Day 240 – Motivation is a Liar

What exactly is “motivation?” Have you thought about this concept? Does motivation actually exist, meaning can we trace this to an exact chemical relay inside our brains or bodies that triggers this sensation of feeling motivated? The answer is a resounding, kind of.  We have an idea of what may cause this feeling of motivation, but it is highly complex. We can take a peak for a few paragraphs.

The Complexity of Motivation

There is no single motivation source or neurotransmitter in the human body. We feel motivated by one or more combinations of various aspects of brain chemistry and other hormones. Some research indicated that the neurotransmitter we associate with “feeling good,” called dopamine, is needed for motivation because this is released by a few areas in the brain to reward us for certain behaviors. This can result in just the anticipation of this release and, therefore, could potentially be a cause for this feeling of motivation.

The Role of Serotonin

However, this is not the only neurotransmitter to consider. There is also serotonin. Research points to the idea that this is involved in regulating mood, anxiety, and happiness. When serotonin levels are high, we are usually in a positive mood. We could consider the idea that when we feel good, we might be more motivated to keep our commitments.

The Impact of Endorphins

That does not solve this puzzle completely because then we have endorphins, which the body releases to deal with stress and pain, and, weirdly, during pleasurable activities, which cause feelings of euphoria. This can be considered highly motivating, as that might be viewed as the reason we will pursue something despite great risk.

Norepinephrine and Survival

Of course, we are a species that was created to reproduce itself, so we have that form of motivation caused by a chemical called norepinephrine—the survival chemical. This is where the idea of an adrenaline rush comes from. This can make us instantly alert when we need it and, strangely, also can contribute to arousal. The human body is full of paradoxes like this. The thing we need to avoid being killed is also the thing we need to be motivated to reproduce ourselves. Interesting.

The Love Hormone: Oxytocin

Now that we are on that subject, we have to talk about oxytocin. Some have called this the love hormone. Social bonding, social interaction, and relationships have been identified with key rises in this hormone. So perhaps this is a big part of our motivation and might explain why some people are more motivated by this than others. I would not understand that as much, being very introverted generally.

Cortisol: The Stress Hormone

While we are on this subject, we can dive into other compounds released in various areas of the body as a signal, and that includes cortisol. This is associated with stress and we have seen that increased amounts of cortisol can boost energy and focus and can be considered highly motivating. However, I have discovered that too much of this is not good and can lead to detrimental effects. However, some people feed on this cortisol injection and only get motivated when the stakes are high. Guilty as charged, cortisol junky over here.

A Tour of the Brain’s Role

Not done yet, we could, if we had the time and I had the energy, we could take a tour of the entire human body and all the major organs and come up with a litany of other impulses, hormones, and chemicals released that could potentially impact motivation. Focusing on the brain, it is important to note that the prefrontal cortex is most likely where you are making decisions and creating goals. I must have a very active one, for sure. However, that is not the only part involved in potential motivation. The amygdala is the emotional response, which is often deployed in a good and bad way with regard to what you are trying to do. Finally, the hippocampus is needed for memory, learning, and remembering what we have set out to do. These are all elements in potential motivation to do what we are supposed to do.

I say all of this for you to reach one conclusion.

MOTIVATION IS A LIAR

All of these components combine together in a complex tapestry of emotions, reactions, and behaviors that we exhibit all the time. Motivation is not a single emotion; it is an entire stack of chemical compounds, hormones, and the rest. Frankly, when looking at it like this, motivation does not even exist. So if you are waiting for motivation, you will wait a long time. Motivation will come when you do not want it; leave when you need it the most. Motivation will cheat on you, abandon you, and almost always disappoint you. You will never get it to be reliable, and you will find it will often stab you in the back at the first available opportunity.

So my advice? Never rely on motivation. Find another way to do it when you need to. Leave motivation back at home and instead go out into the world and accomplish what you need because you are just going to do it. No excuse, No waiting, No complaining. You will never “get motivated.” You will never “feel good” about consistent habits. Forget motivation; it does not exist, and that feeling you get that you call motivation is a dangerous foe that out-lulls you into a false sense and then abandons you at the first opportunity.