Motivation
by Sydnie Duong ‘28
Motivation and discipline are the foundation to hard work. When you accomplish a challenging goal that is noticed by others, they commonly ask, “How did you do it? What makes you keep going?” It is human nature to strive towards our ambitions whether it be superficial or profound. Motivation is a key factor in climbing towards success. Motivation is defined by what keeps you determined to fulfill your goals and why you should keep striving towards them. It is comparable to the fuel to fill your gas tank.
If you were to ask anyone what keeps them motivated, their answers would vary drastically but my motivation is my family. As a first-generation college student who has parents that tirelessly worked for better opportunities, they became my reason for motivation. Although I did not experience the same struggles that they did, I understood that it takes tremendous effort to earn what they have achieved.
Oftentimes when someone is asked why they want to be successful, the most popular reason for motivation is usually money and I would partially agree as it is a pipeline to many things in life, however I recognized my emotional motivation as well. It is important to acknowledge your emotional motivation as it evokes passion in your work. Many goals will not only be physically demanding but also emotionally demanding when you become wrapped up in all the sacrifices you made.
Through this all, I would also recommend setting little things to look forward to, just to get you through each week. It is important to take one step at a time. When you start a new week, you may feel dread but making eventful plans can make that dread turn into excitement and motivation. In my experience, feelings of dread usually go away for me when I remember my favorite yoga class on Wednesday or I am able to go home at the end of that week. I strongly recommend time to decompress as it lessens the chance of burnout during long weeks or months.
In the end, sustaining motivation is not an easy task but once you realize where your priorities are and have a support group around you, it will make you want to endure the highs and lows a little more.