Are you also caught up in the myths and misconceptions you hear about motivation? False beliefs that may deprive you of a chance to achieve your goals?

 We all like to think that we have a very good understanding of what motivates us. The fact is that most of us are surprisingly blind to the psychological factors that contribute to our success and failure. 

Research has shown that people are not only sometimes very weak and do not know what will make them happy, but also underestimate what is really needed to achieve their goals. 

Join us in this article to know 10 myths and misconceptions about motivation that hinder your success.

Myths and misconceptions about motivation

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most important myths and misconceptions about motivation, which may hinder your motivation .

1. Money is the ultimate motivation

Money can certainly be a great motivational tool, but some people mistakenly attach too much importance to financial rewards and ignore other factors that may ultimately play a greater role in their motivation and happiness.

If you choose a job just because it pays well, but you are unaware that it is in a bad place, you have horrible hours and you do not have free time to spend with your family, are financial rewards really compensating for all this? Is it negative? It may be acceptable for a while, but it is possible that you will eventually feel stressed about going to work and have no motivation.

Research has shown that people who seek financial motivation primarily suffer from poor mental health through a variety of psychological measures.

2. If you are smart, you do not need to be motivated

People often believe that being smart is the key to success, but researchers have found that intelligence certainly does not always predict success. In a popular longitudinal study of gifted children by Lewis Terman, some of the smartest people later lived very mediocre lives and did not achieve significant success. You may be smart, but that does not mean that motivation does not play a role in your success.

3. Visualizing success makes dreams come true

Self-help groups often express the power of visualization in such a way that you imagine yourself achieving your goals, and this helps you to achieve them.

On the other hand, psychological research suggests that visualization may sometimes not have a positive effect. If you imagine yourself successful right away, your motivation to get there and achieve that goal will actually decrease. A better strategy is to visualize yourself taking the necessary steps to achieve your goals.

If you want to lose weight, imagine eating a healthy diet and exercising instead of losing weight right away.

4. More rewards lead to more motivation

If you want someone to do something, offering a big reward is a surefire way to motivate, right? The problem, however, is that researchers have found that sometimes these rewards can backfire.

When you reward someone for something they did and already had an inherent motivation to do, the result is often a reduction in motivation, what psychologists refer to as the effect of extreme justification. Rewards can evoke action when one really needs some kind of motivation to do something, but reinforcers must be used carefully and obsessively.

5. Fear is a great way to motivate

Threats of punishment or punishment can certainly provoke action, but often only work for a short period of time. Rewards can be deceptive, but research has shown that motivation is usually a more effective strategy than punishment.

6. Just trying is enough

Think about the last time you tried a hard job. Before entering the square, going on stage, or entering the boardroom, someone may approach you and encourage you to “do your best.” These eight words are thought to be a great motivator, but research has shown that they can actually be mediocre. Researchers have found that setting specific and difficult goals motivates motivation, performance, and success more than anything else.

The next time you set a goal, choose something special and raise your expectations of yourself.

7. Instead of trying, you should praise your talent

Psychologist Carol Duke suggests that focusing on innate talents instead of trying can reduce motivation. If you believe that people are born with a certain set of talents (an approach known as a fixed mindset), you need to believe that no effort can change the outcome.

Developing a growth-oriented mindset, or the belief that individuals can change and grow their abilities through effort and sacrifice, can be a more motivating approach. One way to cultivate this mindset is to praise your efforts instead of focusing on talent.

8. Willpower is all you need to achieve your goals

People often believe that the will is decisive in achieving the goal. In the American Psychological Association’s annual survey of stress in the United States, respondents cited a lack of willpower as the only major deterrent to achieving their goals. Willpower is certainly an important part of this motivational puzzle, but it certainly is not everything!

Commitment, your desire to achieve goals, the types of incentives you will receive, and even the obstacles you face play important roles. When you want to be motivated, make a plan that takes these factors into account, not just rely on willpower and adjust everything accordingly.

9. You have to wait for the right motivation to be found

Sometimes you are lucky and inspiration comes at the right time. Everything seems to elevate you in a wave of motivation and lead you to achieve your goals. These are great moments, but waiting for them to come is wrong. Sometimes it takes a lot of motivation to reach your goals.

You may have to sit down and make a list of your goals and make a step-by-step plan to achieve them. You may have to join a club or get help from friends to be motivated. Sometimes you may even need to inspire yourself with the promise of reward.

10. Writing goals is the key to success

Writing goals can be a very effective motivational tool, but it will not work without supporting those goals alone. Motivational speakers often want to argue that simply writing down your goals is a motivational drug, but there is no research to support these claims.

Instead of just writing down your goals, focus on the actual recording of each step you take and the efforts you make each day to achieve your goals.

Tactics that can improve motivation

After all, which methods really help people to be more motivated? Behavioral economist Dan Ariel in his Ted Talk, “What Makes Us Feel Good About Our Work?” He pointed to several studies that show some effective motivational tactics.

Purposeful work can improve motivation . Seeing the results of your efforts can motivate and lead to better performance.

– Appreciation. People who feel that their efforts have been accepted work harder and longer, while those who feel neglected need more motivation to keep working.

Hard work can motivate. Think about some of your biggest accomplishments. Getting the ones that make you proud has been the hardest part for you. The harder the task, the greater the motivation and reward