How do you keep your motivation?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

cdm3413

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2010
Messages
107
Reaction score
0
I'm a pre-med student, and I was wondering how everyone keeps their motivation up? My grades are decent, I study and work hard, and I feel dedicated to my pre-med studies; however, when week 8, 9, and 10 roll around in the term, I just feel so burnt out and often find it difficult to push myself to continue to work hard how I was doing the preceding weeks.

tl;dr, How do you keep your motivation up regarding your studies? :sleep:

Members don't see this ad.
 
I'm a pre-med student, and I was wondering how everyone keeps their motivation up? My grades are decent, I study and work hard, and I feel dedicated to my pre-med studies; however, when week 8, 9, and 10 roll around in the term, I just feel so burnt out and often find it difficult to push myself to continue to work hard how I was doing the preceding weeks.

tl;dr, How do you keep your motivation up regarding your studies? :sleep:

If I really need to get **** done, I stay the hell away from SDN. This forum is like a productivity vacuum.

Change of scenery can help when you're feeling burnt out. Usually study at the library? study at home, coffee shop, different academic building, whatever.

If you don't have any kind of routine, start one. If you do have some kind of routine, break it a little. The variety might keep you going.

Edit: Also, shadowing a doctor really helps me stay motivated. After spending a day with patients, realizing how little I know and how absolutely bad @ss medicine is, I always feel better about studying.
 
When I felt unmotivated, I would look at pictures of my parents or grandparents, and then proceeded to haul my round, muscular booty to the library.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Yea...I would say maybe music? Or you can think about what you really want to do, glorify your career (BS yourself if you must), search on SND of CRAZY success stories and then tell yourself you can do it too. :)
 
Yea...I would say maybe music? Or you can think about what you really want to do, glorify your career (BS yourself if you must), search on SND of CRAZY success stories and then tell yourself you can do it too. :)

Yeah, short-term, I always play music when I'm studying, and it gets me energized and makes me want to focus.

I'm feeling the senioritis coming on already. I'm a second-semester junior and my motto this term seems to be "ok just get through this semester and then you apply". Yeah, next year is not going to be fun in terms of motivation.
 
Yeah, short-term, I always play music when I'm studying, and it gets me energized and makes me want to focus.

I'm feeling the senioritis coming on already. I'm a second-semester junior and my motto this term seems to be "ok just get through this semester and then you apply". Yeah, next year is not going to be fun in terms of motivation.

One of my good friends got accepted to a professional school at the end of his junior year. Senior year came around, and all he did was get by with C's and party every weekend. Smart guy too.
 
I'm a pre-med student, and I was wondering how everyone keeps their motivation up? My grades are decent, I study and work hard, and I feel dedicated to my pre-med studies; however, when week 8, 9, and 10 roll around in the term, I just feel so burnt out and often find it difficult to push myself to continue to work hard how I was doing the preceding weeks.

tl;dr, How do you keep your motivation up regarding your studies? :sleep:

I don't know what your study schedule is like, but take some time to relax every once in awhile. Go to the gym, take a bike ride, go out with friends, do some intramurals, etc. I always found it much easier to study when I knew that my life wasn't only revolving around studying.
 
Exercise helps me clear my brain out.

Also, I like to work in groups with other people. I've had many days when I would have stopped studying if I was by myself but with a group it keeps me motivated to keep going. Of course, some people group study and don't get any work done at all, so I guess to each his own.
 
What's with the recent surge in "tl;dr" usage on this forum? Who is to blame for this?
 
I have the luxury of a bad experience first semester which has made me not want to spend a single day studying less than 4 hours. Plus I got my eyes on a certain goal/dream that I REAAAAALLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYYY want to see come to life. It's the only thing that's kept me from dropping a course at this point.

Make a dream board and place it somewhere you can easily see to remind you why you're doing what you're doing in the first place
 
Make sure that you are ultimately keeping yourself happy and devoting time to things that you enjoy. If you never take breaks to really enjoy yourself, it's far too easy to procrastinate yourself into a state of web-surfing, pseudo-entertainment.

If you take care of your mental health, everything else follows pretty easily.

What's with the recent surge in "tl;dr" usage on this forum? Who is to blame for this?

Amen to this. I had to goodle tl;dr to figure out what the heck everyone was talking about. I promptly felt old.
 
For me, reminding myself of my goals/dreams does the trick majorities of times. But if I'm really burned out or having a bad day when everything I do just turn to ****, then I'll just not do anything that day, go to sleep early and start a brand new day the next morning.

Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress. OP, explore different methods and find out which one fits your style the best; but remember, persistence is the key.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Thanks everyone - I genuinely appreciate all the advice.

Be well.
 
Motivation? I come on SDN, read about the 4.0GPA 45MCAT people who have already cured cancer, and figure s***, I'm not going to get into med school if I don't continue studying. Yeah it's a bad technique, but it works right? Or if I'm REALLY unmotivated, I begin googling pictures of my favorite cars and tell myself I can go get one after I become a doctor :D Haha lame right?
 
Motivation? I come on SDN, read about the 4.0GPA 45MCAT people who have already cured cancer, and figure s***, I'm not going to get into med school if I don't continue studying. Yeah it's a bad technique, but it works right? Or if I'm REALLY unmotivated, I begin googling pictures of my favorite cars and tell myself I can go get one after I become a doctor :D Haha lame right?

haha not lame at all.. I go to car websites and customize my own car lol look at the price and say, i need to make this much to get this car LOL.. i customize gt-r, and R8 lol. sometimes i look at LFA as well. I think alot of us do that for motivation. sometimes even look at houses in really good areas like in front of the beach or something like that.. how can you say no to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkaEoCdyyJY
 
haha not lame at all.. I go to car websites and customize my own car lol look at the price and say, i need to make this much to get this car LOL.. i customize gt-r, and R8 lol. sometimes i look at LFA as well. I think alot of us do that for motivation. sometimes even look at houses in really good areas like in front of the beach or something like that.. how can you say no to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkaEoCdyyJY

Lmao! K cool I'm not the only one haha
 
Find balance between academics and other things in your life. Trust me, you'll need to do that to be okay during medical school.
 
You need to work a job that you truly dislike. Just for a summer if need be. And then think about your life being like that from now till eternity...if you don't get your **** together and put forth the effort you need to to get to medical school and beyond. If you *know* you want to be a physician, more than just the family pressure of doing what is expected of you, prestige, blah blah blah, summoning up the strength necessary to push through the difficult times shouldn't be impossible.
 
haha not lame at all.. I go to car websites and customize my own car lol look at the price and say, i need to make this much to get this car LOL.. i customize gt-r, and R8 lol. sometimes i look at LFA as well. I think alot of us do that for motivation. sometimes even look at houses in really good areas like in front of the beach or something like that.. how can you say no to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkaEoCdyyJY

Oohh yeah I customize my cars too. I still haven't decided my dream car yet but it's definitely in the 100ks..:scared: Houses too. Livin' in California is not cheap.:cool:
 
or you could live frugally and make your children's lives easier. Kinda wish my parents had done a little more of that but no complaints.
 
Florida is just as nice, but cheaper:thumbup:

i live in Florida now lol .. i wouldn't say as nice since the weather changes twice a day lol .. it rains for 5 hours then suddenly its blazing .. i would prefer cali where i know im gonna be hot all day. but it is cheap here compared to lots of states
 
I always get really motivated after watching youtube videos of med school classes. They're all so pumped to be where they're at and I can't wait to get there. There was a "I Just Got In" video from Yale Med students posted yesteday. As corny as it was, I found it pretty motivational.
 
You need to work a job that you truly dislike. Just for a summer if need be. And then think about your life being like that from now till eternity...if you don't get your **** together and put forth the effort you need to to get to medical school and beyond. If you *know* you want to be a physician, more than just the family pressure of doing what is expected of you, prestige, blah blah blah, summoning up the strength necessary to push through the difficult times shouldn't be impossible.


:thumbup: Pon, this is by far my favorite post from you. On the point!

This is basically how I feel. My job is terrible and I can't see myself doing this for the next 50 years (im 19). definitely will be my motivation and always have been.
 
:thumbup: Pon, this is by far my favorite post from you. On the point!

This is basically how I feel. My job is terrible and I can't see myself doing this for the next 50 years (im 19). definitely will be my motivation and always have been.

I really believe everyone needs that experience. Work that truly ****ty job, one to which there are people, who by nature of their decisions, are essentially conscripted to for the rest of their adult life and see how that sucks the vitality from them. It will change how you approach decisions regarding where and how you'll spend 40+ hours per week of your time.
 
I really believe everyone needs that experience. Work that truly ****ty job, one to which there are people, who by nature of their decisions, are essentially conscripted to for the rest of their adult life and see how that sucks the vitality from them. It will change how you approach decisions regarding where and how you'll spend 40+ hours per week of your time.

Pons, i don't like you that much,:cool:....but i gotta say you are spot on with that one. been in that position once and that motivated me like crazy. I knew I had to work hard so I wouldn't end up that way.
 
Just think of the last time you really let yourself down, then decide that you do not want to feel that way again.

You'll be stoked when you finish this semester with a 4.0 GPA because you achieved exactly what you were capable of. Anything less is a bummer...to a degree.

Oh and edit: I refer "anything less than what you were capable of" as the bummer; not a sub 4.0 GPA, trust me.
 
Oohh yeah I customize my cars too. I still haven't decided my dream car yet but it's definitely in the 100ks..:scared: Houses too. Livin' in California is not cheap.:cool:

I love the car I have...a 94 Buick Skylark...dark green. I would like to "customize" it with a new engine, some bodywork, and a Bose sound system.

Someday I would like to have a 65 mustang convertible and a 67 mustang fastback. Oh...and I love 70s VW Bugs and busses.

:)
 
I really believe everyone needs that experience. Work that truly ****ty job, one to which there are people, who by nature of their decisions, are essentially conscripted to for the rest of their adult life and see how that sucks the vitality from them. It will change how you approach decisions regarding where and how you'll spend 40+ hours per week of your time.

So there was good reason for my 2.5 years at McD's :)
 
I really believe everyone needs that experience. Work that truly ****ty job, one to which there are people, who by nature of their decisions, are essentially conscripted to for the rest of their adult life and see how that sucks the vitality from them. It will change how you approach decisions regarding where and how you'll spend 40+ hours per week of your time.

Does working at a Walmart lawn and garden center as a cashier count? Because that was pretty bad.
 
Does working at a Walmart lawn and garden center as a cashier count? Because that was pretty bad.

at least you got some interaction w/ people. my first job involved unpacking and labeling boxes all day.
 
I was actually fired from my first cashier job. I'm not sure what that says about me.

inb4youregoingtobeahorribledoctor

Nick, I got fired from flipping burgers one summer. Look at me now, I'm pre-med. Haters gonna hate.
 
kinda weird, but I ended up with a picture of me and my first patient ever whom I absolutely loved to death and feel like I made a difference in his awesome outcome (anoxic brain injury BOO!) and gave me my first big moment of "omg I love brain injury and want to work with it forevvvver". I framed it and have it on my mantel to always remind me of why I went into healthcare/medicine on those inevitable crappy, self-doubting days.
 
What about delivering fliers in the middle of winter? I quit after a few months. THAT was bad.
 
Go find two roommates who do NOTHING but play video games from the moment they get home from class to when they go to sleep (roughly 10-12 hrs a day)...yes they have WAY too much time on their hands and are absolutely pissing away their parents money.

Every time I look at them, I think, man, I don't want to turn out like them and I start working my A** off. one is a business management major, and the other is a "mechanical engineering major...sophomore whose failed calc. 2 twice now).

Hate to say it, because they are nice kids, and I genuinely get a long with them and I have invited them out when I go drinking with my friends, but they are KIDS, and don't get me wrong college is about having fun but also learning to be an ADULT...and part of that means working/studying like one....I remind myself of that every single day.

you may also want to look up the speech bill gates gave to a bunch of high school students.

RULE 1
Life is not fair - get used to it.

RULE 2
The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world
will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel
good about yourself.


RULE 3
You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out
of high school. You won't be a vice president with
car phone, until you earn both.

RULE 4
If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a
boss. He doesn't have tenure.


RULE 5
Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your
grandparents had a different word for burger flipping
they
called it Opportunity.


RULE 6
If you mess up,it's not your parents' fault, so don't
whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

RULE 7
Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as
they are now. They got that way from paying your bills,
cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about
how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest
from the parasites of your parent's generation, try
delousing the closet in your own room.


RULE 8
Your school may have done away with winners and losers,
but life has not. In some schools they have abolished
failing grades and they'll give you as many times as
you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the
slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.


RULE 9
Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get
summers off and very few employers are interested in
helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

RULE 10
Television is NOT real life. In real life people
actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

RULE 11
Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for

:laugh::laugh:
 
I remind myself of my dreams and aspirations, I go for a run, and if I'm burnt out but the studying isn't very urgent then I start calculating my chances into med school. Usually the calculations help remind myself of what I still have to do.
 
i live in Florida now lol .. i wouldn't say as nice since the weather changes twice a day lol .. it rains for 5 hours then suddenly its blazing .. i would prefer cali where i know im gonna be hot all day. but it is cheap here compared to lots of states

Ahh I'd be used to that, Tx has crazy weather, but in Florida it just seems like there's more to offer obviously.

And yeaaa it's def cheaper then a lot of states, and Florida is just niceee
 
My exact thought when I read that was, "extend the time period to 48 hours, add snow, sleet, or freezing rain, and you've got the great lakes."

Mm.

Well, it's character-building, at least.
 
I have a simple goal in life, and that is to be successful. Before I started college, I was told (by one of my friends) to watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NQREuc7JX8

Got me motivated, and I couldn't wait to hit the books, as weird as that sounds. I keep watching the video a few times a month, now; it keeps me going.
 
Top