How can you increase motivation?

Question

I am an avid student in junior high school looking for answers to a better motivation. Is there any concept to a more efficient way to work as a scholar? I would really apprectiate support for my school.

Answer 1

Understand what your personal goals are (for the year, next five years, next ten years) and then think of  ways that your current education is a means to acheiving those goals.

Sometimes writing out or "seeing" your goals makes an abstract concept (such as knowledge) seem more real to you.

Also, it may helps to approach the idea that scholarly knowledge is more than just learning something-- it can also be useful and applicable to everyday life.

Hopefully these approaches can broaden your perspective and increase your motivation to work as a scholar.

Answer 2

A mentor once told me, "work expands to fill the time". This means that if you have a week to write a paper it will take you a week but if it is due tomorrow it will take you only a day. If you want to be an excellent and efficient scholar, you need to use your time wisely. This is a skill that will help you succeed for your whole lifetime. In order to use your time wisely, develop a habit of studying at a regular time and in a regular place. This will answer, in part, how to be motivated. You see, many times having a habit will enable you to do your work despite a momentary lack of motivation. And the truth is that once you get started on your work, you find that you enjoy doing it and doing it well. It can be motivating to have a reward for doing your work well, what they call "positive reinforcement". This gives you something to look forward to in addition to the satisfaction of completing the work and it motivates you to do well again and again. Lastly, go get 'em! You are a bright young student. You have what it takes to do well on your assignments so don't let anything hold you back from learning. 

Answer 3

Hello. That is a good question! I would recommend that you do a learning styles survey such as V.A.R.K. to better understand your learning style. Doing so will help you understand your learning strengths and weaknesses, and in turn, being able to capitalize on your strengths will increase your motivation because you will find yourself being successful more consistently.

Answer 4

Motivation much like any new skill needs time to grow and be a part of you. It needs practice and feedback. In order to increase motivation you have to ask yourself "Why is this important for me? What purpose does this serve? This will keep you on the right path. Motivation grows with results. So after each block of time ask yourself what did I accomplish? What can I do now or know now that I put in the effort.

Mostly, motivation is staying with the path even when times are hard or the results are not what you want. If you work hard and give effort then you are motivated for an outcome. It is up to you to name that outcome.

Answer 5

Increasing motivation is an easy thing to do, what's the secret you may ask? Simple. Make learning interesting and fun. Put you learning to music, sing a song about a topic you are learning or create your own song, make it into a game, draw, paint or write about whatever the topic is. Whatever you like to do, use that as a way of demonstrating you knowledge over the topic and keep you interested in learning whatever the topic is? The more fun you make it, the more your knowledge will increase exponentially. Also be sure to take breaks every 20 minutes or so to give your mind a chance to process the new information.

                                         Nancy N.

Answer 6

I have a little different take on motivation. I work with adults in the corporate environment and this is a big question that has direct impact on the bottom line. I have noticed that for some, the desire to do their best can lead to overwhelming feelings. These people have an idea on how they want the finished product to look like and revel in the idea of a job well done. However, when he or she thinks about all the things that need to happen, it becomes a barrier and the path of least resistance is to procrastinate, or find other shiny objects. I instruct my clients to start as soon as they get the assignment to do nothing more than outline the process. If it's a paper that needs to be written, I will have them construct a simple outline to match the instructions. This will get the ball rolling and give the student/client time to digest the magnitude of the assignment for what it actually is, and not what it might be imagined to be. Then, I suggested breaking down the assignment into 15 minute to 1 hour chunks and schedule those. Using a timer, the client takes 30-45 minutes to focus with 15 minutes to rest and do something away from the desk and using their body (walking, cleaning the kitchen, petting the dog etc.). Breaking down assignments into mini-sessions/assignments, organized by the client, is a great way to make assignments manageable.

Answer 7

Hello.  I just wanted to add that what I advise my clients is that in order to be the most motivated about a subject you have to find your own motivation for wanting to study the material.  Once you do this, you will establish ownership of your experience.  I work with a lot of middle school to high school student and I tell them that there are certain things life that a person has a choice about and many times that a person does not.  A young person usually does not have a choice about being school  but you do have a choice about how you use the material and what you do with it in relation to what you want from life.  A middle school student may not know where they will end up in life but if they learn to take ownership over whatever they do, success will just come naturally.  As far as academic technique, I teach Active Reading and the Oxford System of notetaking.

 

Cindi

Answer 8

I agree with Chris's comments.

I do have something to add.

The way I motivate my students which works EVERYTIME is to establish their Vision as an adult using mind mapping technique if they do not know...ultimately ...then work backwards...do they need to go to college to achieve the vision...what college, what course...

Then backwards again into where they are now and what they need to do.

 

I then find out what rewards they respond to..money..the spa...travel...friends over etc...often you are not motivated by the reward offered...it has to be something you want!!!

It is true you need to be motivated to do what is in front of you now...but ultimately what keeps a person or even a company growing and moving forward is reaching the goals set that will ultimately achieve the vision,,,,

You will not need everything you learn at school. Lets say you only will use 50% of what you learn in HS, in life itself...the problem is you do not know which 50% so you need to learn everything...

Also set a goal you only want to do each subject once...not hav to repeat it...just get it done!

I hope that help

Melinda