Do you sometimes find it hard to get motivated for an important task? Could it be you don’t find the task interesting?

There are two types of motivation—internal and external. When you do something to receive a reward or avoid some sort of “punishment” it’s because you’re externally motivated. The problem, in this case, is that when the motivator is no longer there the motivation wanes.

On the other hand, when you are internally motivated to perform a task you likely find it interesting, enjoyable, or satisfying in some way. So, what if, say, organizing a room is not fun or interesting to you. How could you get yourself to do it?

Possible solutions:

• Pair the task with something you enjoy. For example, put on 20 minutes of your favorite music and organize during that time.
• Get a body double. That’s someone who will sit with you, or even help out, while you work on your task.
• Look at your values. If you value integrity, tell someone what you’ll be doing and when you’ll do it. Then, have them ask you how it went.
• Perhaps you value competition. Set up a game with a friend or family member to see who gets their task accomplished first.

There are many ways to make your task interesting or meaningful. A good place to start is with your mindset; “I get to” things tends to be much more fun than “I have to” things.

-Sydney Metrick