In our profession, motivation is a factor that influences our attitude towards the patient and the therapeutic process. Motivation is what drives our behavior and allows us to make changes in order to achieve goals. It not only pushes us to do something but also helps us to persist in it.
However, at various times, psychological intervention produces professional and personal frustration. Having a good objective analytical capacity and being aware of our professional limitations will help us overcome this frustration, thus allowing us to re-motivate ourselves with what we are doing.
Professionals in the healthcare field often have a high incidence of Burnout syndrome. This appears as a coping and protection mechanism against the stress that can be generated by the relationship between patient and psychologist, as well as between the psychologist and the rest of the professional team (Gil, 2001), which implies that the psychologist feels a sense of professional failure and in interpersonal relationships with patients (Gil-Monte and Peiró, 1997; Gil-Monte, Peiró and Valcárcel, 1998).
Thus, in this case, motivation can serve as a protective factor against Burnout syndrome (just as motivation is important in our daily lives, it is also important when we are in consultation or facing a problem). The motivation for change is what will allow us to move forward and be able to overcome any problem. That’s why the patient’s motivation towards treatment is one of the first things that are tried to achieve in consultation! Therefore, it makes sense for us to feel this same motivation. Without it, carrying out a treatment is meaningless, because if we don’t want to change our behavior or the situation that worries us, we will never achieve evolution or a positive result in our patient.
To learn to motivate ourselves day by day in our profession, it is important to consider these 5 points for those moments when we falter:
Set realistic goals: often, wanting to achieve goals or objectives that, due to the euphoria of wanting to overcome them, we believe we can achieve, leads to more frustration than necessary when we become aware of reality and see that we will not reach the established goal. It is better to start with small, easy-to-reach goals and, little by little, increase the challenge. An example of this is trying to get the patient to reach where we want them to reach. It is important to understand that each patient has their own therapeutic process and we must respect their pace. This will help to program realistic and more personalized goals for them.
Condition yourself daily to stay motivated: it is as easy to be motivated as it is not to be. Just as we are satisfied when we eat but then get hungry again, the same happens with motivation. If you are aware that every day you must motivate yourself a little, you will have achieved a lot!
Channel motivation into your emotions: motivation is just another state that our psyche is capable of feeling. So, nourish it with all feelings to give it strength. Have you ever tried writing a list of all the emotions you feel when you think about what you want to achieve? This simple exercise will help you understand if any personal state is interfering with your professional work. Sometimes, the stories patients bring activate our own stories. Being aware that we have limitations as professionals is the best tool to avoid falling into deontological errors and endangering the patient’s well-being.
Transform “defeats” into learning: often a relapse or a negative event becomes a demotivating factor that saddens us and hinders us from continuing with the goal we have set. However, it is better to think that it is not a failure, but a lesson. So, take a few minutes to think about what is good in that negative event, what you can do to prevent it from happening again, and take it as an impulse to overcome yourself.
Seize your best moments: life is not a straight line, therefore there are ups and downs. The exact same thing happens at work. You will have periods where you achieve all your professional goals and others where everything seems to go wrong. Make use of the most powerful stages and those in which you feel strongest to take a step further with your objectives.