*Updated January 26, 2021*
I’ve always been interested in understanding why individuals behave the way they do. Although it’s a broad interest, one of the fascinating topics for me has always been understanding those who are able to push themselves to go above and beyond to reach higher and higher goals. What gets them there and what keeps them going?
One of the key factors when it comes to completing a huge goal, whether it’s crossing a finish line at a marathon, starting a business, or crossing a stage at graduation, is getting and staying motivated. Psychologists define motivation as “the psychological process we invoke to explain both the activation and goal-directedness of some behaviors” (Frieman & Reilly, 2016, p. 281.). In other words, motivation is what gets us moving toward our goals. It sounds simple enough, but we all know it’s not.
There are many reasons we may struggle with motivation, especially when it comes to our academic goals. For example, we might be disinterested in a topic, not see the point of a course or assignment, lack a support system, or feel overwhelmed with our to-do list. You may already be rewarding yourself when you hit certain milestones or get a certain grade, which is a good approach, but here are some other strategies you can try.
- Set Goals
Your goal may be to graduate, but long-term goals can become hard to stay focused on. Many of us experience conflict daily between long-term and short-term rewards (Powell et al., 2017). When faced with choosing to work on our final assignments or binge-watching a new season of our favorite show, many of us choose that short-term reward and spend the evening on the couch. To battle this problem, set some smaller SMART Goals along the way to your big goal. Staying focused on those smaller goals will allow you to focus one step at a time toward graduation.
- Track Your Progress
Do you use a device to track your steps or calories burned? Those devices can be incredibly motivating and also help you by providing a visual representation of the progress you’re making. Apply this same principle to your academic work – track your progress. For example, you could post your degree requirements above your desk, and you could check off items as you complete them (if you have questions about those, chat with your Student Success Advisor!).
- Get Engaged
Being engaged in your classes and coursework has been shown to increase motivation (Reeve & Lee, 2014). If you’re not already engaged in your classes, you can make some changes to become more engaged. You should already be logging into your classes regularly. But, don’t just passively read items in the classrooms. Ask your peers and instructors questions – go beyond the required responses and start an ongoing dialogue. Read the feedback from your instructors and ask questions when needed.
- Make Connections
Sometimes you will do assignments and take courses that you struggle with because you don’t see the purpose of it. Instead of thinking of courses or assignments as “busy work,” try instead to make connections between each course/assignment and your goals or life. Making those connections can increase motivation (Frey & Fisher, 2010). For example, if you’re taking a course in statistics, think about how you can use the skills you’re practicing later in your own research or to better understand information you hear and see on the news.
- Create Relationships
Relatedness, or the “feeling of being valued and cared for,” (Mason, 2012, p. 260), supports motivation (Deci & Ryan, 2000). In fact, building connections has been shown to positively impact learning (Karp, 2011) and motivation and persistence toward graduation (Ke & Hoadley, 2009). So take some time to connect with those in your classes or join a student-led Facebook group.
Getting and staying motivated is a challenge we all face, but using some clear strategies can help you to move closer and closer toward your goal. I challenge you to give one (or more) of these strategies a try!
References
Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227-268. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1104_01
Frey, N. and Fisher, D. (2010). Motivation requires a meaningful task. English Journal, 100(1), 30-36.
Frieman, J., & Reilly, S. (2016). Learning: A behavioral, cognitive, and evolutionary synthesis. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Karp, M.M. (2011). How non-academic supports work: Four mechanisms for improving student outcomes. Community College Research Center, 54. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED518755.pdf
Ke, F., & Hoadley, C. (2009). Evaluating online learning communities. Educational Technology Research and Development , 57 (4), 487-510. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-009-9120-2
Mason, M.M. (2012). Motivation, satisfaction, and innate psychological needs. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 7, 259-277. https://doi.org/10.28945/1596
Powell, R.A., Honey, P.L., & Symbaluk, D.G. (2017). Introduction to learning and behavior (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Reeve, J., & Lee, W. (2014). Students’ classroom engagement produces longitudinal changes in classroom motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(2), 527-540. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034934
Dr. Christy Fraenza is the Coordinator for the Doctoral Peer Mentor Program. Dr. Fraenza regularly hosts the Tips to Overcome the Imposter Syndrome webinar in the Academic Skills Center (ASC). She is also contributing faculty for the Center for Academic Excellence (CAEX).
The above was so encouraging. I will try out these success strategies and pursue my academic career vigorously. Thanks much Dr Christy for this article.
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