Why do we feel demotivated or stuck, and what are some psychological techniques to stay motivated?
Many people have experienced feeling stuck and lacking motivation even though they have things they want to do or tasks they need to do.
Why you feel stuck — and how to get motivated - Shannon Odell - YouTube
In the middle of a project, you may not know what to do next, or you may face failure or setbacks and start to question the meaning of the activity. This can happen with anything from something as simple as a school report to tackling a difficult social problem. In many cases, you are highly motivated at the beginning of a project, but suddenly stagnate halfway through. In psychology, this state is called 'stuck in the middle .'
Stuck in the middle is thought to occur because our perspective changes as we get closer to our goal. When we start working towards something, we tend to compare ourselves to the beginning, so even small progress feels like a success. But the longer we work on something, the more likely it is that our focus shifts from growth since the beginning to the end goal. As a result, we are more likely to feel frustrated that we still have a long way to go, rather than satisfied that we've come a long way.
TED-Ed cites 'dividing a task into smaller, achievable sub-goals' as one way to prevent changes in motivation due to a change in perspective. By dividing a task into smaller goals, you can feel the progress you've made at each stage, and you also have more opportunities to experience success along the way, making it easier to maintain your motivation.
Dividing tasks into smaller pieces is also said to be effective against student syndrome and procrastination. According to Fucha Sirois, a psychology professor at Durham University, if you feel overwhelmed by the task at hand, it is important to take a step back and evaluate for yourself 'what emotions the task caused' and 'why you want to avoid the task,' clarify any unclear points about the task, and divide it into smaller tasks.
Why do we procrastinate on things we need to do? What can we do to avoid procrastination? - GIGAZINE
Dividing goals into smaller chunks is especially important when working towards big goals. When working on large, complex problems, it's easy to feel motivated at first because of the sense of purpose and reward. However, because only a few problems can be solved with a single action or idea, focusing on the end goal can easily lead to feelings of helplessness and demotivation. As a result, many people lose interest in important social issues because they believe progress is impossible.
According to TED-Ed, people who are able to take action on big problems have in common the confidence that their personal involvement can make a difference. And when it comes to social issues, moral anger is often helpful.
In addition, there are many other benefits to finding a community working on a similar project, such as being inspired by what others are doing and being able to give each other positive feedback and get inspiration to improve when you're feeling down or stuck.
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