When You Need Motivation

Music was highly valued in my household growing up. My mother insisted that each of her four children learnt a musical instrument. We just had to pick one. She understood the importance of music for development in many areas assisting both the mathematical and artistic abilities. I chose the beautiful melodic instrument of the violin. So from age 7, I had about six violin lessons per week, practiced two to three hours a day, and was actively involved in competitions and performances. My violin teacher would drill every aspect of a musical piece until it was perfect. Sometimes we would spend six months perfecting one piece.

When it comes to learning a new skill, discipline and practice are required. But is it practice alone that leads to “perfection”? In my story, certainly not. All those hours of practice would have been useless without my brilliant teacher who guided each aspect of the performance, imparting all his years of training onto his students.

As adult learners, it can be difficult to acquire a new skill. Our brains have locked into our expertise and industries. If we haven’t been actively involved in learning programs, it can be a challenge to receive new knowledge. It requires humility, fluidity and a particular attitude of devotion to acquiring the new skill. We can feel out of control and disarmed when undergoing new training.

The largest contributor to the exponential increase in wealth over the past 100 years has been (you guessed it) knowledge. I learnt this in a Growth and Sustainability course I took at a university last year. Despite the transition cost of reentering a learning space after much time out of the classroom environment, the rewards outweigh the costs by a great portion.

An attitude of being open to learn is a quality great leaders hold, embracing the fact that we all have limitations and there will always be more knowledge to acquire. Understanding that new knowledge will only enhance your work helps. Practice also helps. But beyond that, the ingredient of an instructor who is there to guide each aspect of your development is key.

Speaking in public is as much of an art as playing any musical instrument. If anything, it’s more difficult because there are no prewritten music notes. Everything happens in real time and every word is important, carrying consequences. Speech is far more risky than music. Organizations like Toastmasters understood this very well, making an effort to open up speaking clubs across the United States in the early 1900s.

In today’s world, communication is much more complex with 1000 times more risk. With international trade and social media, cross-cultural communication and messaging are paramount. Using nuance and cultural sensitivity while still being authentic is a challenge. A large part of the challenge is also related to identity. The pace of change and variety of choice often leaves us in a state of identity crisis.

A few weeks ago, I presented a speech at the African Startup Awards on the crucial role EdTech plays in accelerating growth. Educational technology is made up of learning design, course content, software, quality instructors but most of all… an attitude of willingness to learn from students. Without this last ingredient, the technology simply cannot work.

Motivation is both intrinsic and extrinsic. Internal factors lead us to devoting to acquiring a new skill. The motive could be an increase in income, change of lifestyle, or self-development. External factors such as living environments, economic stability, or conflict could negatively impact the engagement in the learning process.

Perfection may not exist but goals and dreams do. Reaching those goals and dreams, however, requires the cooperation of all sides of the education coin: discipline, great teachers and coaches, supportive software, engaging content, practice, and a willing attitude of students.

The theme of the African Startup Awards was “stronger together”, a mantra which the African continent is well acquainted with. Belief in ourselves and each other matched with action are essential for growth. When you’re running low on motivation, try to identify the root cause and consciously reposition yourself to tap into that growth that’s waiting for you on the other side.

Learn more about speech development programs for you, your organization and your school www.theenglishsquare.com.

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