{"id":11476,"date":"2025-09-17T10:02:37","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T15:02:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/?p=11476"},"modified":"2025-09-17T10:22:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T15:22:07","slug":"how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Find Motivation When You Have NONE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Actually, everyone DOES want to work. We\u2019re built to find meaning through work, so how do we cope when motivation disappears?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: 131: How To Find Motivation When You Have NONE\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/1ckyExcyCbPCjxNnsOCeVu?si=2nq1rQ-FT92BeJp0Y2puOQ&#038;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Actually_Everyone_Does_Want_To_Work\"><\/span>Actually, Everyone Does Want To Work<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6986cbdb468be\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6986cbdb468be\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#Actually_Everyone_Does_Want_To_Work\" >Actually, Everyone Does Want To Work<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#How_To_Get_Motivated\" >How To Get Motivated<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#Intrinsic_Motivation_and_Extrinsic_Motivation\" >Intrinsic Motivation and Extrinsic Motivation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#1_Ditch_rewards_and_punishments\" >1. Ditch rewards and punishments<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#2_Focus_on_the_long_term\" >2. Focus on the long term<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#3_Engage_more_freely\" >3. Engage more freely<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#Lack_of_Motivation_Causes\" >Lack of Motivation Causes<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#Autonomy\" >Autonomy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#Four_Ts\" >Four T\u2019s<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/how-to-find-motivation-when-you-have-none\/#Manifesting_Autonomy\" >Manifesting Autonomy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>There are countless lies that \u201csociety\u201d conditions us to believe. In a way, the Spiritually Inspired podcast\/Susbtack is exposing each of them in turn. One by one. Dismantling the establishment through the lens of magic and mindfulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>However, these lies about the human psyche are damaging and oppressive. They are continuously perpetuated&nbsp;<em>on purpose<\/em>&nbsp;to make change or growth seem impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>The one that\u2019s currently pissing me off the most is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo one wants to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Or, similarly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo one would work if they had the choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Both of these statements are damn dirty lies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>And I don\u2019t&nbsp;<em>just&nbsp;<\/em>mean in a political, supposed \u201clabor shortage\u201d context. I also mean in a psychological, fundamentally human context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I can feel my cheeks getting red from frustration, and I\u2019ve barely even started. So I apologize if I come off as quite passionate about this topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>But I feel very strongly that we have it all wrong. The big businesses and governing bodies are designed to be demotivating, and the people who run them are well aware of this fact and are purposely not doing anything about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Welcome to Spiritually Inspired \u2728 your place in the Universe where spirit and science come together for manifesting on purpose.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/sararaeh.substack.com\/subscribe\" class=\"custom-button\">Click Here!<\/a>\n\n<style>\n  .custom-button {\n    display: inline-block;\n    background-color: #c9e4e2;\n    color: white !important;\n    font-weight: bold;\n    padding: 12px 24px;\n    text-decoration: none;\n    border-radius: 8px;\n    transition: background-color 0.3s ease;\n  }\n\n  .custom-button:hover {\n    background-color: #ff7c81;\n    color: white !important; \/* Force white text *\/\n    text-decoration: none;   \/* Ensure no underline appears *\/\n  }\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Humans are naturally creative and driven. Our instinct is to explore and see what we can make. We are inherently motivated to act. That is the default state of a human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>So how come so many of us struggle to do the most basic things? Let alone the big things. That\u2019s what I want to talk about in this post today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>How to find motivation when you have none, and how you likely got there in the first place. If you feel highly driven and ambitious, or have all but given up on taking action, this episode is for you. Read on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!gt54!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8fc996e6-8b48-43ab-9ebb-e0aef7e845e4_1000x1500.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!gt54!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8fc996e6-8b48-43ab-9ebb-e0aef7e845e4_1000x1500.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Experience Reiki in a whole new way\u2014gentle, guided meditations infused with healing energy.<\/em> <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/shop\/\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Click here!<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Get_Motivated\"><\/span>How To Get Motivated<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>This is another episode inspired by another awesome book that I highly recommend. It\u2019s a psychology book that mainly focuses on workplace and business motivation; however, it\u2019s extremely applicable to our spiritual awakenings (and indeed all areas of life).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>The book is called&nbsp;<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/47qCp4L\">Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I was blown away by this one. I originally checked it out at the library because a beautiful client of mine was struggling with motivation, with the hope that I would learn a few things that could improve my ability to coach her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>She said to me, \u201cI know what I should be doing, I simply don\u2019t do it, and I can\u2019t figure out why. I can\u2019t bring myself to take action on any of the plans I make.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>After our sessions together, she finally felt confident and motivated enough to take the leap towards her manifestations. It was amazing to witness the transformation from completely unmotivated to ambitious and even accomplished. Her manifestations came barrelling into her life at full speed after that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>So what changed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s simple. We just decided to focus on intrinsic motivators instead of extrinsic motivators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION-500x500.png 500w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GUIDED-REIKI-MEDITATION.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Affirmations for Going Through Change: Reiki-infused guided meditation with soothing background music as we recite supportive affirmations.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/open.substack.com\/pub\/sararaeh\/p\/affirmations-for-going-through-change?r=ajvi2&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;showWelcomeOnShare=true\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Click here!<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Intrinsic_Motivation_and_Extrinsic_Motivation\"><\/span>Intrinsic Motivation and Extrinsic Motivation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Which turns out to be eerily similar to switching between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset, which I have talked about extensively on this podcast (<a href=\"https:\/\/spotifycreators-web.app.link\/e\/S6IYRXCkAWb\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">specifically episode 121<\/span><\/strong><\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Being intrinsically motivated puts emphasis on the joy of the activity itself, rather than on any potential rewards gained from doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>We want to be intrinsically motivated because that\u2019s where&nbsp;<em>true&nbsp;<\/em>fulfillment, enjoyment, happiness, and peace exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Motivation isn\u2019t elusive, not intrinsically. There are just some blocks in the way, and all we have to do is clear them. Easy! Starting with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Ditch_rewards_and_punishments\"><\/span>1. Ditch rewards and punishments<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>This goes against nearly all standard operating procedures in systemized organizations. We\u2019re all expecting some kind of reward or punishment if\/when we do certain things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>And many people believe the only way to be motivated to do&nbsp;<em>anything at all<\/em>&nbsp;is if we get some kind of reward for doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf I work eight hours, then I earn $160. If I complete all my chores, then I get to eat a candy bar. If I come in first place, then I get a trophy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>But psychological studies of human behavior are proving this to be&nbsp;<em>false.<\/em>&nbsp;In fact, 128 of them are showing that tangible rewards have a substantially negative effect on intrinsic motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf-then\u201d rewards actually&nbsp;<em>decrease<\/em>&nbsp;motivation, satisfaction, and creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Eventually, these rewards become the&nbsp;<em>only<\/em>&nbsp;reason to act, which completely squishes all our intrinsic motivation (meaning we no longer feel any kind of joy or fulfillment from the thing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>And eventually, the rewards will&nbsp;<em>have<\/em>&nbsp;to get bigger because otherwise, motivation dips even&nbsp;more. This continues the cycle of external motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Focus_on_the_long_term\"><\/span>2. Focus on the long term<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf-then\u201d rewards encourage short-term thinking only. What we need to be happy, successful, and fulfilled in life is long-term thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>This also helps us be more mindful about what we\u2019re spending our time doing. \u201cDoes this support my long-term vision?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s fine to be motivated by instant gratification sometimes. There are studies that show if-then rewards are quite successful in the short-term when used to complete repetitive tasks that require no creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>But the second we step beyond the mundane tasks and into the more inspired tasks, we want to be thinking of the big picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Engage_more_freely\"><\/span>3. Engage more freely<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Autonomy is key in motivation. It has to be&nbsp;<em>your choice<\/em>&nbsp;to engage. This was my biggest takeaway from the book Drive because it really spoke to what I feel the workforce needs most right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>We want to find those perfect \u201cgoldy locks tasks\u201d that aren\u2019t too easy or too challenging. Where the challenge is exciting and not daunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cOne source of frustration in the workplace is the frequent mismatch between what people must do and what people can do. When what they must do exceeds their capabilities, the result is anxiety. When what they must do falls short of their capabilities, the result is boredom. But when the match is just right, the results can be glorious.\u201d \u2013 Daniel Pink<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>When we\u2019re free to choose how we spend our time and energy, we\u2019ll inevitably spend it doing something that brings us joy. Or at least something that brings a&nbsp;<em>sliver<\/em>&nbsp;of happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf-then\u201d rewards require people to give up a portion of their autonomy, which is a major motivation killer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Humans&nbsp;<em>want<\/em>&nbsp;to be engaged. It\u2019s part of our design. When that desire leaves us, we\u2019re left feeling very empty and helpless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if it seems small, make it a point to freely engage in your favorite activities for the pure sake of enjoyment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll be shocked at how quickly your motivation fills back up when you\u2019re the one in charge of what you\u2019re doing and creating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Spiritually Inspired is member-supported!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/em><strong>\ud83d\udc96Subscribe for free &#8211; never miss a post \ud83e\udd70 Upgrade to paid &#8211; get bonus reiki meditations \ud83d\ude4f<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/sararaeh.substack.com\/subscribe\" class=\"custom-button\">Click Here!<\/a>\n\n<style>\n  .custom-button {\n    display: inline-block;\n    background-color: #c9e4e2;\n    color: white !important;\n    font-weight: bold;\n    padding: 12px 24px;\n    text-decoration: none;\n    border-radius: 8px;\n    transition: background-color 0.3s ease;\n  }\n\n  .custom-button:hover {\n    background-color: #ff7c81;\n    color: white !important; \/* Force white text *\/\n    text-decoration: none;   \/* Ensure no underline appears *\/\n  }\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lack_of_Motivation_Causes\"><\/span>Lack of Motivation Causes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>As I mentioned before, my client was feeling very unmotivated to take action on her manifestation dreams. Do you relate to that right now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Somewhere along the way, the joy has been lost. Whatever rewards we may have received in the past no longer hold the same value. There\u2019s no reason to chase after a reward you don\u2019t truly want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, what all humans want is happiness, fulfillment, love, and acceptance. These things don\u2019t come from extrinsic influences. They come from intrinsic satisfactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re feeling a total lack of motivation in any capacity, I highly encourage you to engage in some activity&nbsp;<em>just for the pure joy of it.<\/em>&nbsp;Let go of expectations and overly strict instructions. Permit yourself to play!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Pink and the 128 psychological studies he reviewed for a better understanding of human motivation, if we have autonomy over our time, our tasks, our technique, and our team, our intrinsic motivation gets a natural boost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I thought this part of the book was really interesting. It resonated deeply because I felt the truth of it within my own experiences. So let\u2019s break this down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Autonomy\"><\/span>Autonomy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Autonomy is everyone\u2019s most prized possession. As soon as we start losing our autonomy, our freedom of choice, stress and anxiety set in. Among many other&nbsp;<em>painful<\/em>&nbsp;emotions, losing our autonomy means losing a piece of our humanness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone has free will; this is a Law of the Universe. However, our modern society is deliberately set up in such a way that individuals are left with little to no choice in many matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>This idea is ultimately where the idea of \u201cno one would work if they didn\u2019t have to\u201d came from. People were coerced into taking full-time jobs they didn\u2019t necessarily want, all of which squandered their motivation, so of&nbsp;<em>course,<\/em>&nbsp;they wouldn&#8217;t do them if they didn\u2019t&nbsp;<em>have<\/em>&nbsp;to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, that\u2019s not true. Humans are intrinsically motivated, but only when it\u2019s something that&nbsp;<em>matters<\/em>&nbsp;to them. And when they\u2019re not constantly worrying about other things like paying the bills or facing toxic people, or doing tasks they despise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>When people feel safe and comfortable, they naturally find something to work on. Something they care about. So it\u2019s not&nbsp;<em>entirely<\/em>&nbsp;true to say that people wouldn\u2019t work if they had the choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s more accurate to say people wouldn\u2019t work on things they don\u2019t care about if they had the choice, but they do anyway because they\u2019re in a culture that requires the \u201crewards\u201d reaped from doing that mundane work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Four_Ts\"><\/span>Four T\u2019s<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>If we have autonomy over our time, our tasks, our technique, and our team, we can accomplish anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing what we do, how we do it, when we do it, and who we do it is the ideal situation, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t just some optimistic dream that\u2019s only possible for wealthy people. This is a new way of looking at our human needs so we can meet them and be happier, more fulfilled, motivated, and all the things!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>You might not realize it yet because you\u2019re SO used to lacking autonomy, but you have plenty of opportunities to mold your obligations to suit your freedom needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I have had multiple clients negotiate a four-day work week successfully. I once transferred departments completely at work because it was a better fit, and there was zero resistance. I\u2019ve known people to completely rewrite their company procedures because they found their own way of completing the work more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I challenge you to look around at where you feel the most oppressed, and get creative on how you can improve the external situation. Ironically, that will improve your intrinsic motivation by eliminating a lot of stress factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Manifesting_Autonomy\"><\/span>Manifesting Autonomy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m now working on manifesting more autonomy in my life. Autonomy over my time, over my projects and how I get things done, and over who I do it with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>All because those are the four T\u2019s all humans deserve to have, so they can cultivate intrinsic motivation. Time, tasks, technique, and team. (Remember that&nbsp;<em>Drive&nbsp;<\/em>speaks directly to business owners and managers, but the idea is perfectly transferable).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>When I was in high school, I took&nbsp;<em>all<\/em>&nbsp;the journalism classes because I loved writing and the teacher, and I was part of the school\u2019s newspaper as well. Never once did I care what my grades were in those classes, because all four of the autonomy T\u2019s were being met for me. So the grade wasn\u2019t motivating me in the slightest. I cared only about doing fantastic work on the projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>The journalism\/English teacher (who was such a role model for me!) was also the teacher who led the newspaper club. She nurtured these intrinsic motivators, and as a result, I learned&nbsp;<em>so much.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I had freedom over how I spent my time in the journalism classes and during the club meetings, especially as I eventually became editor of the paper \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I also had freedom over my technique. She taught me the skill of newspaper column writing, then cut me loose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I had so much fun experimenting with different ways of finding and creating stories, and I vividly remember doing all that work so many years later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>I had freedom over my team because I helped recruit new writers for the paper, which, of course, were my friends! Being surrounded by people I like being with made the work even&nbsp;<em>more<\/em>&nbsp;enjoyable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>So I\u2019m using this experience to tap into the energy of autonomy I want to cultivate more of in my life now. I remember how it feels to be&nbsp;<em>swimming<\/em>&nbsp;with intrinsic motivation, even if I had no idea that term even existed until this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>And now I want to invite you to consider doing the same. How can you cultivate more freedom of choice in your life? What\u2019s violating your autonomy right now, and how can you remove it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Thank you for reading!<\/strong><\/em><strong>&nbsp;\ud83d\ude4f&nbsp;<\/strong><em><strong>And an extra special thank you to the Spiritually Inspired Subscribers! Your continued support keeps my heart full and this brand alive.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/em><strong>\ud83e\udd70<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/sararaeh.substack.com\/subscribe\" class=\"custom-button\">Click Here!<\/a>\n\n<style>\n  .custom-button {\n    display: inline-block;\n    background-color: #c9e4e2;\n    color: white !important;\n    font-weight: bold;\n    padding: 12px 24px;\n    text-decoration: none;\n    border-radius: 8px;\n    transition: background-color 0.3s ease;\n  }\n\n  .custom-button:hover {\n    background-color: #ff7c81;\n    color: white !important; \/* Force white text *\/\n    text-decoration: none;   \/* Ensure no underline appears *\/\n  }\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"the spiritually inspired podcast\" class=\"wp-image-11320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-2048x2048.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-500x500.png 500w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-1280x1280.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-1920x1920.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/podcast-blog-post-graphic-1-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Actually, everyone DOES want to work. We\u2019re built to find meaning through work, so how do we cope when motivation disappears? Actually, Everyone Does Want To Work There are countless lies that \u201csociety\u201d conditions us to believe. In a way, the Spiritually Inspired podcast\/Susbtack is exposing each of them in turn. One by one. Dismantling [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11489,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-11476","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-growth","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11476"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11485,"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11476\/revisions\/11485"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spirituallyinspired.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}