“I used to be so motivated, but lately I’ve become apathetic toward work…”
Do you struggle with this kind of frustration?
Actually, your lack of motivation isn’t because you lack grit.
Psychologically, you may have fallen into a state called “learned helplessness,” where your brain has learned that “effort is futile.”
This article explains psychological approaches to escape apathy and dramatically boost your work motivation.
1. Why does motivation disappear when “effort seems unrewarding”?
Everyone is motivated when they first start a job.
However, when people don’t receive proper recognition for their achievements, and there are no rewards like raises or promotions, their spirit can become completely broken.
Psychologist Seligman’s “Dog Experiment”
Psychologist Martin Seligman proved this phenomenon through an experiment using dogs.
- Avoidable Group
Dogs placed in an environment where pressing a button could stop the electric shock. - Unavoidable Group
Dogs placed in an environment where they could not escape the electric shock no matter what they did.
After that, when placed in an environment where they could escape the shock by jumping over a wall, the first dog immediately fled, but the second dog made no attempt to escape, simply lying down and enduring the shock.
This is “learned helplessness.”
The conditioning that “nothing I do matters” completely robs them of the will to try.
2. “Intrinsic Motivation” to Reignite Drive
To regain motivation, it’s essential to correctly understand the types of motivation.
The Limits of “Carrot and Stick”
External stimuli like pay raises, bonuses, or penalties are called “extrinsic motivation.”
While effective in the short term, over-reliance can intensify the feeling of “working for rewards,” potentially hindering the pure interest and sense of fulfillment one originally had for the work.
Self-Driven “Intrinsic Motivation”
On the other hand, “intrinsic motivation” arises from one’s own curiosity and sense of accomplishment.
Spontaneous goals like “I want to master this skill” or “I want to solve this problem” are less swayed by external evaluation, making them essential for sustaining long-term motivation.
3. Two Ironclad Rules for Goal Setting That Boost Motivation
So how exactly can we enhance intrinsic motivation?
The key lies in “how we set goals.”
① Set Goals with a 50% Chance of Success
Goals shouldn’t be too high or too low.
Psychologically, goals perceived as having a “50-50 chance of success” are shown to boost motivation the most.
- Goals that are too high
Your brain gives up, thinking “It’s impossible anyway,” reinforcing learned helplessness. - Goals that are too low
You feel bored and gain no sense of accomplishment.
Aim for that perfect line where you can reach it with just one more step of effort beyond your current ability.
② Utilize “Public Commitment”
Deliberately declare your set goals to those around you.
This is called “public commitment” in psychology.
People possess a psychological tendency to want their words and actions to align (the principle of consistency).
Publicly declaring your goals creates moderate pressure, dramatically increasing your success rate compared to working silently alone.
Summary: Design Small “Success Experiences”
The key to escaping work apathy lies not in waiting for others’ approval, but in setting small, achievable goals you can control yourself.
- Find a challenge with a 50% success rate
- Then declare it to your colleagues or on social media
By repeating this cycle, the brain gradually regains the sense that “if I try hard, I can change the situation.”
