Why Am I Unmotivated? Understanding a Lack of Motivation and Energy
Have you completely lost your motivation to do anything?
If you’re lacking energy, focus and ambition than you may be wondering:
Why am I so lazy?
Why am I so tired?
Why am I so unproductive?
Why do I have no motivation or energy to work, no motivation or energy for school, or no motivation or energy to exercise?
Ultimately, What causes low motivation?
Many students and professionals, both adolescents and adults are struggling to feel excited or energized by life. We may feel like we’ve lost our drive, are disengaged from relationships and responsibilities, and are disconnected from our passion and purpose. The problem of low motivation makes us feel frustrated and unable to control ourselves; ultimately leading us to feel stuck and confused for what to do next. In this article explore what low motivation is, what causes motivation issues, and why we continue to struggle with motivating ourselves or others.
The problem of low motivation ultimately leads us to feel stuck and confused for what to do next.
Why Do We Feel Unmotivated?
First, What Is Motivation?
Motivation, defined as the drive and intent for behavior, is an elemental aspect of our interaction with the world and each other. All people share requirements for survival along with the motivation to obtain basic needs such as food, water, shelter, belonging, etc. Therefor, our behavior is goal oriented in order to change of our current state (e.g., to fulfill a need or satiate a desire). In short, motivation serves a catalyst for change. In order to explore why we experience motivation issues we have to first start with by breaking down some terms.
Motivation is the intent, drive, and willingness for behavior (actions + decisions) to change our current state.
Intent: Our Motive for Change
Often when people are speaking of motivation they are inferring our intent for change. Motivation here understood as the importance, purpose or goal of behavior. Essentially, what is the reasoning or the “Why” we do what we do. Though there are many theories and frameworks for motivation, most regard a desire to meet basic needs/urges and navigate the costs/benefits of behavior.
Drive: Our Motor For Change
Another aspect of motivation is referring to drive, here defined as our energized behavior. In this context, motivation modulates the force or intensity of pursuit; a fancy way of describing our level of motivation (how much or how little energy we have). This is why feeling tired, fatigued or exhaustion is so internally connected to motivation; as so inversely with feeling excited, eager, or stimulated/aroused. Drive included the energy for activating change as well as sustaining change behavior (e.g., what keeps you moving forward).
Willingness: Our Commitment for Change
The last construct of change is regarding willingness and our commitment to change. The Cambridge dictionary defines motivation as the willingness to do something. More than feeling the energy or desire for change, willingness is our conscious decision towards taking action and the determination to sustain behavior. A certain choice or behavior may make complete rational sense, we may even have the desire and energy to act without willingly deciding we will not change.
The Function of Low Motivation
Low Motivation’s Underlying Issues
Though we may attribute some emotions as positive (e.g., happy) or negative (e.g., angry) all all emotions or feelings have a purpose and a function. Largely, emotions are the root of our motivated behavior. For example, the stress we experience from procrastination gives us the hyperfocus and energy to stay up all night writing a paper. So what could the motivation for a lack of motivation be?
Low Motivation as a Signal For Change
The experience of low motivation acts as a sign and symptom of a deeper rooted issue; meaning that feeling unmotivated is a manifestation of a problem, not a problem in and of itself. Our emotions act as communication device, telling our mind and body to continue or to change something. Negative emotions, regarding motivation such as apathy, boredom, fatigue, etc. are alerting our mind and body that something is wrong, confusing, or missing.
Low Motivation as Secondary Benefit (Secondary Gain)
It’s easy to see the advantages of motivation. With seemingly no effort we can stay on task, get things done and are generally happier. But what about the benefits of low motivation? How might the lack of desire, ambition and energy serve us? Or, what do we gain? If we are able to take an objective and opened minded view we may see three secondary benefits: 1) Self-protection, low motivation is used as a defense mechanism to protect our ego (e.g., fear of failure); 2) Self-preservation, we are not ready to change our situation or circumstance (life’s homeostasis); 3) Self-service, inaction or indecision benefits us more than costs us (if we’re getting what we want, why would we change?).
So, What Causes Motivation Issues?
Check out our next article for a deep dive in possible causal factors that restricts motivation.