MOTIVATION
Improve willingness to work hard
to complete academic goals
• Are you the type of student who finds it very easy to get
motivated to sit down and do your homework, go to
class, study for a test?
• Are you a student who wants to do well in school, and
are motivated to do whatever it takes, make whatever
sacrifices are necessary, to succeed?
If so, this workshop will not be necessary for you.
If not, read on!
Some students have the best intentions and want to do
well in school, get a degree, find a decent job. They just
can’t find a way to get motivated to do the hard work!
Other priorities get in the way. We may be lazy, fear
failure, or not see the relevance in what we are doing.
**Being motivated means to want something.**
Motivation guides our behavior. For example, food is
necessary to life, so our motivation to eat is generally
pretty strong. Motivation to do enjoyable activities is
also fairly easy since the payoff is something we really
like and the rewards are immediate.
**We are willing to work hard for things we
value.**
The more we want something, the harder we are willing
to work to get it!
Thus, to find the motivation to do well in school (attend
class, study, do homework), we have to:
▫ Want to do it
▫ Value it
▫ Be willing to work hard to get it!
What do you want?
When considering a class or an assignment, think about
what you want.
▫ Do you want to get an “A” in the class?
▫ Do you want to learn the material?
▫ Do you simply want to get through it and pass?
Why do you want it?
What value does this particular course or assignment hold
for you?
▫ Is it a requirement for the class? Necessary to your
major?
▫ Is it something you need to learn for your career?
Something that interests you?
▫ Will succeeding in this class show that you are able to
master something new and difficult? Will you feel a
sense of accomplishment?
Personal Application
Think about your current classes and note what you want
in each class as well as the reasons for wanting it.
Class
What do you want?
Why do you want it?
Now that you have convinced yourself that the school work
is something you want to do and something that you value,
the next step is to act on it.
All the motivation in the world won’t do any good unless
you do something about it!
Address Things that Get in the Way
• Think about what may hinder your motivation?
▫ Do you have a poor attitude?
▫ Do other priorities get in the way?
▫ Do you have poor study habits?
• Refer to our other workshops to address these barriers.
Your WCCC instructor, tutor, or counselor also can help.
Ways to Motivate Yourself
• Remind yourself what you want and why you want it
▫ Write it down and refer to it often
• Set small, attainable tasks
▫ Break up larger tasks into smaller ones, making sure to
meet deadlines
• Reward yourself after completion of each task
▫ Do something enjoyable afterwards such as call a
friend, watch tv, take a nap, go for a walk, etc.
Ways to Motivate Yourself – cont.
• Think about how to make the task more enjoyable
▫ Could you study with a friend, snack, listen to music,
sit in your comfortable chair?
• Practice positive self-talk
▫ Keep encouraging yourself with words that motivate
you to do your best, or find inspirational quotes from
others.
• Keep going – don’t give up!
▫ You’ll develop perseverance by working hard toward
your goals, and this will become a helpful habit toward
all areas of your life.
Conclusion
Remember – motivation comes from wanting
something and being willing to work hard to get it.
Find value in your college education, and don’t let
anything get in your way!
Resources at WCCC
WCCC offers several resources that can help student
improve their motivation and study habits:
College Learning Center, Founders Hall, Room 565, 724-925-4135
Disability Services, Founders Hall, Room 130, 724-925-4189
Counseling Services, Founders Hall, Room 130, 724-925-4121
Student Services Support Assistants, Founders Hall, Room 555,
724-925-6893
References
“Find your motivation & translate it into action” (2013).
Sanger Learning Center. The School of Undergraduate
Studies, The University of Texas at Austin.
Mastery Quiz
1. T/F - We need motivation in order to do something.
2. T/F – We are willing to work hard for things we value.
3. What are three ways you can improve your motivation?
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Mastery Quiz – cont.
4. What are some of the things that get in the way of your motivation to
attend class or study? (check all that apply)
_____ not really want to take class
_____ would rather do other things
_____ not enough time
_____ study skills not effective
_____ procrastinator
_____ worried about not doing well
_____ not like the instructor
_____ other: _______________________________
5. What is one thing you have learned from this workshop that you will
apply right away:
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Evaluation
Please take a moment to complete our brief survey. You may print it (Ctrl-P in the design view) and return
it to the College Learning Center, Founders Hall Room 565.
Name of workshop: ________________ Date taken: __________
Using the following scale, please rate each item below.
(1) Not very much (2) Somewhat not (3) Somewhat (4) Very much
 After completing this workshop, my knowledge has increased on this
subject: ____
 I found the information in this workshop to be helpful to me: ____
 I am likely to use the information in this workshop in my life: ____
 Other comments: ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Thank You!!!