Have you ever had a day when you didn't feel motivated?

I bet we have all said at one time or the other, "I'm just not motivated to do anything today." But I believe whether we feel motivated or not, that we always are and here's why:

First, we have to understand what motivation is. There are several theories of what motivates us and a quick look at them provides accepted legitimate descriptions. Let's look at those in consideration of whether we are even capable of having days without motivation. I found a brief article from a psychology site that covers each theory and  attached it below for your reference.

Instinct Theory proclaims that we all are motivated to survive and are given biological responses from birth that allow us to act in that direction. Babies are born knowing how to cry, cough, swallow and respond to things without having to be taught in the same way a spider comes into the world knowing how to make a web. These automatic instincts to survive cause us to react and much of our life is spent possibly sub-consciously responding to the most basic motivation of all, that is merely to survive.

Drive Reduction Theory teaches that we will respond to biological feelings of arousal or tension which need to be resolved. We get hungry, we eat, we are thirsty so we drink and so on. Something inside of our system is in need and we act to fulfill it or resolve it. On the negative side, addictions are responded to in the same manner. So if you have a day of eating, drinking and fulfilling normal body functions then you are motivated by the need to reduce these feelings of need if nothing else.

Arousal Theory is similar to drive reduction theory in that it is based on that we all need an amount of arousal to be comfortable and here arousal is defined as the need for emotional, intellectual and physical activity. This theory explains why we might go stare out the window, watch a movie, call a friend or read a book even on our most inactive days. It is different from the Drive Reduction Theory in that it is a comfort and balance being sought rather than the reduction of a biological drive.

Psychoanalytic Theory suggests that every thing we do is based on the subconscious understanding that we must act to support a better chance of survival. We move to different areas to get a better job, save money for a rainy day,  attend school to increase our ability to interact with the world with more understanding, attend social functions to establish friendships that will be supportive and so on. 

Humanistic Theory is perhaps the most well known theory of motivation which explains that we are each born with a drive to reach our highest potential unless obstacles such as filling biological needs like hunger or the lack of money to pursue our dreams are put in our way. The theory suggests that until we can fulfill our supportive most basic needs that we can not grow to the next level towards becoming that which we see as our highest potential. This is better explained by considering the pyramid chart of Maslow's Needs:

But here is the interesting party about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, according to Maslow, no human ever reaches their highest potential to the tip of the pyramid. No one ever knows every thing there is to know about themselves or accomplishes every single virtuous goal in their life. And reaching for the impossible dream is what keeps us living because if we were to reach it what would be the purpose of continuing on?

So the next time you are having one of those days when you don't think you have a drop of motivation from inside or out to get you going, remember these theories and know that you are always motivated as long as you are alive regardless of which theory you think is the most accurate to fit us all. Being it is obvious that no matter how we feel about it we are always motivated the question becomes, are we inspired? Do we carry a vision of our highest potential that we need to reach and do we care about it enough to take our motivation and direct it towards that vision.

So how do you cure the feeling of not being motivated? Easy! Find your dreams and let them inspire you! The motivation is already there.

By Wanda Hope Carter

http://inspirationmotivat...

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