As humans, we are naturally hard-wired to be motivated.

The need to survive, conquer, and feel pleasure is inherent within our brain’s internal reward system, which drives us to work towards achieving simple and complex goals. However, in today’s complicated world, our desire to achieve our goals can be thrown off by internal conflicting desires and outside forces.

Most of us have witnessed the great pleasure and rewards of the brain’s reward system that drives motivation. So, what puts us at risk of losing it? What blocks us from completing the goal or project? 

3 Daily Motivation Killers

• Stress: Not all stress is bad, but once we reach the tipping point of burnout, we begin a downward spiral that diminishes clarity and productivity. 
• Poor Physical Health: What we eat, if we exercise, and our sleeping patterns directly impact brain health and cognition. Poor choices and neglecting our physical health can dramatically affect our performance.
• Negative Communication: Our WORDS matter. Our internal thoughts and the language we use with others have associated meanings that impact us consciously and unconsciously. For example, consider the word “No” versus the word “Yes.” Each word triggers different emotions within us based on past experiences and learned associations. Take a moment to test this on yourself: say “No” out loud, followed by “Yes.” Observe your emotional response to each word – what emotions rise to the surface? When thoughts and words with negative associations outweigh those positive, our cognitive performance decelerates, and we become stuck.

By understanding the basics of how our brain functions, we can learn to reignite a stalled passion or stay on track to complete a difficult task. A mindful pause, for example, is a powerful tool to refocus and spark motivation.

Activate Motivation with Ease 

When entering a state of relaxation, we send fewer signals to our prefrontal cortex (key brain structure of our executive brain) and give our mind space to connect with our intuition and self-awareness. During this pause, we become aware of tension in our body, unhealthy ruminating thoughts, and self-defeating patterns.

As we become aware of mental and emotional roadblocks, we can make conscious decisions to shift harmful behaviors into actions that align with our desires and goals. Thus, creating feelings of success and activating motivation in the reward center of our brain!

By taking a few mindful moments throughout the day to “check-in,” we amplify motivation, improve cognitive performance, side steps “motivation kills, to have more success, fulfillment, and joy in different areas of our lives.

Enhancing Motivation Through Cognitive Performance

Cognitive Performance methodologies are designed to empower you and your teams with tools to stay motivated and live with more ease and satisfaction ­– while performing at the highest level. Founded in evidence-based neuroscience and neuropsychology principles, the CARE^© framework leverages our executive brain functions to break harmful patterns, enhance motivation, and effect neuroplasticity change.

Download the Become Extraordinary! eBook to learn 7 additional techniques to get unstuck and rekindle your motivation!