Motivation ≠ Perseverance
Motivation is not just perseverance. It is not fortitude or mental toughness either.
Psychologists use motivation as a term encompassing the three skills of drive, grit, and goal-setting.
That’s right; those three are skills you can develop and not just some God-given talent or genetic predisposition you have or have not.
Perseverance is then something you only have to rely on once you run out of drive.
Drive is a powerful and emotional motivator that you can grow, focus on, and align with whatever goal you are after. If you are curious or passionate about your goal or even find your purpose, you’ll want to work on it as soon as you wake up.
If you are motivated, it will still take effort and hard work to accomplish your goal, but it will feel like play. It won’t wear you down.
Growing your drive usually requires you to focus on it. Often, people stack multiple types of drive together.
Examples can be physical; your sleep, nutrition, hydration, and exercise have to be sufficient to facilitate chasing your goal. Nobody will last long enough to attain a challenging goal on days with 2 hours of sleep, no movement, and just fast food.
Drivers can be external, like money, fame, or sex. Drivers can be internal, like striving for mastery and autonomy.
