The Psychology of Motivation: Why We Struggle to Stay Consistent

Some nights, I’d feel a sudden burst of motivation — I’d grab my journal and map out the perfect day: early gym, university lectures, reading, meditation. It felt fulfilling just to plan it. But by morning? That spark was gone. The alarm would ring, and I’d roll over, plans untouched. Welcome to, the Psychology of Motivation.

Motivation gets us started, it gives us the drive to do the majority of the things we do. For example, when you’re hungry, you have the motivation to eat food, once you eat – the motivation leaves you. However, unlike eating food, some goals take a lot more time, like sticking to fitness routines, and more often then not – that motivation dissipates over time. To be consistent, we have to do these things without motivation, without the drive to continue to gym… psychology plays a large role in how we can achieve this. 

This article will cover – the psychological foundations of motivation, why we lose it, and how to work with (not against) our minds. 

The Science of Motivation

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation – Engaging in an activity for the inherent satisfaction or enjoyment it provides. Taking  action because it’s aligned with your values and goals. It is driven by curiosity, personal growth, and a sense of  accomplishment. For example; Learning a new skill because you find it fascinating, going to the gym to compete in a  competition, or helping someone because you genuinely care.

Extrinsic Motivation – Engaging in an activity to receive external rewards or avoid punishment. It is driven by external factors like money, recognition, or pressure to achieve. For example; studying for a good grade, working for a paycheck, or completing a task to get praise.

The Role of Dopamine: Dopamine is a key component of the brain’s reward system. From an evolutionary perspective,  the primary function of dopamine is to reinforce behaviors that are necessary for survival and well-being: such as eating, drinking, and engaging in social interactions. Our bodies achieve this by releasing dopamine – making us feel good about the task at hand, in turn, giving us the motivation to complete it. As we have evolved and progressed as a race, our lives have increasingly become more complex. Our survival needs are easily met with an abundance of food, water and social interaction. Due to these basic needs being met, dopamine is commonly associated with other habits that we don’t need to do, rather things that make us feel good.

Why We Struggle to Stay Consistent

 
Motivation is Finite

Unfortunately, motivation won’t always be there to help you push through and achieve your goals. Especially for long term goals, motivation will come in waves due to individuals losing enthusiasm, feeling overwhelmed, or facing challenges. Which may result in the project seeming ‘less rewarding’ which is where you will see a slump in dopamine and as we know, there is no motivation without dopamine. 

This can be defined by ego depletion

"Ego depletion often creates a mental state where immediate gratification feels more appealing than pursuing long-term goals."
Dr. Kathleen Vohs
Psychologist
Delay Discounting 

– The psychology behind why we favour immediate rewards

Put simply, immediate rewards make us feel good… specifically, the release of dopamine is triggered by immediate gratification. For example; I would skip working out to play video games, because playing video games immediately releases dopamine, making me feel good.

Identity Misalignment 
When there is a difference between how we think (our morals / values) and what we do (our actions), it leaves us in an extremely uncomfortable state of mind. To remove ourselves from this uncomfort, we either change our behaviours, or change our values. 
The importance of creating goals that align with your values and morals (genuinely something you believe in) will make it much easier to stay consistent as you won’t fall victim to said uncomfort. 
This bring us to identity based habits. 
"Many people begin the process of changing their habits by focusing on what they want to achieve. This leads us to outcome-based habits. The alternative is to build identity-based habits. With this approach, we start by focusing on who we wish to become."
James Clear
Author

The Role of Habits in Replacing Motivation

 
Automaticity Over Willpower
For any long term goal or project, habits are the driving force that will enable you to complete what you set out to do. Habits, in your day to day life, will help you endure those directionless days when motivation has left you. Positive regular tendencies and practices, that are hard to give up will reduce reliance on motivation as they automate behaviours, reducing the need for conscious effort and deliberation. 
So, if creating good habits in line with you goals will increase consistency, how can we create them? For extra reading on this, I’ve published an article containing everything you need to know on breaking, and building habits.
 
Cue-Routine-Reward Loop

The habit loop is a concept popularised by Charles Duhigg in “The Power of Habit”, which describes the pattern of habitual behaviour. It consists of a cue, a routine and a reward. 

Illustration of the habit loop showing cue, craving, response, and reward cycle based on James Clear’s Atomic Habits framework

 

Cue > The trigger that initiates the habit, such as a time, location, emotional state, or other environmental factors.

Routine > The behavior that is performed, the action or activity that is part of the habit.

Reward > The positive outcome or satisfaction that reinforces the habit, making the brain more likely to repeat the behavior in the future.

Environment Design

Considering Charles Duhigg’s habit loop, all habits are guided by the cue. Many cue’s for habits are environmental, such as looking at your phone and associating it with Youtube. However, cues can also be emotional (stress = smoking habits). To build new habits that are in-line with your goals, you can strategically place subtle cues in your primary environments that lead to a routine then a reward. For example; if I wanted to read more, I would place a book on my pillow (cue), then when I get home from work I see the book, sit down and read (routine) and then feel good about it (reward). 

Psychological Tools to Improve Consistency

 
Implementation Intentions 
Implementation Intentions, also known as ‘if-then’ planning is a strategy first coined by psychologist Peter M. Gollwitzer. The strategy is focused on identifying situations that are usually associated with the behaviour you are trying to change. It helps individuals create specific plans for achieving their goals. 

 

How to use if-then planning

Step 1: Identify the critical situation – Think about the time, place or event where your desired action is most needed.

Example: “if my alarm goes off at 6 AM”

Step 2: Choose desired response – Decide what specific action you want to take in that situation.

Example: “Then I will prepare my gym clothes”

Step 3: Formulate the if-then statement – put it together as a clear sentence.

Example: “If my alarm goes off at 6 AM, I will prepare my gym clothes.”

Step 4: Visualise and Repeat – mentally rehearse your if-then plan so it feels natural. 

Diagram of If-Then Planning strategy showing how specific cues trigger planned behaviors to support goal achievement and habit formation
Temptation Bundling 
Temptation bundling is similar to habit stacking and ‘If-Then’ planning, where you plan enjoyable activities around positive habits / tasks you need to accomplish. The formula is as follows; After/ Before {Positive Habits} I will {Enjoyable Activity} 
For example; 
  • After I do 40 minutes of study, I will watch Netflix.
  • After I budget my weekly expenses, I will read my novel.
  • After I go to the gym, I will hang out with my mates.
Accountability & Social Proof 

Within Psychology, Social facilitation is a process whereby the presence of others enhances performance on easy tasks, however it impairs performance on more difficult ones. 

Social facilitation was first coined by Norman Triplett, in 1988 when he noticed that cyclists, when facilitated by others (in their presence) tended to ride faster – compared to being alone. So, if we perform better on easy tasks (that don’t cost huge cognitive load), it can enhance out performance. 

So, the next time you want to achieve a goal, project or create a new habit, get your friends / family / others involved to help facilitate not only your commitment, by also your performance on the task at hand. 

Real-Life Applications 

Gym case study:

On many occasions I would plan out an early gym session the night before so I can squeeze a workout in before work. Unfortunately, I’d wake up tired and skip. 

What helped was combining if-then planning and temptation bundling. 

  •  The night before I would create my if-then plan (If I wake up early, I will go to the gym).
  • After going to the gym, I will eat at a cafe.
Studying case study:
From what I have learnt about habit loops, to improve my study habits I like to make the subtle cues in my environment that acts as a trigger to initiate my habit. 
 
  • I would keep my study books and laptop neatly on my desk 
  • I leave my daily task checklist in view 
 

Psychology of Motivational cliffs: What Happens After Initial Progress

As you now know, motivation won’t always stay with you throughout long-term projects. However, at the start of these goals and projects many people can’t get enough – especially after the first signs of progress (few gym sessions, weight loss or early productivity gains). But then comes the ‘motivation cliff’ – a sharp drop in motivation when novelty wears off or results plateau. This can be explained through three main concepts;

1. Hedonic adaption: Is a psychological process where people return to base-line happiness after experiencing positive or negative life events. This occurs because people’s emotional responses to stimuli (like a new car) tend to diminish over time as they become accustomed to them. 

2. The progress plateau: A progress plateau is a phase where, despite consistent effort, visible improvements slow down or stall. Early gains often come quickly, but as you advance, each new level requires more time and refinement. This plateau is a natural part of learning and growth — not a sign of failure.

3. Variable reward schedules: Unpredictability makes consistency harder. Not knowing what the results of you long-term project will be – makes it harder to find the motivation to continue.

Conclusion 

Motivation is a powerful spark for boosting productivity and making your goals more enjoyable to pursue. However, if you rely on it alone, it can quickly fade when things get challenging. That’s why it’s essential to pair motivation with practical strategies like if-then planning, building effective habit loops, and focusing on consistency over perfection. By applying these tools, you’ll set yourself up for sustainable progress—even on the days when motivation runs low. Now it’s your turn: pick one technique from this list and start integrating it into your daily routine. Your future self will thank you

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