Dr Leela R. Magavi’s research suggests that motivation can be a tool to combat the inevitable stress of life, and that the presence of it can actually help us age better and live longer.

“It also fosters creativity and improves cognition, and subsequently leads to success in all areas of life, including relationships and work performance,” she writes in a 2021 Journals of Gerontology paper on the study of ageing. “It helps to cultivate a stronger sense of self, which often leads to improved physical health and wellbeing.”

So why do so many of us struggle with finding and maintaining motivation, and what can we do to get it back during a slump?

Recent research says that the answer lies in better understanding the four pillars of self-motivation.

“To motivate yourself, you need to either change the situation or change your understanding of the situation,” explains Arash Emamzadeh in an article for Psychology Today.

“Self-motivation means being driven by a personal desire to set valued goals and to focus on, commit to, and move toward these goals despite obstacles,” and indeed, there are four distinct elements we can better understand in order to increase it.

The 4 steps to becoming more motivated and achieve your goals, according to a psychologist