When we talk about our goals, we usually define them in terms of why they are our goals and how we’re going to achieve them. To describe them this way, we tend to use the words “motivation” and “desire” interchangeably.
However, is motivation the same as desire? No. Even though the two terms are definitely related and are in fact intrinsically linked, there are differences between the two.
Desire and motivation are not the same thing. Desire is wanting to do something, but motivation is making it happen. You need a desire to have motivation, but you do not need motivation to have a desire.
I think it’s very important to be able to tell the difference between desire and motivation. Why? Because knowing their differences and defining them helps you to figure out how to make them interact in a way that is actually beneficial to you.
What is Desire?
Desire is commonly defined as “a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.”
Desire is recognized as a basic human function without which our simple day-to-day living would be nearly impossible. One of the blogs I like to read often – Psychology today discusses this idea in an article called “The Problem of Desire,” using the example that people who have suffered brain injuries that limit their ability to properly experience or express emotion find it much harder to make decisions because they are lacking in that basic ability to feel desire for one option over another.
Desire Versus Wanting
To desire something is slightly different from simply wanting something, because desire is a word usually used when describing an intense feeling. Like for instance, you might want a bowl of ice cream for dessert one night, but you desire a comfortable place to eat it, or a good partner to eat it with.
I think one of the simplest ways to differentiate the two is by saying that a want can be fleeting and temporary, but a desire usually lasts much longer and can be a problem to deal with.
If you’re having trouble telling apart your wants and desires, you can try writing down a list of the things you want, and then return to that list after a week, or even a month. If you still want something on the list, it’s a desire. If not, it was a want.
Desire Versus Needs
I think this concept also applies to needs. You can have a desire for a need, but you can also have a need without any desire attached to it.
You may need sleep even if you would rather stay awake to work toward something you desire. Needs are defined as something you can’t go without, or something essential, whereas desires might be something you shouldn’t have, or definitely could go without. Not being able to control your desires can be the very first reason why you struggle finding happiness in your life.
What is Motivation?
Positive Psychology Today has a really good article that argues for the idea that “The essence of motivation is energized and persistent goal-directed behavior.” Motivation is defined by the actions one takes because of it, and vice versa. According to a dictionary, the word “motivation” itself even supports this idea.
If I’m not wrong (I often am!), I think it’s coming from the Latin verb movere, which translates as “to move.” A solid motivation will be a strong drive toward a desire that causes a person to take real action toward achieving their goal.
Motivation and The Hierarchy of Needs
Motivation has its roots in the different hierarchal needs as defined by Maslow. Maslow defined these needs in order of importance and immediate relevance to survival. This means that needs at the bottom of the hierarchy (or the pyramid, as it’s often called) are more immediately important than those at the top.
It can be a basic physiological need, such as food, water, shelter, and any of the other things that are required for your physical growth and fulfillment. It can also be a psychological need, such as that for finding control and value in one’s own life or a sense of belonging in society. Or, motivation can be rooted in the need for self-actualization and the fulfillment of one’s potential.
The Motivation Cycle
Motivation is also cyclical. As you’ve felt it yourself thousand times (I know I have) —the most pressing desire in the current moment will garner the most motivation. Going back to the hierarchy of needs, you will be most motivated to find food, water, and shelter first. Once those needs are met, your motivation can shift toward finding a sense of structure and control. After that, you’ll look for creative outlets and companionship.
This can make it difficult to maintain singular motivations for extended periods of time. As your environment and the state of your basic needs, or circumstances change, your motivations will fluctuate to compensate for that. Such changes can make it difficult to stay motivated in your work if you don’t feel like you have any control over it, or in maintaining your friendships if your living conditions aren’t suitable to your needs.
Remember, it’s okay to realize that you’re not motivated to do something in the moment. This is where meditation is king. It can come in handy. (I won’t be preaching about that here. I simply think learning to meditate daily is one of the best things a person can do for transforming the quality of one’s life! It sure changed my life. But that’s for another article, for another day.)
I always like to exercise mindfulness, and try to address what is causing the decline in motivation, and what’s taking the priority in that moment. Because, if you can just address whatever need is blocking your ability to work toward the goal you’d rather be working on, you then can take care of it and return to your original project much faster.
How Desire and Motivation are Connected.
If a desire is something that you want, and something that you continue to want as time goes on, then the compliment to desire is motivation. Desire is connected to motivation by being its encouraging factor. Because, in order to be motivated to do something, you have to have a desire to achieve either the action itself or a result of the action.
Using Desire as Motivation.
When you want something bad enough, you will do what you need to do to make it happen. Oh, boy, oh, boy — sometimes it has a rather negative aspect to it— we’re all been there, we’re all done that. Right?:)
The key to have to be strongly motivated is to make yourself want it that badly. You can do that by establishing a solid plan to make your goals happen, following these steps.
- Have a clear, realistic goal. Your goal should be the thing you desire. For example: comfort, money, or companionship.But it should also be reasonably achieved. Instead of aiming to make a million dollars in a week, for example, you could set your goal to a set amount earned per month.
- Have a thorough understanding of why you want what you want. I think that’s super important. Part of having a realistic goal is being able to explain your reasoning behind it and rationalize it in your mind. In the example above, maybe you want to have an income that lets you live comfortably, or maybe you’re saving toward a major purchase or event. The reasoning behind your goal should feel personally important. If you understand why you have certain desires, you can increase your motivation toward them.
- Make a practical plan. Set out specific steps that you can follow, as if you were writing down instructions for a recipe. This helps keep your motivation active and in the forefront of your mind by making the goal feel actively achievable rather than lofty. By the way, having a “Big” goal is super important. But it’s just as important to break it down and actually lay down the foundation (a.k.a. practical plan) and the baby steps on how you are gonna get there.
- Stick to your plan. Set alarms on your phone to remind you, or have a specific place or time you work on your goals, and keep at it consistently. Consistency is most often the hardest part, but also the most rewarding one as it it will actually get you the results. You very well know that. That’s usually the step we all struggle with. But, do it enough, and after some time, it’ll become habitual and you will be working toward your goals without having to think about it.
Keeping Your Motivation by Knowing Your Desires.
Forbes claims that the best way to stay motivated is the deceptively simple process of keeping your body and mind healthy and I couldn’t agree more. You’ve heard it a million times —health is the most important thing, so you better act like it is.
There are plenty of factors that go into this of course. You should make sure that you are eating just enough and the right things, you should make sure you are drinking enough water, you should make sure you’re getting enough exercise, you should be getting enough quality sleep so that you can have the focus and energy to follow your motivation.
But maybe the most important factor of motivations is ensuring that you understand its root causes, and by identifying your desires and where they come from, you can make sure that you stay motivated through any circumstances life give you.
