, I want to stay healthy and I only want to do things that I enjoy. And I won’t lie, I do wake up some days and my motivation to exercise has gone walk-about, not there...

So how do I get over that, how do I stop my Usain Bolt moment? One of the main thoughts and questions I ask myself is how will I feel when I don’t exercise. I know that my mental health will suffer, I know that my body will become stiff and achey — and while I know that sometimes I do need to rest then those are the days when I am motivated to make a choice to do some gentle stretching, and go out for a more leisurely walk for some fresh air.

Rather than looking and saying that we lack motivation, and therefore we won’t exercise today, it just means that our motivation changes, it fluctuates, it might dip occasionally, but if we focus on those intrinsic needs, basic needs, that is where we will find our motivation.

I have used exercise as an example, but at the top of this piece, I said that motivation affects all aspects of our behaviour, so remember that it can dip and peak, just focus on your intrinsic needs and you will find the strength to make the choices and decisions that will serve you best.

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