How many times have you gotten up in the morning with a feeling of enormous ambition and jolted down your long list of things to do, only to end up checking nearly none of the boxes you had set out for yourself for that day?

Let�s be honest, it can be really hard to motivate yourself. For those of us who identify as ambitious individuals, success often hinges on daily achievements. Yet, when those self-imposed benchmarks aren't met, a sense of disappointment takes center stage, overshadowing the smaller triumphs that might have occurred. Even worse, society shoves images of seemingly overachieving peers before us, further deepening our self-doubt.

I�ve always considered myself to be an overachiever. For as long as I can remember, I would always set myself these extremely high standards, give myself an endless list of things to do, and be all but kind to myself when I fall short. I not only wanted to be the best at what I undertook but also the person doing the most things at once.

As you might already deduce, the formula of "be the best" and "do the most" is destined to yield sub-satisfactory outcomes on most days. This led me to conclude that I simply was not motivated enough to achieve my goals. Sadly enough, in today�s society, it seems a lot of us have reached the same, flawed conclusion I did.

Motivation is a funny thing. On one hand, research showcases that some people (often referred to as �go-getters�) are more motivated than others due to high levels of dopamine in the brain(1). Conversely, our bodies are simply not wired to be motivated and energized for the entire day; this would deplete us. Given motivation's fluctuations and susceptibility to external influences(2), I believe it's unwise to allow it to dictate our daily productivity.

Too many people attempt to rely on external factors to find the motivation to have a productive day. This approach, in my opinion, not only yields short-lived and typically disappointing outcomes but also becomes a convenient excuse for personal shortcomings.

I stayed stuck in the vicious cycle described above until I decided no longer to allow hit-or-miss motivation to dictate what I did in a day. Instead, I turned to something my coach, one of my best mentors, had once told me: �the difference between motivation and determination is that your motivation will run out; determination is what will keep you going when you no longer have the desire to do so�.

Since embracing this perspective, I�ve held myself accountable in two ways. First, by relying on determination to ensure I follow through with the commitments I undertake in a day; that way, I know even if I don�t necessarily want to do the work, I will. Second, setting realistic expectations for what I�m able to do during that day; with time and experiences, I�ve become able to gauge what I have the capacity for in 24 hours.

Let me give you a relevant example.

I truly enjoy writing - but I�d be lying if I said there wasn�t a part of me slightly dreading the effort required to come up with a decent article, putting it on paper and reviewing it a dozen times to ensure it conveys the right message. I�d also be lying if I said my motivation to complete this work was unwavering throughout the entire process. So how did I do the work? I planned out the time I�d need to write it, sat down, channeled my inner determination to push past the feeling of �I don�t want to do this right now� and did the thing. And that was all it took.

We all crave instant gratification as a reward, or the easily accessible shortcut to a difficult task. However, the relationship between delayed gratification and success has been proven very well[3]. As the same coach once put it, �hard now, easy later; easy now, hard later�. By being determined and resisting the urge to be immediately rewarded, we are able to achieve more and be ultimately more successful.

When you cease allowing your motivation levels to dictate your output and productivity, you'll surprise yourself with your capabilities. Learn to channel your inner determination, push past the desire to be instantly gratified, and in doing so, you'll consistently do the work that matters most.

References

There�s a scientific reason some people are more motivated than others ... There�s a scientific reason some people are more motivated than others. (n.d.). https://lsa.umich.edu/psych/news-events/all-news/graduate-news/there-s-a-scientific-reason-some-people-are-more-motivated-than-.html

Simpson, E. H., & Balsam, P. D. (2016). The behavioral neuroscience of motivation: An overview of concepts, measures, and Translational Applications. Current topics in behavioral neurosciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4864984/

Written by Mike van der Poel. (2022, October 29). The relationship between delayed gratification and success. MIKE VAN DER POEL - Helping Entrepreneurs Take Off. https://mikevanderpoel.com/delayed-gratification-and-success/