Motivational Techniques

"Recovery is a process. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes hard work. It takes everything you’ve got. But it IS possible."

- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Motivation is Never Easy

When faced with mental illness, one’s desire for self-care and improvement can often linger in the background amidst the chaos of their life and of their mind. It is no question that to those with depression, anxiety, and similar mood altering disorders, the motivation for exercise becomes much more difficult to find. Recent studies of adults over 18 clinically diagnosed with depression and paired with exercise programs have found that exercise treatments for depressive episodes are comparable to that of other treatment practices - such as medication and psychological therapies - in treating depression (Knapen, Vancampfort, Moriën, Marchal, 2015). Similar studies have been conducted on college students suffering from anxiety and have found that exercise motivation in these students had a strong correlation to cardiovascular health (Li, Han, Meng, Lee, Cheng, Liu, 2022). It is no question that motivation to exercise has positive impacts on those suffering from mental illness, the question then is: How can we get everyone motivated to improve their health?

A Path Forward

Theory on motivation has pinpointed several ways that people with lingering mental illness can utilize different techniques founded by research and proven to help numerous individuals get their life back on track. The first step to improving your life is to understand that you are not alone in this fight, motivation does not come easily, and the first step is always the hardest. Utilizing SMART goals, understanding Self-Determination Theory, switching perspectives, and building a support system will all help you traverse this path to betterment. Though the roots of improvement may be bitter, the fruits of your efforts are sweet.

S

Specific

When setting a goal, be detailed and specific. We often set goals with broad parameters, so taking the time to really define your goal is essential.

M

Measurable

Be sure your goal can be measured in some way. Weather it can be written or documented or observed, be sure that your progress can be analyzed quantitatively.

A

Attainable

Is your goal realistic? When setting your goal, be sure to consider the realism of what you are asking of yourself. If it is achievable, then you are on the right track

R

Relevant

Is what you are setting yourself up to accomplish something you really, truly want to do. Be sure that the goal you are setting is something meaningful to you.

T

Time Bound

Set a deadline for when you would like to accomplish your goal. Make sure is is within reason. Not too long as to never happen, not too short as to become a burden.

Self-Determination Theory

One key component to utilizing motivation is to understand its origin. Self-determination Theory explains why we act the way we do and make the choices we make. It is the heart of what governs motivation. It states that motivation consists of a continuum between feeling controlled and feeling autonomous, with the most motivation found from full autonomy of action guided by personal interest. What guides this theory is the the “ARC of wellbeing” and is key to unlocking what motivates us:

A-R-C of Wellbeing

Autonomy

Learning to internalize the responsibility we have over our lives will help us achieve greater motivation and improve our behavior. It equally helps to build an environment where your autonomy is supported.

Relatedness

This is a sense of being cared for, and others having an interest in your own interests. This helps support why it is so important to build a strong support system with like minded individuals, as our motivation will benefit.

Competence

This is our confidence, what builds us up, what creates our character. It is our ability to preform the necessary tasks we are needed to accomplish. Building this will build your self-worth.

Switching Perspectives

Being aware of our perception of our control and how we wish to be motivated can have a significant effect on our motivation. Oftentimes, what people need is to be given direction. More often than not, individuals suffering from mental illness lack the perspective of intrinsic motivation, and an internal locus of control. By switching our perspectives, we can learn to follow what motivates us to our core, rather than what external factors influence our behaviors. Making this change can alter our locus of control and bring autonomy back into our lives.

Intrinsic Motivation

These are actions driven by infernal reward. When an individual is intrinsically motivated, they preform actions that they want to do, and personally seek enjoyment out of the activity. Intrinsic motivation is key to unlocking ones own interests, and utilizing those interests to make yourself a better person. Those that are intrinsically motivated tend to have an internal locus of control, a feeling of power over ones life and actions.

Extrinsic Motivation

These actions are driven by external rewards. When someone is extrinsically motivated, there is often no personal passion behind the experience, but rather an obstacle in the way of a reward. The key difference is that those that are extrinsically motivated seek a reward, where those that are intrinsically motivated seek a rewarding experience. Extrinsic motivation tends to kill passion and foster dependence, which emphasizes the importance of doing actions you truly find fulfilling.