Motivation From Within
Motivation. What is it that drive you? Where does it come from, and why does it seem to leave so soon?
For many, motivation seems to have a mind of its own. It comes and goes as it pleases. And I know it is common among graphic designers as well as others in the creative fields. However, this issue is not localized. It impacts many aspects of our lives, period.
The Problem With Motivation.
The tricky part of motivation, and one we all attempt to obtain, is understanding how to maintain and perpetuate its affect. Without it, things seem to fall by the wayside. We get sidetracked and lose focus on the project at hand.
For example, I tend to struggle with writing. It begins with fear or failure or the perfectionist side of me says it’s not good enough yet. Then I lose the motivation to write or finish writing. For others, it would be designing or any number of things. In this example it is discouragement or a feeling of inadequacy that will kill motivation.
The loss creates a block that prevents us from moving forward. A blank page or screen becomes a very difficult hurdle to surpass. And I am sure you would all agree that the worst time for it to happen is in the middle of a project.
A Vision For Motivation
So, what do we do? How do we avoid losing steam? I believe part of the answer can be found in a quote from Zig Ziglar.
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”
Everyone has some sort of personal want, need, or belief that drives them. Yes, some reasons are better or healthier than others but, to maintain the affects of motivation, those reasons must be visited on a regular basis.
Personally, I will reexamine my beliefs and the reasons for my pursuits to ignite motivation. In away, the process takes everything out of my hands, helps remind me to stay humble(at least I hope so), and relieves the pressure that was blocking the motivation.
I write this from my understanding and experience, but I would like to hear your thoughts or approaches to motivation.
As of now (9) people have had something to say...
Lee Cox -
May 7, 2013 at 4:26 pm
Nice and short and oh so true.
AlexVig -
May 7, 2013 at 7:02 pm
Great topic!
Be persistent to your goals can be very rewarding, this is a good motivation!
Feeding the brain with creative thoughts during daily tasks is like feeding your stomach with health food, good exercise.
Make notes, write and draw what comes to your mind. This way you give more room in your head for new thoughts, ideas.
Avoid distractions, keep focus, set the time to accomplish the task.
Later on compare your notes from one task to another, and try to find which one had better results, what motivated you to perform better…
Cheers,
Alex
JMDesigns -
May 7, 2013 at 11:23 pm
Good list Alex. Motivation could also be likened to a muscle. The more we exercise it the stronger it becomes. But, I like the feeding the brain idea better. Thanks for sharing.
Kinza -
May 8, 2013 at 7:32 pm
Well, I have the same issue as you mentioned in the example.
If the chore I do is not accepted by my heads, I lose hope as faster as the light travels.
I know this is a great hurdle for me and I have to overcome this scenario asap otherwise, motivations and inspirations are going to be dead for me.
Anyway, Great topic.. I hope its gonna be a help for me…
Regards!
JMDesigns -
May 8, 2013 at 10:35 pm
It can be hard, not only at times but, on a regular bases for some. That is why we (myself and anyone who wants to join) need to dive into motivation and not wait for it to come to us. I do hope this helped and thank you for the kind words!
Ben -
May 9, 2013 at 3:44 pm
Sometimes, if you really hit a kink and get stuck, I’ve found that it’s best to just walk away and clear your mind. Sometimes you get so caught up in the tiny details that you forget about the bigger picture. Take a walk outside, or maybe go for a little drive around the city. Then, when you come back to your project feeling refreshed, you’ll have a totally different perspective.
JMDesigns -
May 13, 2013 at 5:42 pm
That is a vicious cycle to get caught up in and I find myself in that situation more often than any other when designing. The way I take breaks is by working on multiple projects at a time. When I am getting stuck with one project I will move to another and then back again with a renewed/refreshed perspective. But I like the idea of taking a walk or even doing another form of physical activity. Thanks Ben.
Julie Holloway -
May 25, 2013 at 1:32 pm
I sooo agree! As a graphic designer, I can totally relate. Motivation comes and goes, but it is all based on the mindset. Change the mindset, your motivation will come back. Sometimes I have to treat myself to something I love, take a break, do a little reading or just tune out for a while, to regain motivation.
be.cre8ive
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JMDesigns -
May 25, 2013 at 4:25 pm
I think the hard part about it is learning how to “program” our minds so motivation does not leave. And like you, there are many ways to step back and figure out how to stimulate motivation and creativity. Thanks for the comment!