MOTIVATION

UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER (UCC) Memorial Hall

102 Hours:

Mon. – Thurs. 8:00 a.m. – 5:00

p.m.Friday

8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

309-298-2453 www.wiu.edu/

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UCC SERVICES Individual

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learning skills assistance

Outreach Programming

Academic Instruction

AssessmentsPsychologicalVocationalLearning

DisabilitiesStandardized tests

Consultation Training of

Graduate Students / Interns

TOPICS Motivation

MOVING ON TO MOTIVATION… What is motivation?

Sometimes it helps to get a definition firstAccording to Dictionary.com, motivation is:

The act or instance of motivating The state or condition of being motivated Something that motivates, incentive

MOTIVATION Desire to do something, or have interest

in doing something In psychology, the process that arouses,

sustains and regulates human and animal behavior

Inner or social stimulus for an action

What starts our actions, gives direction to our work, helps us persist despite obstacles, and makes us put in considerable effort to a task

THERE ARE 2 KINDS OF MOTIVATION:

INTRINSIC EXTRINSIC

People are internally motivated to do something because it either brings them pleasure, they think it is important, or they feel that what they are learning is significant

When a student is compelled to do something or act a certain way because of factors external to him or her (like money or good grades)

WHAT INTERFERES WITH MOTIVATION? Depression from feeling overburdened

with class work Homesickness, troubles adjusting to life

changes Peer pressure to resist studying Personal relationships and family

Good and bad Unclear career goals

RE-THINK MOTIVATION Not a stable trait, psychological trait

that we can learn to regulate

Identify what motivates you, rather than thinking of motivation as something you have or don’t have

RELEVANT SOURCES OF MOTIVATION FOR

STUDENT ATHLETES Social Factors

Emotional Factors

Cognitive Factors

WHY ARE YOU IN COLLEGE? Money Desire a particular career Parents Not ready for the workforce Hoping to find yourself Just want to party

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? Personal Goals:

What kind of person do I want to become?What things do I really want to learn?What things do I want to possess?What things do I want to accomplish?

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? Career Goals:

What is your desired salary?What is your desired position/

responsibilities

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? Relationship goals:

How would you like to deepen and enrich your relationships with family, friends, etc.?

REMEMBER… To get motivated you must

realize your goals—short and long term.

Realizing why you are doing something is important, but always make sure you are doing it for the right reasons

WHAT DO I DO WITH THESE GOALS NOW?

After developing your goals, write them down & post them somewhere as a reminder to yourself.

Recite your goals to yourself if you are feeling frustrated (ex. Studying for midterm)

Motivation defeats Procrastination

MOTIVATION AND SCHOOL Life Skills

Organization, time management, goal setting

Social SkillsMeet a variety of people & learn to

communicate effectively & become more skilled in social situations

Job SkillsCommunication, leadership, initiative,

logical thinking Knowledge

Immerse yourself in your education

MOTIVATION AND SCHOOL Enjoyment

College can and should be fun Community Involvement

Become active in community (Macomb) Self- Responsibility

Increase in amount of being responsible for consequences of your decisions

OTHER TIPS Spend time with others already in your

field. Remember to do things for yourself to

keep motivated:Eat right and regularlyBe activeLearn to say “NO”RelaxMini-VacationRelease frustrationsBe nice to yourselfUse the support around you

FINAL WORDS ON MOTIVATION Does not just appear out of the blue, but

rather is the end result of hard work and being a self-regulated person

Relationship between motivation and hard work is reciprocal

Having a clear understanding of why you are in school, and it’s benefits, can help you remain motivated

THANK YOU! If you have any questions or concerns

about motivation do not hesitate to contact the UCC!