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Motivation Causes Goal Setting and Action to Achieve Our Dreams

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1. Title
Motivation & Goal Setting

2. Introduction
Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviours. Motivation is what causes us to act, whether it is getting a glass of water to reduce thirst or reading a book to gain knowledge. (http://psychology.about.com/od/mindex/g/motivation-definition.htm).
Goal Setting is where we set specific targets / aims that we wish to achieve, they need to be S.M.A.R.T or else they become dreams rather than believable goals. .
Goal setting is key in motivation; goals need to be clear, sharp, and realistic. To make these feel more achievable it is better to break these down into smaller medium-term goals and medium-term goals into short-term goals so that you …show more content…

A challenge will motivate people when they pursue a goal with a personal meaning, when the goal is achievable but not certain. Curiosity can stimulate an individual with an activity that grabs their attention and stimulates them to want to learn more. Control over the activity can be a major factor in motivation, for example if an individual decides they need to get fit and want to complete a 5km run the may be more motivated than if a friend suggests taking up running as they are out of shape.
Cooperation and Competition: Intrinsic motivation can be increased in situations where people gain satisfaction from helping others and also in cases where they are able to compare their own performance favourably to that of others.
Recognition: People enjoy having their accomplishment recognized by others, which can increase internal motivation.
Motivation can be closely linked to goal setting. Goal setting can increase motivation. Goal setting is setting realistic, achievable goals which one can work towards. for example working from nothing to a 5k over a number of weeks then reviewing the plan and setting a new goal of 10k. Goals affect performance through four mechanisms. They serve as a direct function; they direct a person to relevant activities and away from the irrelevant.

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