Key Takeaways

• Self-motivation is the essential internal drive that enables you to pursue your goals.
• Motivation a soft skill that you can improve with practice.
• Common barriers to motivation include fear of failure or a lack of purpose, but these can be overcome.

Have you ever started a task but stopped halfway through because you no longer felt like doing it, even if you needed to complete it? From completing work tasks to succeeding in your hobbies or personal fitness goals, we rely on motivation for almost everything. Yet it can be elusive, especially when it has to come from within. Here’s why self-motivation is essential for success, plus five ways to build your motivation muscle. 

What Is Self-Motivation?

Self-motivation is an internal drive that helps us take action toward a goal and follow through with it, even when we don’t want to. Encouraging yourself to make progress gives you the boost you need to reach your goals. If you lack motivation, completing your tasks can be difficult.

While self-motivation refers to who is doing the motivating, psychologists distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to explain why we are motivated in the first place.

Intrinsic motivation is your desire to do something for its own sake, because you enjoy it or want to do it. It is not dependent on rewards. Extrinsic motivation is when you do something for rewards, such as praise, or to avoid negative consequences, such as punishment. 

Where Does Personal Motivation Come From?

Psychologists have developed many theories about the origins of motivation. These include: 

• Instinct: This suggests that motivation is intrinsic to humans, just as birds know how to migrate.
• Drive: Motivation may be associated with the drive to fulfill unmet needs.
• Arousal: This one is about maintaining an optimal level of alertness, so you might seek either thrilling or relaxing activities, depending on how you feel at the time.
• Incentive: According to this theory, motivation is either a desire to seek rewards or to avoid negative consequences.

There are also many others. However, as yet, no single theory appears to account for all elements of complex human self-motivation. 

Why Do We Need Self-Motivation?

Self-motivation is needed for both intrinsic and extrinsic tasks. For example, you might get up early on the weekend to practice a hobby you enjoy. However, you might also force yourself to study for a professional exam to gain a salary raise, even though you do not enjoy it.  

Your community and close family and friends can only do so much to encourage you to work and achieve your goals. While they can say optimistic and supportive things, they can’t physically force you to start and keep working. Only you can. 

What Are the Benefits of Self-Motivation?

Successful people rely on self-motivation to overcome obstacles and setbacks and achieve their goals. Without it, they wouldn’t be where they are today. According to the experts at Positive Psychology, personal motivation brings many benefits, including: 

• Becoming more resilient, even when you encounter obstacles.
• Learning how to present your best self in any situation.
• Feeling more energized and confident while working.
• Learning how to manage your time better.
• Understanding feedback as a learning opportunity.

Is Motivation a Skill?

Many people consider motivation a soft skill, and it’s highly sought after in the workplace. Like any other skill, you can work to improve it.  “Motivation is knowledge. You learn how to be better motivated,” says motivation scientist Ayelet Fishbach.

Why Do You Have Zero Motivation?

If you don’t feel energized to move toward your goals, you are not alone. Penn LPS notes that there are several common barriers to self-motivation, including:

• Fear of failure: This is common, especially in people who tend toward perfectionism, because if you cannot guarantee success, it may be more appealing not to try in the first place.
• Disconnection from purpose: If you don’t think what you are aiming for is meaningful, especially at work, then you will be less motivated to achieve it.
• Stress, fatigue and distractions: If you are tired, drained or experiencing severe stress, your self-motivation is likely low. That’s natural — there’s only so much anyone can handle at one time. 

The good news is that some of those barriers are only temporary, and even the more long-lasting ones can be removed or improved when you understand how to motivate yourself. 

5 Ways to Build Self-Motivation

While change can be scary, engaging in self-motivation can help you live the life you desire. Here are some actions you can take to build personal motivation:

1. Have a Positive Mindset

While some tasks seem daunting, encouraging yourself and maintaining a positive attitude can help you feel better about starting. A positive mindset can also strengthen your drive and help you focus on completing tasks. 

2. Break a Big Goal Into Mini Goals

When you have a substantial goal to achieve or a complex task to complete, breaking it down into smaller steps can make it more manageable and enjoyable. 

3. Plan for Obstacles

There’s always something that stops you from building a habit or completing a task. You know yourself best, so plan ahead for this. For example, if you know that you won’t go running when it’s raining, make a deal with yourself to go out for just five minutes, and if you still hate it, you can turn around and go home. Chances are, once you have started, you’ll carry on. 

4. Track Progress

Keep a journal, chart or log and note down key dates and tiny wins, however small. Make it colorful and inspirational by blending it with a mood board of how you will feel when you succeed. This helps you reflect on your efforts and build your personal motivation muscle.

5. Reward Yourself

Rewarding yourself after accomplishing a mini goal is an excellent way to stay motivated. The rewards can help reinforce your interest and enjoyment in your work. However, it’s important to note that rewards don’t work for everyone, so if it doesn’t feel right to you, skip this step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions people have about self-motivation.

What is intrinsic motivation?

Intrinsic motivation is the desire to do something just because you want to, with no external reward. 

What is the theory of motivation?

There are many separate theories of motivation, including drive theory, arousal theory, incentive theory and instinct theory. So far, no single theory appears to fully explain this phenomenon. 

Why is self-motivation important?

Self-motivation is important because you cannot always rely on other people as cheerleaders. If you want to achieve your goals, you must build the ability to maintain strong personal motivation.

Get Motivated Today

Self-motivation is crucial for achieving goals and maintaining personal life satisfaction. Everyone has it to some degree, and you can learn to improve yours. What will you accomplish once you do?

Originally published on January 4, 2023. Updated on August 7, 2026.