Are you lacking motivation or have trouble motivating yourself? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. 

The motivation of many people is a daily struggle. They occasionally give up before they even begin. 

When someone is motivated, they are propelled to take action by their energy or enthusiasm. 

Or, to put it another way, motivation is the driving force behind your goals. I’ve covered 5 reasons why you might be lacking motivation.

Let’s begin!

Why are you lacking motivation?

Motivation is what spurs action. It is the feeling that motivates you to work harder and achieve more. 

When you are motivated, you are determined to succeed. There are many different kinds of motivation, including intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation. 

Internalized and self-motivated, intrinsic motivation originates from within. 

External forces drive people who are motivated by extrinsic factors. Amotivation results from a lack of interest or desire.

5 Unexpected Reasons Why You’re Lacking Motivation and How to Overcome It

I’ve listed 5 potential causes of your lack of motivation below, along with possible solutions.

1. Social media.

One of the main reasons why people today are lacking motivation is social media. It goes beyond simple self-indulgence; it also has an impact on our brains that makes us believe we require more of it to feel content or happy.

For instance, if you spend too much time on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc., they may cause you to feel bored when you aren’t using them because they prevent your mind from being as clear and focused as it should be when working on something important, such as writing an article or conducting research, etc.

The tendency to compare ourselves to others is among the biggest drawbacks of being influenced by social media. Depending on what we read or see online, this makes us feel either superior or inferior.

Additionally, a lot of people who use social media heavily opt for instant gratification over working hard to achieve their objectives or dreams.

Because they don’t see results quickly enough or see others who have already achieved their goals, they believe they lack the necessary skills to do the same (which could be due to comparing themselves).

Solution

Social media algorithms are created with the intention of luring users back. Due to the fact that the algorithms will present content that is related to what you have already viewed.

The main objective of social media is to keep users’ attention by exposing them to an increasing amount of content as they engage with the platforms. 

Teenagers and young adults who use social media excessively often experience mental health issues. Consider participating in a social media detox if your use of social media is demotivating you.  

What advantages does a social media detox have? The advantages of taking a brief break from social networking are listed below: 

Positive change in mood:  Some research suggests that taking a break from social media has been shown to have a positive impact on mood.

Anxiety levels drop: According to the same study as above, one more advantage of taking a break from social media has been demonstrated to be a reduction in anxiety.

Enhanced creativity: Given how noisy and distracting Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and all those other platforms are, taking a break from them can actually boost our creativity.

You end the vicious cycle of social comparison: We are all guilty of comparing our lives to those of others on social media when we see our friends and family prospering while we are lagging behind. Although no two people achieve the same level of success, taking a brief break from social media can help to break the cycle of social comparison.

2. You lack a purpose.

You may not know your life’s purpose, which is another factor that could be contributing to you lacking motivation. 

You don’t lack purpose because everyone has a purpose. However, not everyone knows what it is.

Knowing your purpose in life and having a clear sense of where you want to go in life is crucial when it comes to motivation because knowing our purpose enables us to experience inner motivation.

Solution

The pursuit of discovering your life’s purpose should be your top priority. Determine your goals for your future and the things you want to do with your life. then develop a strategy and take decisive action to implement it.

3. You feel overwhelmed and intimidated by your goals.

Or perhaps you already have a clear idea of who you want to be and the objectives you want to achieve. 

In that case, why are you lacking motivation? It might just be that the goals you’ve set for yourself are making you feel anxious and overwhelmed.

Solution

When we set out to achieve success in life, we frequently lack the mental fortitude to deal with all the risks and challenges that lie ahead.                 

That is why it deters us from pursuing our goals and makes us feel intimidated and unmotivated. 

Despite the fact that all of these challenges and sacrifices are necessary for our development.

Even though it sounds cliché, whenever you start to feel down, just keep in mind why you chose this route and your goals.

 Read inspiring books, listen to inspiring podcasts, and surround yourself with people who are also pursuing their dreams.

4. You Lack Self-Discipline.

Another potential reason why you are lacking motivation is you have not developed something that is called ‘self-discipline.’

Self-discipline is essentially you disciplining yourself to do what you need to do without needing to be told to.

It is the capacity to internally motivate yourself through a passion and sense of purpose, and you exert significant effort to achieve specific goals that are in line with your life vision.

Solution

First and foremost, as I mentioned above, the primary cause of your lack of self-discipline is that you are unaware of your purpose in life and have not yet discovered your life’s vision. 

If you are unable to ask yourself “why,” how can you discipline yourself to achieve something or improve in a particular area?

Then, I advise you to dedicate your spare time to discover your passion and gift. 

Find a problem that needs to be solved in the world and that interests you. 

Making significant decisions for your life is easier when you know where you’re going in life.

5. You Struggle With Self-love.

In my own experience, the more self-hatred I felt towards myself, the less motivated I was to pursue my dream.

Due to my fear, doubt, and excessive self-blame, I always felt unqualified and incapable of performing the tasks I needed to. Have you experienced the same thing?

If so, you may struggle to accept and love yourself, which may be one of the reasons you find it difficult to stay motivated or to maintain it.

Solution

The development of self-love is essential for all facets of your life, especially when it comes to you lacking motivation. Self-identity and knowing your worth are the foundations of self-love. 

People who don’t love themselves have negative beliefs about their capabilities and worth. Change any harmful self- or other-perceived assumptions you may have.

You can better understand why you might be lacking motivation now that you have read this post to its conclusion. 

Of course, there might be additional factors that I was unable to mention, but you get the idea. 

Even so, I want you to know that lacking motivation is a part of life. Everybody experiences motivational slumps occasionally, even the most successful people. 

Be careful not to get too dejected. In my opinion, the best way to stay motivated (and internal motivation is far preferable to external motivation), is to be clear on your life’s purpose.

Because when you are clear on what you want from life, you become internally driven to achieve it.

Late Dr. Myles Munroe once said:

“ hard work and diligence are essential to success, but they require internal motivation. That internal motivation is vision.”

Comments