The Motivational Handbook

But like any fuel, motivation can also run out. Sometimes, it can just get dry on its own. This is especially true if the goals being pursued still appear so far away. That is why motivation is something that needs to be renewed from time to time just as you would refuel a car once its fuel tank is empty.

The problem is ‘how’. It is not as simple as wanting it back. Motivation sometimes occurs in a spur of the moment and recreating the events that produced it can be a truly difficult task. And when gone for too long, motivation can get more difficult to revive.

Also, motivation can be easily destroyed by discouraging situations and events. For example, a basketball player seeking to be the best in his region can receive a slap in the face when faced with an opponent with skills far greater than his own. Also, an environmentalist can get demoralized after seeing events of mass pollution.

When motivation is crushed this way, it is even more difficult to gain it back. Sadly, many people are facing the same situation every day. Students are losing motivation to continue their studies, artists are losing motivation to keep practicing their art, employees are losing motivation to keep doing a good job at work, and so forth.