Wednesday’s Words of Wellness

Words of Wellness offers resources for students and the college community to access and utilize to improve and maintain their overall wellness.

While the Wellness Center’s Counseling and Wellness Services are available Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for counseling, consultation, and referral needs to currently registered students, on a remote basis either by phone or Zoom video sessions, we wanted to share additional resources that may be beneficial during this time.

On Nov. 18, we will be focusing on Motivation. In uncertain times, such as this, it can be difficult to feel motivated in many areas of our lives. Motivation is the driving force that allows us to continually work towards our goals and accomplish daily tasks. When we are motivated our behavior is energized, directed and sustained. There are times where our motivation comes from within, known as Intrinsic Motivation. We engage in a behavior be cause we enjoy it, we want to master a skill, we appreciate the challenge it brings, or we are eager to learn and grow. Other times our motivation stems from external sources such as rewards and punishments from our environment. This motivated behavior occurs due to wanting some sort of reward, gold star, badge, or money. It can also be due to a fear of failure or fear of punishment.

While there are many approaches to motivation, it is a necessary ingredient to us achieving our goals. The following resources discuss what motivation is, how to become motivated and how to stay motivated to achieve academic and life goals.

Click here: What is Motivation?

A Very Well Mind article written by Kendra Cherry explores what motivation is, types of motivation, uses for motivation, impact, tips, potential pitfalls, and the history of motivation. Cherry writes: “Motivation is the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. It is what causes you to act, whether it is getting a glass of water to reduce thirst or reading a book to gain knowledge.”

Cherry continues: “There are three major components of motivation: activation, persistence, and intensity.
Activation involves the decision to initiate a behavior, such as enrolling in a psychology class.
Persistence is the continued effort toward a goal even though obstacles may exist. An example of persistence would be taking more psychology courses in order to earn a degree although it requires a significant investment of time, energy, and resources.
Intensity can be seen in the concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing a goal. For example, one student might coast by without much effort, while another student will study regularly, participate in discussions, and take advantage of research opportunities outside of class. The first student lacks intensity, while the second pursues their educational goals with greater intensity.

The degree of each of these components of motivation can impact whether or not you achieve your goal. Strong activation, for example, means that you are more likely to start pursuing a goal. Persistence and intensity will determine if you keep working toward that goal and how much effort you devote to reaching it.”

Click here to continue to read “What is Motivation” by Kendra Cherry.

Do you struggle with getting motivated and or staying motivated? Do you find it difficult to balance school, life, and work? Below you will find resources and tips to get you back on track.

J.D. Meier (Time Magaznie, March 2016) discusses how “Motivation makes things happen.” in his article, “15 Ways to Motivate Yourself and Others.”

Connect your values
Find your WHY
Change your WHY
Change your HOW
Remember the feeling
Shift to past, present or the future
Find a meaningful metaphor
Take action
Link it to good feelings
Impress yourself first
“CHOOSE” to
Pair up
Change your question
Fix time for eating, sleeping and working out
Play to your strengths

Click here to read more about 15 Ways to Motivate Yourself and Others.

Villanova University writes, “College can feel overwhelming at times. If you find yourself struggling with focus and motivation, take some time to consider what isn’t working and set reasonable goals. Even the biggest project or responsibility can be successfully handled if broken down into small, achievable steps. Keep pushing through and remember that all of this hard work will be worth it when you’ve finished your certificate or degree program.”

In addition to recognizing the stress and challenge that academics can bring, Villanova Univeristy posted an article, “How to Stay Motivated in College.” Click here to read the full article that includes an in-depth explanation of the following tips.