Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson Ep. 33: How to Motivate Yourself
Aug 27, 2018
Delve into the secrets of motivation as they explore why knowing what's beneficial often isn't enough. Discover how brain chemistry links reward to action and the power of vividly imagining positive outcomes. Learn to frame mundane tasks with meaning and sprinkle playfulness into your routine for sustained motivation. Plus, gain insights on the biological differences in motivation and tips on fostering empathy for diverse minds. Transform small wins into a motivating force, and embrace a compassionate approach to self-improvement.
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Why Knowledge Alone Fails To Change Behavior
- Knowing something is bad doesn't stop us because higher cortical thoughts can't directly brake ancient subcortical motivational systems.
- Rick Hanson explains that inclining the mind means changing habits so motivation comes naturally rather than via willpower alone.
Pair Actions With Luscious Imagined Rewards
- Pair rich, sensory imagined rewards with the action you want to do so your brain associates action and reward.
- Repeat the pairing until the brain predicts the reward and naturally leans toward the beneficial action.
Celebrate Small Wins And Reframe Tasks
- Break tasks into small steps and feel a sense of completion after each one to generate reward signals.
- Experience intrinsic well-being in tasks by reframing them as practice or service to sustain motivation.