How does self-motivation show in the real world? When someone is
motivated they are that person to get everything done on time and done to the
best of their ability. But, who’s motivating them? Sometimes it also
depends on your environment. Throughout my life my parents have always
motivated me to excel in the following: academics, sports, work, volunteering;
everything. I was one of the lucky ones to have my parents believe in my
abilities. For example, if they had not pushed me past my limits to do well I
might not have ended up in college. Life is so difficult to become a
self-motivator. As humans we are focused on receiving instant gratification
rather than delayed gratification. For example, if a student studied all night
for a test and received an “A” on it they were instantly gratified. However, if
they did not actually absorb the information than in the long run their delayed
gratification might not pay off such as not getting your top choice of
colleges. So in the marshmallow test when the child did not eat the marshmallow
earning a second one positively rewarded them. This child was self-motivated to
earn the second marshmallow because he knew that it would pay off. “The
children who rang the bell quickly seemed more likely to have behavioral
problems, both in school and at home. They got lower S.A.T. scores. They
struggled in stressful situations, often had trouble paying attention, and
found it difficult to maintain friendships. The child who could wait fifteen
minutes had an S.A.T. score that was, on average, two hundred and ten points
higher than that of the kid who could wait only thirty seconds.”
Sometimes when something might feel right in the moment doesn’t necessarily
mean that it will pay off in the future. It is true what they say how “a spilt
second becomes forever.” Motivation comes to people in many different forms
whether its from an outside source or within ourselves. But, in most cases when
it comes down to it; we all end up in the same place one way or the other.
* http://mentalfloss.com/article/21839/dont-eat-marshmallow
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