the word ‘want’) - you will work towards it. And usually, when you want something so badly, there is no space for the word ‘BUT’

Let me assume you need motivation for the following reasons. You need to feel motivated to listen to your teacher’s lessons. You need to be motivated to pick yourself up from bed every morning. You might also need to be slapped with motivation so you can finish up your revision because you have only two weeks left to your finals.

The first step is to stop giving excuses and banking on the motivational factor. Stop lamenting on how you feel so unmotivated. Soon you will form the habit of procrastinating and then you’ll have another area to work on.

I really don’t want to be your third parent but you shouldn’t be having motivational problems in the first place. Studies and achieving good grades should be the only thing in your minds. You know it’s your rice bowl. You should be charging towards your goals with zeal and positivism.

However, not everyone is perfect and some students could really be experiencing the lack of that driving force. Some students could be trying but yet wondering around the same level with no output at all. This problem could have stemmed from the big jump. There is a major change in Primary and Secondary education. There is bound to be some effect, but not very dire. Most students must have been informed about this change and should have psyched themselves before hand. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t be a reason to feel any less motivated.

There are various motivational factors that can help you. Motivation is a big word. It can come from words of praise or words of encouragement. Sometimes our goals and visions become a source of motivation. Some people can get motivated from negative events. Then there is self motivation, which I feel is the best and ever lasting. It’s a process of helping and encouraging yourself. You find ways to talk or persist yourself very tactfully to complete a certain task without the help of anyone else.

Our mind tends to drift far- sometimes even at crucial moments. There are a lot of factors that are associated with motivation such as Concentration, Attitude and Discipline. Remember the abbreviation CAD.

You must have the right attitude. You can’t sit on the study table staring at your pen and expect a downpour of motivation. Nothing is going to happen. Action speaks louder than anything. You must take a step forward.

Let’s work on an example. Imagine you have to complete reading three chapters from your Geography textbook for an upcoming test. Ask yourself if you want to pass the test. Tell yourself that you deserve something good and this time it’s going to be the good grades. Instead of jumping to the text immediately, maybe you can start off by preparing some questions for yourself. Upon seeing the questions, you might develop a desire to find out the answers. Sometimes, curiosity encourages learning. Therefore, you will end up reading and making notes from that particular chapter. Try different methods instead of the usual one. Don’t worry about time- think about the habit you’ll be forming.

Create an atmosphere that captures your attention and directs it’s automatically to your books. Sitting with a group of friends (who WANT to study) can prove beneficial. Having discussions can perk your motivational buds and encourage you to learn more. Furthermore, should you encounter any problems whilst studying in the group; you are not alone to solve it. In fact you will be exposed to different methods of problem-solving. Your friends might have the answers to certain questions and you might have the answers to other questions. In the process of helping each other, you will gain some confidence and self esteem that will rub off on your motivational buds.

Incentives motivate learning as well. Don’t hesitate in pampering yourself a little. Even a firm pat on your own back can mean a lot. You shouldn’t be learning with an expectation of an incentive in return. This is just a perk. Don’t let your vision slip out of your sight and mind. This method is a good push-start but a bad habit. Don’t fall back on it. You must remember that your internal motivation factors (praising yourself, boosting your self confidence) is longer lasting and more self-directive compared to incentives which are a form of external motivation.

Don’t be ashamed of asking for help from your parents or teachers or even friends. They can monitor your progress and offer feedback which might prove useful. Your teachers and parents can create the right kind of environment atmosphere for your learning.

Another question you should ask yourself- are you studying smart? Or are you reading and reading but sub-consciously you are aware nothing is going through your mind?

Have you understood your learning style? Read this article to find out more.

It really depends on what kind of person you are, really. Do you listen to yourself or are you more influenced by someone else, perhaps your mother, cousin, grandmother or even your boyfriend/girlfriend. Do you know how to deal with yourself?

Having motivation or not having it is not the problem here. It’s all about what you want in life and how much and how far you’ll be willing to go for it.