Lesson 2.3:
Motivation and Self-Discipline

1. Find your why

Succeeding at university requires courage, persistence, and self-discipline. Knowing your why, or your ultimate long-term goal or ambition, is essential to help you keep pushing forward. 

Learn more about finding your why by watching this short video by Michael Jr.

Michael Jr. States that “when you know your why, your what becomes more impactful because you’re walking toward or in your purpose”.

Everyone has a why. A person’s why is his or her deep and unique purpose, a person’s special skill, talent, or commitment that they would like to give and share with the world. 

Everyone has one. So now is the time to consider – what is yours?

• Is your why to make a difference in a child’s life?

• Is your why to share a talent you have with the world, like music, writing, dance, or photography?

• Is your why to make a decent living for your current or future family, so that you can help them live comfortably?

• Is your why to make the world a more equitable and peaceful?

• Is your why to protect nature, ecosystems, and prevent climate change?

• Is your why to help others make meaning of their lives and experiences?

• Is your why to challenge the status quo?

• Is your why to advocate and defend those who can’t defend themselves?

• Is your why to serve as an inspiration for others from your family or community?

Take some time to mull over a sentence that describes what your why is. Now, here’s your homework—take your why and write it down. Make it visible and concrete by posting it on your wall or mirror. Draw a picture or take a photo that encapsulates your why and hang it above your bed or on your refrigerator. Create a vision board or a word wall.

This visual reminder of your why will be a motivating factor for you to help you remember your larger goal and purpose.

Here are four more reasons why knowing your why is important:

1. Knowing your why gives you direction. It helps you prioritize your actions and make decisions that align with your values and beliefs. 

2. Knowing your why increases your resilience. When you have a strong sense of purpose, you are better equipped to handle setbacks and challenges. .

3. Knowing your why helps you make decisions that align with your values and beliefs. 

4. Knowing your why brings more meaning to your life. You can focus on the things that matter most to you and feel a sense of satisfaction from working towards something that aligns with your values and beliefs.

2. Ten self-discipline and motivation strategies

1. Set a clear goal. Strategize about how that goal fits into your life and what you need to change to prioritize that goal. Looking for bonus points? Make it a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goal. Want to know more about SMART goals? Watch the brief video below on setting SMART goals.

2. Sustain your progress. Don’t be overly critical when you’re struggling to get started. When writing a paper, simply let your thoughts flow without editing it. You can always come back later to make changes.

3. Start Small. Start by doing 15 minutes of work of whatever task you have on deck for the day. Set a timer and don’t let anything distract you for 15 minutes. It’s often easier to keep going after you’ve forced yourself to get started

4. Find Inspiration. Find inspiration by seeking out the work of people who have achieved what you are looking to achieve. Watch a TedTalk, read a news article about your field, or brainstorm with a professor

5. Commit Publicly. Share your goals with friends and family to help hold yourself accountable and get support from your community.

6. Help Yourself Focus. Limit access to whatever is helping you procrastinate. Take distracting apps off your phone and mute notifications. Head to a quiet designated study space.

7. Find an Accountability Buddy. Find a friend who is also working toward achieving a goal and create a time to check in, either face-to-face or online, to share your progress regularly

8. Revisit Past Success. Make a list of goals that you have already achieved. Taking some time to reflect on all that you have already accomplished will help build your motivation for the task ahead.

9. Celebrate Wins, both big and small. Don’t forget to celebrate what you have already achieved. This can be celebrations for submitting all your homework on time, getting a great grade on your final, exercising throughout the semester, or a positive piece of feedback from a professor.

10. Invest in Healthy Habits. Motivation is hard to find when you’re not sleeping well or feeling your best. You need energy to complete the tasks that lie before you—eat regularly, don’t skip meals, and try to eat healthy foods that will feed your brain and body