Why Motivation is Not Enough in UPSC

I haven’t met a competitor yet that wasn’t motivated and excited when they started their IAS preparation. However, with 70% quitting within just two attempts, it’s obvious that motivation alone is not enough. The problem with motivation is that it fluctuates on a daily basis. One day you are energized and motivated and the next day you’re zapped – losing your motivation altogether.

Attitude works better than motivation

If you are relying on motivation alone to pull you into action or to get you to your objective, chances are that you’ll give up on your goal during a period of low motivation. The real secret to success in UPSC exam is to adopt a strategy that removes motivation (not attitude) from the equation as much as possible. After all your attitude is the thing that determines your career altitude. This starts with making a grounded decision on your IAS success goal. Being properly informed on the pros and cons of your decision as well as viable alternatives will help you make a decision based on reason and logic rather than a temporary emotional high.

[Expert Tips- Attitude is mandatory while motivation is optional]

Grounded Decision boost your self-discipline

Making a grounded decision makes the task of self-discipline a little easier. Not even world class professional athletes get out of bed every morning eager to train and condition. Like everyone else, sometimes they are motivated and sometimes they are not. What sets them apart from most people is that they have made the decision to do what they need to do even when they don't feel like doing it. Why should you expect yourself to be any different?

So today, make the decision to do the right thing in the right manner for your future – be it health, relationships, or your career. Review your goals and make the decision to do what you need to do on a daily basis even when you don't feel like doing it.

[Expert Tips- Don’t make rushed decision about IAS]

Follow your strengths first, desire second

In general, people often make the mistake as they choose their career mainly on their education and experience. Unfortunately, they ignore the most important asset they have for achieving success: their own strengths. Unless you know your strengths and use them, you risk getting into occupations that do not suit you—or performing well below your potential in whatever endeavor you choose.

Career seekers are not conscious to discover their strengths and weaknesses. They choose their career emotionally without calculating of what areas they are good at. This snap decision view eventually ruins their career and loving future life too. 

[Expert Tips- Consciously choose your career that matches your strengths.]

Coach strengthens your strengths and weakens your weaknesses

Find a coach/mentor to help you stay on track – someone that has already achieved the success that you aspire to. Having a coach (or a few—there’s no rule that says you can have only one) is one of the smartest things you can do to advance your career. A coach is someone who specializes in providing support that gets you to take consistence effective action towards your desired outcome. Coaches are all about implementation. Having a positive and efficient coach/mentor can be an inspiration because they give you a glimpse of what is possible.

[Expert Tips- A student without good coach is like a vehicle without head lights]

Make your goal public

Next, make yourself accountable to someone else that you trust to have your best interest at heart. Accountability can get us over those low motivation humps by not allowing us to ignore the reality of our actions or lack thereof and to remind us of the reason we set our goals to begin with. Remember that as you take action toward your goal, doubt and fear start to be replaced by confidence. This cycle of †action – learning – results – learning‡ when repeated will develop a personal momentum that will over time charge your motivational battery from within.

[Expert Tips- Create clear, vivid, exciting, emotional pictures of your goals as if they were already a reality.]

Live the life you truly deserve!