The Art of Self-Motivation provides clients with further ideas about increasing motivation. Clients are encouraged to discuss progress and challenges in working on their “target” – the behavior or attitude they desire to change as part of the motivation group.

Clients are introduced to the thought processes and action phases of motivation and change. They complete mapping worksheets that focus on impacting decisional balance and commitment to change.

The session features a leader’s script, with notes and suggested discussion questions. In addition, handout materials and worksheets for participants are included at the end of the session.

Source: TCU / Institute of Behavioral Research. Original material, plus cognitive strategies from the Brief Intervention Mapping the Journey. TCU Brief Interventions

Step 1  Welcome participants. Introduce highlights of today’s session. Today we’ll explore more about motivation and talk about how things are going with your targets.

The focus today will be on self-motivation – this includes developing self-awareness so we can tune into thoughts and actions that can increase our commitment to making changes and reaching goals.

To start, I want to tell you a “teaching story” – a story that describes a situation and outcome that can be thought about in different ways. It’s a story that might change in its meaning every time you think it over.

In other words, after you first hear it, you might think it means one thing. Then the next time you think about it, you might find another different meaning. And you might tell it to someone else, and they will see another meaning altogether.

It goes like this: There was a young man who found himself inside a large barn with two doors by which he could exit. But he couldn’t make up his mind which door to use. He thought and thought, and pondered and pondered, and couldn’t decide.

He spent the entire day like this – gnashing his teeth, crying, pacing, picking one, then the other, then more pacing. It was torture to choose.

Directly, he became tired and lay down in front of one of the doors to sleep. The floor was hard, and during the night he rose many times to put down hay and straw to make himself more comfortable.

When he arose the next day to continue his deliberation, he surveyed the situation. He noticed that he had managed to pile hay and straw so high that it now completely blocked one of the doors.

He stood back and observed this, and then he began to pace, and cry, and wring his hands in despair.

“Now I have no choice!!” he cried, “now I have no choice.”

Briefly discuss the story with participants: What do you make of this story? What do you think it is trying to “teach?” What do you think it has to do with motivation?

Transition to review of Target Logs with participants: This story may have different meanings the more you think about it. One possible meaning might be that sometimes motivation can be influenced by simply having to make a choice, especially when the choice is between two things that we see as having both good and bad points.

We’ll explore that later today, but first let’s review how things are going with your targets and what went on through the week
Step 2 Invite participants to discuss their Target Logs for the previous week. First, go around the room and have participants briefly remind the group what target they are working on.

Ask the group: What is one thing you did during the past week, no matter how small, that you think helped move you toward your target?

Take the time to ask a few follow-up questions to each participant who answers the opening question. Follow-ups should be based on the participant’s response and designed to reinforce the success described.

Examples of follow-up questions: How did you make that happen? What did you keep telling yourself to make that happen? How did you know that was a good first step to take? Wow! What kept you so committed to your goal?

What personal quality helped you the most? What do you need to tell yourself more often to stay on target?

Transition to discussion of issues of self-motivation: We’ll keep working on our targets and review things again next week.

Remember that small steps and successes are the keys both to reaching goals and staying motivated. As we discussed earlier in the session, sometimes hesitancy over taking the first step can get in the way of motivation.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons for this and what we can do about it.

Step 3 Distribute Motivation and Change handout and review the phases that most people experience as they become motivated and begin the process of making a change and maintaining it.

Use flip chart or erasable board to draw out the parts of the map as discussed.

NO THOUGHT OF CHANGE – “Maybe other people can’t do it, but it’s not a problem for me, I can handle meth.”

To become motivated, there almost always has to be a “need” or a “want” to start the ball rolling. If someone doesn’t have a need or want, we can assume that they have no thoughts about changing or have thoughts that support the way things are. In the case of someone who has become involved with methamphetamine, if there are thoughts at all, they might be thoughts that defend drug use.

THOUGHTS OF CHANGE – “Maybe meth isn’t worth it. I lost my family; the next thing I’m going to lose is my life.” Once the spark of a need or want crosses some one’s mind, thoughts of change become possible.

These thoughts begin to make an argument of changing, even if it is very softly. Events and circumstances can influence the strength of these thoughts. In the case of our meth user, the thoughts begin to reflect worry about loss and health.

COMMITMENT TO CHANGE – “Being a good Dad is more important to me than meth ever was. I’m quitting for good.” As the thoughts of change become louder and harder to ignore, we commit to take action and our reasons for taking action seem clearer.

When with those people with whom we can have a serious talk, we are likely to talk about our determination and commitment. So the meth user in our example commits to quit for good in order to be a good father and model his children.

ACTION: EARLY CHANGE– “I’ve been going to some 12-step meetings and not using. It makes me feel like I can make it.” Self-talk and commitment set the stage for taking action – we begin to take the steps associated with the change we need or desire.

Often this involves doing more of or less of a targeted behavior or attitude. Someone wanting to quit smoking might stop lighting up and wear a patch; someone desiring a better relationship with their spouse begins to catch themselves when they start to criticize; etc.

For the meth user, staying clean and going to meetings gives him hope he can make it.

ACTION: ADOPT CHANGE – “Let’s not go to that party. There are some “old friends” there I’d sooner not be around.” As we gain more experience and comfort with our change in behavior or attitude, the new behavior begins to become more automatic and “normal” to our routine. We make sure we lift those weights at least 3 times a week; we avoid going to “all you can eat” restaurants; we ask people not to smoke around us, etc. We have worked the change into our lives and take steps to avoid set backs.

ACTION: MAINTAIN CHANGE – “Damn! It’s been over 5 years since I used meth. I can’t believe I was into that stuff – quitting was the best move I ever made.” For many changes and new behaviors, the test of time becomes the main marker of success.

Although it is always possible to revert to “old ways”, generally speaking, the more time we put between the old behavior and the new behavior, the less likely it becomes that we will go back. The ex-meth user lives his life free of the drug, is glad he stuck it out, and has stayed with it for 5 years.

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Excerpted from Getting Motivated To Change - A collection of materials for leading counseling sessions that
address motivation and readiness for change.
http://www.ibr.tcu.edu/_private/manuals/BriefInterventions/BI(06Sept)-mot.pdf