HOW TO INCREASE SELF-MOTIVATION 2
How to Increase Self-Motivation
Self-motivation, or simply the drive to do things, is a key ingredient of personal
development and a fundamental component of emotional intelligence. However, the push to do
things and accomplish goals is not necessarily automatically generated or sustained but a product
of deliberate effort. Goleman (2009), widely credited as the most cited psychologist on self-
motivation, avers that personal drive, commitment, initiative, and optimism are the main
elements that increase the force that drives us to achieve our goals. In order to increase self-
motivation, one must have a ceaseless desire to improve and meet set standards. The drive must
be accompanied by fierce commitment to set goals. Moreover, one must be ready to pounce and
act on opportunities that come along the way as well as the positivity to pursue set goals without
being derailed by challenges.
In addition to the four elements highlighted above, Goleman (2009) suggests a number of
crucial skills necessary to increase self-motivation. For a start, one must set high but realistic
goals. Little ambition diminishes the drive to achieve goals while unrealistic goals may kill
morale as the target becomes elusive. Additionally, one must have risk management skills to
ensure that the reward versus risk ration is sustainable and sensible. One must also surround
himself with more knowledgeable people from whom to seek constant feedback from and
improve areas that are not good enough.
To keep self-motivation high, one must relentlessly learn and acquire knowledge to feed
the mind and curiosity, without which one would just be applying old solutions to new problems
and thus killing morale. Moreover, one must keep the company of self-motivated people are
positivity is contagious. Critically, one should continuously engage in self-reflection to know
how best to maximize their strength while improving on their weakness. Lastly, one should
