Discover your motivation

What lights you up and brings colour into your thinking and actions?

Do you know what actually motivates you to be productive?

Does your interest in something rocket when it’s new and exciting and then fall into a lull? Or do you only seem to come alive once a deadline starts breathing down your neck?

For years, I thought there was something wrong with the way I worked. Some people have the self-discipline to plan, to focus for long stretches, to get their work done well before the deadline. I am… not one of those people. I get going when the pressure builds, when the clock starts ticking and the “oh no, I actually have to do this now” feeling arrives.

For most of my school and working life, I assumed this was a character flaw - proof I lacked discipline or was, frankly, lazy. But as my career history clearly demonstrates, I work hard, and I don’t miss deadlines. I might be up half the night to get something done, but it does get done. And, importantly, I’m prepared for it. I don’t leave everything to the last possible moment, and I’m not chaotic, even if it sometimes looks that way.

In reality, I plan (in fact, I over-plan), I think ahead (far ahead), I make lists (too many lists), and I build structure. But my mind flits about like a butterfly on speed and staying focused can feel like trying to pin jelly to a wall.

So how did I stop fighting this, and instead learn to work with the way my brain naturally functions?

I began by letting go of the idea that there was a “normal” way to be productive. I stopped comparing myself to other people whose brains seem to move in a neat, straight line. And I started asking a simple but revealing question:

What actually motivates me? What gets me moving?

Sometimes it’s hard to see your own patterns, so if you’re unsure, ask someone you trust. They’ll often spot things you’ve taken for granted.

Through my own self-reflection, I realised three important things:

1. I need a commitment or a deadline -an external force to spark action. Pressure creates momentum for me.

2. I like structure, but only my structure. I rebel against rules imposed by others, yet thrive when I build my own systems.

3. I needed to understand and accept my motivational style. I’m not lacking discipline. I’m not lazy. I just operate differently.

   
   

Learning this was liberating. Different wasn’t bad. Different was just… different.

And interestingly, once I stopped pretending to “work” during the hours when my brain simply wasn’t going to comply, I gained more time. Why sit at a screen all day forcing it when I know I write best after 4pm? Understanding my rhythm freed me to use my energy more wisely.

Different People Are Motivated in Different Ways

One of the biggest revelations was discovering that motivation is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Psychologists talk about several types of motivation, and once you start recognising them, things suddenly make sense.

• Intrinsic motivation

This is when you do something because you genuinely enjoy it. Think of someone who gets a strange thrill from organising spreadsheets simply because it’s satisfying.

• Extrinsic motivation

This is where I live -deadlines, commitments, promises, accountability. You give me a date, a deliverable, or someone waiting on me and boom, my brain switches on.

• Curiosity-driven (novelty) motivation

Some people thrive on the “new and shiny.” A new notebook, new project, new app, new challenge, they’re energised by the excitement of beginning.

• Achievement motivation

Some are fuelled by the joy of ticking boxes, reaching goals, beating personal bests. They’re the ones who sign up for a marathon six months out and train religiously because the achievement motivates them.

• Routine-based motivation

These people love consistency. They thrive when they follow the same morning routine every day, or when they work in predictable blocks that create momentum through habit rather than excitement.

Most of us don’t rely on just one of these—we cycle through them depending on mood, energy, stress levels, and what else is happening in our lives. Recognising that you have a motivation cycle rather than a fixed identity can be a huge relief.

The Emotional Side of Motivation

What often gets overlooked is that motivation is emotional. Some people need curiosity, some need joy, some need calm, and some, like me, need pressure. Others are motivated by the desire not to let someone down. Emotions signal the brain to start moving.

Once I understood that adrenaline, accountability and obligation were powerful motivators for me, I stopped fighting them and began designing my workflow around them.

How I Use My Motivational Style Now

Since discovering I’m externally motivated, I’ve started putting external forces in place, even when they’re only promises I’ve made to myself.

I use lists. I cross off tasks because the visual progress motivates me. I write notes in a digital notebook because the formatting and changes I can make give me clarity that paper and pen never do (the page gets too messy and I spend time re-doing it - hello more procrastination and distraction). I crave an empty desk and an inbox with nothing lurking inside. Those small wins spur me on.

If you find it hard to create accountability for yourself, ask someone else to do it. Tell them what you will do, and when, and ask them to check in. This alone can make all the difference.

And yes, maybe consider a coach. Someone who can help you identify your style and build a structure that plays to your strengths. I should know!

How to Discover Your Own Motivational Style

If you’re unsure what motivates you, experiment with questions like:

• When do I naturally feel focused?

• What kind of work feels easy, even when it’s hard?

• Do I start strong but fade? Or start slowly and finish with a flourish?

• Do I need variety- or predictability?

• Do I work better when someone else is expecting something from me?

Understanding your own patterns can completely change how productive, and how peaceful, you feel.

Understanding what drives you doesn’t just help you get more done, it helps you feel more at ease with who you are. You stop forcing, stop faking “productivity,” and stop comparing yourself to people whose brains operate differently. Instead, you build systems that match your rhythm.

And once you do that, motivation stops being a struggle and becomes something far more useful: a tool that finally works for you, not against you.

If you find it hard to make yourself accountable in this way then ask someone else to do it – tell them what you are going to do, by when and ask them to hold you to your commitment.

Maybe a coach. They’re good at helping you recognise what works for you. I should know!

Click ‘Book a call’ on the website for a free intro call or email me at louise@careertherapy.co.uk

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If you’d like a clear, UK-based overview of the psychology behind motivation, the British Psychological Society offers a helpful explanation.

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Check out my other articles on careers and confidence: You can grow your confidence, Pick your shine time, 5 steps to building confidence and Want more confidence? Take control.

Photo by Robert Katzki on Unsplash