On Motivation

“Motivation is garbage” (excuse the language)… a quote I’ve heard from the mouth of a fitness nutritionist I follow on YouTube. She was quoting someone (probably an author) saying this striking statement, and went on to explain that you don’t really need to feel motivated in order to start exercising or following a healthy diet; all you need is to just do it. This short video didn’t just pass… it stuck with me for some time.

I personally found this quote to be extremely shocking. A firm believer in the transformational power of Motivation, I had read lots of self-help books in high school and watched loads of motivational videos as a university student. I have always thought that motivation is the inner trigger, the main driver towards doing almost anything. Whatever it is to be done: be it studying, work, exercise, diet or even a mere family visit, I always felt I had to be motivated to do it or else I won’t.

The above quote, though, has been a game changer for me. Something deep within me told me that it’s probably right and that I should give it a try. Studying with my middle child has been especially dreadful for me and I found myself postponing it a couple of times for lack of motivation. What happens if I do not sit down to study with him? This 7-year-old will not read or write on his own and would rather play. Same goes to this Islamic studies class; I missed listening to the lectures a couple of times just because I wasn’t feeling like it.

So I decided I would just “show up” for the tasks at hand without being slightly motivated. I tackled some lessons with my son and guess what? It turned out much better than expected! Yes, I may not have been smiling all the time, I may not have performed my best but I got it over and done with… and this is exactly what I needed. As for the lectures I had to listen to, I started out inattentive but soon the lecture seemed engaging as it unfolded and I felt ready to listen to another one, too. Even this article I’m currently typing, I just decided to do it without further ado although I would have put it off for later.

One component we often overlook yet I believe is key to success is Allah’s Tawfique. “Tawfique” is a unique Islamic concept that roughly means Divine Assistance. If you have God’s Tawfique, you have everything, and He will make the means of success available for you. In today’s materialistic world, unfortunately, we forgot all about Divine Assistance and that without Him, we can do nothing. Whatever good one is capable of doing, it is He who has facilitated it.

Disclaimer: What you just read above is a mere observation and a personal opinion of mine, not based on any kind of scientific research or studies.