The other day while I was working, a co-worker asked me how my spring semester went. After explaining to him that it went fast and well, I told him that I was taking an online may-mester. He replied, “An online course? How does one get motivated for an online course?” “Ironically” I said, “I am taking motivational psychology.” After a moment of laughter, I thought to myself, “How will I get motivated for my first summer class?” I was so happy to be done with school, and after a short break I’d be thrown into a busy working summer mixed with more homework. As aversive as that sounds, taking five courses next semester sounded worse. Perhaps that was my motivation for taking a may-mester, but after reading this first chapter, I realized that avoiding a five class semester was my incentive. I continued to think about my motivation for going to school. What is moving me into action? I had to think for a few days about this question, because I have to be honest, I would rather not be in school. Yes, I do enjoy most of my classes, but why do I suffer through the stress of having to complete assignments, study for tests, deal with my procrastination, and commute three or four days a week? I began to realize that there is a hierarchy of things and events that motivate me. At the top of my motivational hierarchy is my daughter. My daughter living a happy and healthy life is truly my overall motivation for all of my actions. She motivates me to wake up and work or go to school, live a healthier life, and be a better person.
Before she was born, I was attending James Madison University and I failed my first assignments and tests in all of my classes. This caught me off guard because I was distinguished honors in high school, and now I was failing everything I tried. I put in a lot of study hours and skipped none of my classes, but there was a lack of motivation. I did not like my classes or my major, and earning a degree was not a big enough incentive for me to do well. However, after hearing the news of my future child, my motivation was born. I came back to Jersey a new man, got a job and enrolled in the next semester at ACCC. After 4 years of school, split between ACCC and Stockton, I have made the Dean’s List every semester. I never changed my style of schooling, but I now had a reason and a motive to do well. Motivation is a strong thing, strong enough to make the weak survive and the underdogs prevail, and it certainly gives life purpose. If you have no motivation, you have no purpose.
It's very hard to be motivated for something that has no immediate positive reaction. School is something that give a delayed positive outcome, but in the end it's worth it.
ReplyDeletedegree that can get you a job and earn more money > immediate pleasure of skipping all the work and stress of classes
Ultimately, the most positive choice for a person to make will most likely be one that the rewards are delayed, but heavier. You just have to hope that you will stay motivated throughout the entire motivational sequence so that you can receive those hard earned rewards.