Motivation has been described as the emotional tendencies that guide or facilitate reaching goals.  

It comprises of:

•  Achievement drive: Striving to improve or meet a standard of excellence
•  Commitment: Aligning with the goals of the group or organisation
•  Initiative: Readiness to act on opportunities
•  Optimism: Persistence in pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks

Our emotions are tied to motivation. How we feel impacts how we behave, how easily we give up or how determined we are to achieve goals. If you are in a good mood and feel happy and positive, then you’re better placed to readily start the day with gusto and a drive to complete tasks. If you are feeling down, there is a great chance you will start feeling overwhelmed and anxious about what it is we need to achieve.

Frustration and boredom can lower motivation meaning we are less inclined to act, yet a small amount of anxiety, stress and even fear is often a great motivator.

Tapping into our values and understanding why things are important to us and why we want to achieve things is at the heart of self-motivation which is why looking deeper is such an important activity.  

Self-Motivation Emotional Intelligence Indicator

1) Do you bounce back quickly after a setback?              

Always     Sometimes     Occasionally     Never

2) Do you deliver on your promises?       

Without fail     Quite often     Rarely      Never

3) Can you kick-start yourself into action when appropriate?       

Yes, always     Yes, sometimes     Not often     No, never

4) How willingly do you change the way you do things when current methods are not working?

Very willingly     Quite willingly     Quite reluctantly     Very reluctantly

5) Are you able to lift your energy level to tackle and complete boring tasks?

Always     Usually     Rarely      Never

 

Mark your answers:

Give yourself 4 points for every answer in column A, 3 points for column B, 2 points for C and 1 for D

What is your score out of 20?

• 17 or more – you shape up pretty well
• 13-16 – a little action is necessary
• 12-9 – emotional Intelligence development is required
• 8 or less – some major work is necessary