<h2>Why motivation is important in life?</h2>Motivation is the drive to fulfill your needs or pursue your goals. It is impacted by how much you desire the outcome and what you stand to gain and lose if you don`t accomplish your objective, your individual goals. The key to creativity, productivity, and pleasure is motivation. When we act, we generate movement, development, and change; we feel engaged, competent, and relevant; we feel powerful because we see how we can affect change in the world and produce more of what we love in our lives. Motivation is what drives us to act. All of this gives our life meaning and fulfilment. Most people desire to alter at least one aspect of their lives. However, it might not be easy to find the drive. Understanding what motivation means to you can help you discover your motivation methods.<h2>10 Things That Steal Your Motivation</h2>Demotivation is the absence of excitement or interest on the part of an individual for their task. Demotivated staff members may avoid completing duties or interacting with others since they are frequently disinterested in their work. Motivation, or the drive to attain a goal or result, is negatively correlated with demotivation. Since most people only have one idea of what demotivation is, you`re probably going to think you have the same issue every time you feel unmotivated. The reality is that there are several variants within the problem area of demotivation. You will use the same old techniques anytime you experience demotivation if you only experience one type of it. These tactics often take the form of making to-do lists, setting objectives, working harder, creating accountability checks that will motivate you, and pushing yourself. They don`t work with most demotivational situations, and in other cases, they could even make you feel worse about your lack of motivation. Demotivation is a broad group of issues with several subtypes. It is the inability to commit to action, and there are numerous reasons you can be in that situation. Having more categories for categorizing your demotivation will enable you to pinpoint the true causes of your resistance to moving forward. Following are the ten forms of demotivation: <h3>1. Your fear has demotivated you</h3>Even if you are moving into terrain that you have chosen to enter, when you are fearful, a part of you is determined to stop you from moving ahead. Fear slows you down, making you wary, which may be advantageous to you. However, occasionally, your <a href="https://connectedminds.ai/blogs/understanding-anxiety" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">anxieties are based more on your imagination</a> than on a realistic evaluation of the threats in your environment. The part of you that wants to keep you safe can successfully stop you from moving ahead into desired and safe terrain if your fear is great enough, even if you`re also eager to move forward. <h3>2. You Become Demotivated by Choosing the Wrong Objectives</h3><a href="https://marthabeck.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Martha Beck</a> provides a fantastic framework for comprehending motivation. We each have an Essential Self and a Social Self, she explains. The part of you that is impulsive, creative, and fun, the portion that understands what matters to you most, is your Essential Self. Your social self is the aspect of you that has been growing since birth, learning the customs of the tribe and making every effort to keep you safe by enforcing "the rules. "Everywhere we turn, some messages appeal to our Social Selves and make us want to win over our tribes". When you lack motivation, you`re focusing only on what your Social Self wants when you establish objectives, which keeps you from moving in the direction your Essential Self wants you to. Demotivation is a tool that Your Essential Self utilises to slow you down and separate you from the destructive goals you`ve established. <h3>3. You Lack Motivation Due to Clarity</h3>Your perception of the future will be hazy if you haven`t explicitly stated what you desire. We like the familiar, so we avoid the strange and ambiguous and stick with and recreate the familiar. It makes sense that you won`t be motivated to move away from your comfortable existing world if you`re unsure about what you want to build. <h3>4. A conflict in your values is demotivating for you</h3>What`s essential to you in life is based on your values. A values conflict occurs when you have two or more values that are significant to you but feel you can`t satisfy all of them in a given circumstance.As you search for ways to obtain what`s vital to you, this circumstance makes you feel torn and tugged in several different directions. Your motivation may come and go in short bursts as you focus on something, lose it and go on to something else, or it may completely disappear as resolving internal conflict swiftly drains your resources. <h3>5. The Absence of Autonomy Makes You Unmotivated</h3>We thrive on independence. Everybody`s brain contains a decision-making centre that needs to be used. According to studies, persons with depression have an underdeveloped decision-making region in their brains, and if they practise utilising this portion of their brain and making decisions, their despair frequently goes away.Having some liberty to choose what we do, when we do it, how we do it, and who we do it with is essential to kindling and maintaining drive, creativity, and productivity, according to research cited in Daniel Pink`s book Drive. <h3>6. You Feel Unchallenged, Which Demotivates You</h3>Authors like Daniel Pink and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224927532_Flow_The_Psychology_of_Optimal_Experience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience</a>, emphasises that challenge is another essential component of motivation. There is a sweet spot when it comes to overcoming obstacles. A task that is too big depletes our motivation, while a challenge that is too tiny causes us to lose interest and struggle to maintain motivation. Because we are living, evolving beings, we require ongoing difficulties and chances to develop new talents. Without obstacles, our Essential Self intervenes and demotivates us to let us know that we`ve strayed from our intended course. <h3>7. Grief Has Demotivated You</h3>We go through a phase at the start of each shift where we question whether we should or could hold on to the way things were, and we grieve what we`ll be losing if we make big changes. Common symptoms include confusion, self-doubt, distrust of the outside world, and a sense of being lost; these emotions become more potent the more radical the transition. Even mild sadness and social disengagement occur sometimes. Your motivation may wane due to all the mourning, worrying, and feeling lost that occurs throughout this time. Know more about the <a href="https://connectedminds.ai/blogs/7-stages-of-grief" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">7 stages of grief</a>. <h3>8. Loneliness Demotivates You</h3>For those of us who work independently from home, this <a href="https://connectedminds.ai/blogs/adult-loneliness" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">adult loneliness</a> is a very crucial point. Have you ever had those days when you have cabin fever, don`t feel like working, and would much rather be out having a drink with a buddy or playing a game of soccer? Your Essential Self occasionally yearns for a connection with others because we were created to be social beings. Your Essential <a href="https://connectedminds.ai/blogs/what-is-self-sabotage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Self sabotages</a> your drive to work for you to take a break and interact with others. <h3>9. You`re Demotivated by Burnout</h3>As a recovering Type A who attracts overachievers, I am aware that sometimes we continue to complain about needing to do more even after we have gone beyond what is sustainable. You`ve pushed yourself too far and are at risk of being burned out if you always feel exhausted, lack the motivation to socialise, and find that sleeping sounds more appealing than the things you typically find interesting. You will constantly be inspired to take action toward your greatest needs by your Essential Self. Your Essential Self may even sap your drive for the things you typically get fired up about to get you to achieve a deadline if you`re exhausted and in need of sleep. Know more about <a href="https://connectedminds.ai/blogs/autistic-burnout" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Autistic Burnout, its Symptoms and Treatments</a>. <h3>10. The Fuzzy Next Steps Have You Losing Motivation</h3>Even though your final objective is crystal obvious, if you haven`t taken the time to break it down into smaller goals, you`ll find yourself stuck, baffled, and without motivation when it comes time to act. Some projects are modest enough and well-known enough that they don`t require a strategy, but if you frequently worry that you don`t have a clear plan and don`t know what to do next, this may cause your demotivation. <h2>4 Effective Scientific &amp; Psychological Ways to Stay Motivated in Life</h2> <h3>1) The Ulysses Pact</h3>The Ulysses Pact is a method for holding yourself accountable to continue working toward a goal even when it`s challenging. It is named for the cunning hero of the Trojan War. The main component of a Ulysses Pact is that we make a decision today (while things are reasonably simple) that obligates us to do an action tomorrow (when things are hard). In other words, by committing to a future behaviour in advance, the Ulysses Pact helps you sustain strong motivation during difficult times. <h3> </h3><h3>2) Gently Self- Talk</h3>You may be more motivated than you think if your goals are worthwhile. The issue is that you can be squandering significant amounts of it. Our self-talk is also one of the main causes of lost motivation. Self-talk is the term used to describe our repetitive patterns of speaking to ourselves verbally and nonverbally.Several challenging emotions, such as guilt, worry, frustration, and despair, will be produced if your regular, automatic self-talk tends to be negative, harsh, and judgemental. These emotions all work to drain your natural motivation to achieve your objectives. So, one of the most effective—though seemingly counterintuitive—ways to stay motivated is to quit depriving yourself of it through excessively negative self-talk. Instead, develop a new behaviour of soft self-talk. One of the biggest barriers to keeping motivated and overcoming difficulties in our goals is our repetitive negative self-talk. You`ll be surprised at how much drive you`ll already have if you learn to recognise and gently reshape your self-talk. <h3>3) The Seinfeld Strategy</h3>The Seinfeld Strategy is a straightforward yet effective approach to maintaining motivation, particularly when starting a new habit. The strategy itself is straightforward: <ul><li>Plan to complete a small portion of any habit, task, or routine you want to maintain daily.</li><li>Mark a huge red (or another colour) X next to each day you succeed in completing the goal on a calendar.</li><li>As long as you can, keep your streak going. If you missed a day, note how long your streak was next to the box. Your new target is to surpass this.</li></ul> The Seinfeld Strategy is a Double Motivator, making it a particularly effective approach to staying motivated. A twofold motivator concurrently motivates in two separate ways.In this situation, checking off each productive day provides you with a sense of pleasure and achievement, which is positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement, on the other hand, serves to deter you from breaking your streak to avoid the anguish of doing so. Finally, having a large calendar covered in red Xs on your desk or at your workspace is a visual reminder that you have work to do. Helps in enhancing your memory and also keeps you motivated. <h3>4) Artificial positive reinforcement</h3>A fundamental rule of human behaviour known as positive reinforcement states that when an action is followed by something pleasurable or rewarding, it is more likely to occur (and continue to occur). However, we struggle to provide positive reinforcement when it doesn`t happen automatically or spontaneously. However, the power to create fake positive reinforcement processes to meet our problems and objectives. <ul><li>Here`s how you could go about it:</li><li>First, choose a manageable quantity of reading for each evening.</li><li>Pick a modest yet satisfying reward.</li><li>Keep your prize and book together.</li><li>Put the book away once you`ve finished each of the first 15 pages, then treat yourself.</li></ul> Because we equate positive reinforcement with getting kids to do things, this may come out as silly, but it applies to adults just as effectively as it does to kids. Do you need content that constanty motivation you? Take a look at <a href="https://connectedminds.ai/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">connectedminds</a> - #1 mental wellbeing platform. You can download our <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.connectedminds.prod.release" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mental wellbeing app which is available on Android</a> and <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/connectedminds/id1612039449" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iOS</a>.

Do you want to know how to stay motivated in life? If so, this blog will explain the effective scientific ways that will help you boost your motivation. 

How to Stay Motivated in Life: 4 Effective Scientific Ways

<h2>INTRODUCTION</h2> Have you ever found yourself planning for your future? Don`t we always plan to do `this` amount of work or earn `this` amount of money regularly to achieve happiness? But have you ever wondered how in doing so, we often stop focusing on the present? You must know that these feelings are not uncommon, and a myriad of people experiences them. This phenomenon is called `Destination Addiction`. <h2>WHAT IS DESTINATION ADDICTION?</h2> Destination addiction is a term that denotes the belief that happiness can be found sometime in the future or it can be found anywhere else but not in the present.You might be surprised to know, but the feeling of destination addiction is inculcated into the child earlier than we expect. Whether it is the constant questioning about what a child wants to be when they grow up or being told to study well to get into a good college, children are conditioned to think that their happiness can be found in the future after achieving certain milestones. As we grow old, every action we do is done to fulfill a future goal. When we make our happiness depend on factors that are in the future and, in a way, out of our control, it leaves very little room for true satisfaction. This happens because when we reach a particular milestone that was supposed to give us happiness, we are too preoccupied with planning for the next milestone rather than enjoying the moment. People often develop destination addiction because they are going through a difficult phase and are <a href="https://connectedminds.ai/blogs/understanding-anxiety" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">anxious</a>. Having a destination or a goal to look forward to can be motivating at times; however, always looking forward to a better tomorrow should also be accompanied by being grateful for what we have in the present. Almost every piece of information that is accessible to us about happiness tells us about being content with what we have in the present. In a way, destination addiction is the exact opposite of everything we know about happiness. So can we say that it is wrong to have a goal or to make plans for a secure future? No. The difference lies in the ferocity with which we plan for the future. When we are so keen on having a secure future, we don`t focus on what we have at hand. Destination addiction forces us to live our lives at a very fast pace. <h2>HOW TO OVERCOME DESTINATION ADDICTION?</h2> As enticing as the proposition of planning a secure future might sound, we need to be thoughtful about everything that is present in front of us as well. Destination addiction is as real as it can get, and several people suffer from it without even realizing that it exists in the first place. However, there are ways to overcome it. <h3>i) Live in the present</h3> As simple as it may sound, living in the present requires a lot of willpower and mental strength. We need to be intentional about living in the present and focusing on the things and the people that are a part of our present scenario rather than constantly fantasizing about how we can make our future better. If a person is in a constant state of dissatisfaction about their current scenario, then nothing can stop them from always planning and making timelines for a better future. In doing so, they often overlook their near and dear ones. They miss out on the important moments and milestones that are achieved by their peers or even by themselves. We need to understand that our words are powerful. If we set our minds to living in the present and focus on every positive aspect of our life, we will be able to appreciate all the amazing opportunities that life presents us with. People need to clear their minds, take a couple of deep breaths and just be mindful of their surroundings. Often when we do this, we tend to notice the minute things that might bring us happiness which would have gone unnoticed otherwise. We need to take life on a day-by-day basis. We need to wake up in the morning and set our intentions for the day. This can help us stay in a positive frame of mind throughout the day. <h3>ii) Be grateful</h3> Being grateful for everything that is in our possession is a great way to overcome destination addiction. Destination addiction essentially stems from being in a constant state of dissatisfaction with whatever we have in the present moment. However, if we train our brains to be grateful for everything that we have achieved so far, we will be able to fight the urge to constantly ponder about the future. When we start being grateful for what we have in life and the person that we have become, it helps us appreciate all the minute things around us, and it increases our sense of satisfaction. Various scientific studies have proven that being grateful for all the things that we have in the present leads us to have a positive psychology and a generally positive outlook towards life. Some ways to practice daily gratitude can include maintaining a daily journal. We can write everything we are grateful for in the journal and read the same during times when we feel low or dissatisfied with our lives. Doing these practices can stop us from always thinking about the next big thing. This can help in stopping destination addiction. <h3>iii) Do not compare yourselves with others</h3> Comparison is rightly told by the thief of joy. The moment people start comparing themselves to others, they become devoid of the joys in their life, and they start to pinpoint every negative aspect of their lives. Most of the time, these so-called negative aspects are not even that important. But they are capable of making us feel really bad about ourselves. In today`s time of social media and the rise of celebrity status, it is very easy to find yourself comparing your life with the people you see online. However, we must understand that most of the time, there is little or no truth to the content that is put on social media. Whenever we find ourselves unnecessarily comparing our lives with someone else`s, we need to acknowledge that thought and try our best to stop thinking about it. Most of the time, the materialistic things that we aspire to when we compare ourselves with other people only provide us with a sense of instant gratification. It cannot lead to a prolonged sense of satisfaction. To conclude, we need to understand that it is very easy to fall for destination addiction. Once a person falls into this pit, they never seem to get satisfied with their life. However, we need to acknowledge that we suffer from this phenomenon because acknowledgement is the first step towards recovery. Once we know about the presence of this negative aspect in our lives, we can work mindfully towards eradicating it. If you think you need a therapist to overcome destination addiction then simply download our app connectedminds and talk to certified therapists. Our <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.connectedminds.prod.release" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mental wellness application is available on Android</a> and <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/connectedminds/id1612039449" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iOS</a>.

In this blog, we’ll explain what destination addiction is. We’ll also list various ways through which you can overcome destination addiction. 

Destination Addiction: What is it & How to Overcome this

<h2>INTRODUCTION:</h2>We often wonder about the meaning of life. In today`s time and pace, thinking about the reason behind our existence has become rather prevalent. This is where existential therapy comes into play. Existential therapy is a branch of psychotherapy that deals with the difficulties faced by humans throughout their life in a philosophical manner. One of the main pillars of existential therapy is focusing on the human condition as a whole. It may appear quite similar to the humanistic approach of therapy tha enables us to appreciate our capabilities and aspiration, but on the other hand, it also helps in making us aware of our limitations. <h2>HISTORY OF EXISTENTIAL THERAPY</h2>Philosophers such as <a href="https://intotherose-garden.com/2014/04/18/the-genius-of-nietzsche-and-kierkegaard-comparing-their-contribution-to-philosophy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nietzsche and Kierkegaard</a> are considered to be the flagbearers of the existential form of therapy. They were among the first philosophers that dealt with this branch of therapy, and they also proposed that any form of human discontent can be overcome by gaining internal wisdom. Eventually, contemporaries such as Heidegger and Satre began their exploration of the importance of investigation during the healing process. Otto Rank became the first therapist who actively practised existential therapy in the early 20th century. <h2>THE MAIN FOCUS OF EXISTENTIAL THERAPY</h2>Existential therapy mainly focuses on encouraging the person to take responsibility for their successes and confronting their issues and failures. In addition, it helps make the person understand that the angst of coming face to face with a conflict is a part of life. People tend to dwell on their past, which is an obstacle to coming to terms with the situation. Existential therapy helps them focus on the issue, trying to find meaning. In doing this, people are freed of the fear of the unknown that grips them. <h2>THE PRINCIPLE OF EXISTENTIAL THERAPY</h2>Existential therapy is based on the principle that all the conflicts faced by a person throughout their life are because of some conditions that are inherent to human existence. They form the cornerstones of this branch of therapy. These conditions are also termed "givens" of life. These givens are: <ul><li>Freedom and responsibility</li><li>Death</li><li>Isolation</li><li>Meaninglessness</li></ul> <h3>i) Freedom and Responsibility</h3>This approach helps in making the person feel accountable for their actions and the results that those actions might have. It is most suitable for people who blame others for their shortcomings. A therapist helps such people realise that they have landed in a specific situation because of their actions, and it is their responsibility to take themselves out of the same. <h3>ii) Death</h3>This approach helps teach people that the thought of death should not be a source of <a href="https://connectedminds.ai/blogs/understanding-anxiety" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">anxiety</a>. Instead, it should encourage them to live their lives to the fullest. It enables people to take advantage of every opportunity to make their life meaningful. <h3>iii) Isolation</h3>This approach enables the person to think that they live in a constant state of <a href="https://www.noisolation.com/research/what-is-social-isolation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">social isolation</a>, and it is imperative to maintain a healthy relationship with themselves to live a more meaningful life. It reduces the constant and nagging sense of interdependency that a person might have and make them feel self-sufficient. <h3>iv) Meaninglessness</h3>This approach encourages people to identify what they want from life. In doing so, people can become acutely aware of their capabilities and find their way of existing. People tend to think they are living a meaningful life when they have identified their goals. Working towards their goal provides them with a purpose. <h3>THE FOUR REALMS</h3>In existential therapy, it is believed that a person`s experiences throughout their life are defined by the four realms. These realms are: <ul><li>The physical realm: This realm includes all the tangible aspects of a person`s life.</li><li>The personal realm: This realm includes the relationship that people have with themselves.</li><li>The social realm: This realm includes the person`s societal standing and their relationships with others in society and their culture.</li><li>The making realm: This realm includes the values and beliefs that a person possesses.</li></ul> <h2>HOW DOES EXISTENTIAL THERAPY WORK?</h2>Existential therapy helps in making a person more self-aware. It widens their horizons about their perspective in life and also makes them feel more responsible about making confident choices in their lives. Existential therapy isn`t based on a specific technique. It takes a more philosophical approach to deal with a person`s issues. The therapists who practice this form of therapy do not focus much on a person`s past but help their patients identify the opportunities that lie ahead of them. The therapist helps the patient analyse all the past choices and actions that led them to their current situation. This enables the person to have a better insight into their consciousness. It also helps people to let go of their inhibitions about being perfect or having a fixed purpose and being completely free. <h2>LIMITATIONS OF EXISTENTIAL THERAPY</h2>Lack of knowledge is the root cause of several misunderstandings. Similarly, people who do not have a thorough understanding of the principles and theories involved in the branch of existential therapy tend to misunderstand it. Some of the common misconceptions that people might have about existential therapy are as follows: i) Existential therapy is often criticised for being overly intellectual. It is often assumed that people who do not have the ability to delve deep into self-reflection might not be able to benefit from this type of therapy. ii) Existential therapy is perceived as dark and pessimistic because it talks about suffering being a part of life. However, existentialism does not talk about embracing suffering but rather it accepting that it is a part of life and, eventually, it will come to an end. iii) Existential therapy is often perceived as aesthetic. This displeases certain people of varying religious faiths. All of this being said, one of the primary goals of existential therapy is to help make the person face the several anxieties of life. Patients suffering from psychiatric illnesses and those contemplating suicide are highly benefitted from this mode of therapy. This mode of therapy has also proved to be highly beneficial for people suffering from depression and <a href="https://connectedminds.ai/blogs/understanding-ptsd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PTSD</a>. At connectedminds, we`ve many certified therapists having expertise in different types of therapies. Download our <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.connectedminds.prod.release" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mental health application on Android</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.connectedminds.prod.release" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iOS</a>.

 
Do you know what Existential Therapy is and how does it work? In this article, we'll explain the main principles of existential therapy along with its limitations.


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