Essays About Motivation Leads to Success: Top 5 Examples

If you’re writing an essays about motivation leads to success; you will be inspired by our guide’s essay examples and prompts. 

Motivation is the ultimate key to success. The journey toward any goal is always fraught with hardships that tempt you to quit. But with the right motivation, you can keep sight of your goals and make it to your finish line. The search to find the source of people’s motivation and how to sustain its momentum has been a favorite subject among psychologists and management experts. This interest has engendered several motivation theories applied across society, whether at home, school, or work.

Read on for great essays and prompts on motivation leading to success, and find yourself filled with the motivation to get your essay done.

5 Top Essay Examples

1. The Power Of Positive Self-Talk by Teri Karjala

“Powerful and positive self-talk can change your entire mindset, which can affect your actions. That, in turn, can have a massive impact on how successful you are on any journey you take or any obstacle you face.”

Practicing positive self-talk can help turn self-doubt into concrete positive actions toward your goals. There are several ways to establish a habit of positive self-talk that will fuel our motivation. Such habits include steps as simple as changing how we address ourselves and physical activities, such as exercising and volunteering for social activities. 

2. The Goldilocks Rule: How To Stay Motivated In Life And Business by James Clear

“It is hard to imagine a situation that would strike fear into the hearts of more people than performing alone on stage and failing to get a single laugh. And yet Steve Martin faced this fear every week for eighteen years.”

The essay chronicles the success of American comedian Steve Martin, offering an excellent example of someone who has applied the so-called Goldilock’s Rule. Goldilock’s Rule states that people’s motivation is at its peak when they face manageable challenges. Psychologists also add that immediately receiving positive feedback will also motivate people to work their way to success with more determination than ever.

3. Caffeine, Exercise And The Brain: How ‘Doping’ With Psychoactive Drugs Can Boost Motivation by Ian Mcmahan

“When motivation is low and perceived effort high, the couch wins. So if a cup of tea or coffee can get you out and exercising, Marcora’s research suggests it’s worth a try.”

This article describes how your fitness and body toning goals would have been easier by keeping motivated. It also describes the quick fix that could eradicate psychological barriers to exercise: the mildly stimulating “drug” called caffeine.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about personal growth.

4. How To Motivate Your Problem People by Nigel Nicholson

“Everyone knows that good managers motivate with the power of their vision, the passion of their delivery, and the compelling logic of their reasoning. Add in the proper incentives, and people will enthusiastically march off in the right direction.”

By coaxing problem employees to do better, managers are not only demotivating them further but are stoking the fire in an already dysfunctional relationship. This is the last thing managers would like to do if they still want to unlock employees’ intrinsic motivation and channel it toward the company’s goals. Before seeing problem employees as the main cause of the problem, managers must look inward and be more flexible in setting goals.

5. How To Overcome Self-Doubt And A Lack of Motivation by Leo Babauta

“It can be hard to get moving when you are stuck. This is how I felt in 2005 when I couldn’t change any of my habits. It was really hard to motivate myself when I didn’t think I would succeed, when I felt horrible about myself. But I took one small step, and it felt good.”

We all have that day when a lack of motivation strikes us. This article reassures us that experiencing sluggishness and self-doubt is okay. But instead of wallowing in self-pity, we can still make that bad day count by taking a small step and changing our perception of ourselves and the world around us.

9 Helpful Writing Prompts on Essays About Motivation Leads to Success

1. What Motivates You?

What motivates you to wake up early to get to school, do your homework, or study intently for an exam? In this essay, write about the factors that figure in your motivation equation. Next, enumerate your techniques or attempts to build motivation for your goals. How do you deal with a low motivation level on a bad day? Do you take some rest or force your effort? Finally, share with your readers how much you have progressed in building motivation and what more you want to achieve.

2. Rewards as Tools for Motivation

Several studies have uncovered the enormous benefits of rewards in motivating people. First, delve into these studies and discover the scientific explanation behind the effects of rewards on people’s motivation and success. Then, write about the kinds of rewards that have proven effective. Finally, write about rewards you have received that fuelled you to improve yourself and your outlook to add a personal touch.

3. How to Develop Self-Motivation

Self-motivation is a strong sense of motivation that comes from within a person rather than from external factors. This essay focuses on activities and habits that can empower your readers to be self-motivated. For example, it is proven that a deep and daily reflection of goals keeps one focused on following a routine built for that goal, regardless of the difficulties.

4. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory is the most popular motivation theory. So, elaborate Maslow’s theory, which proposes that a person has to fulfill five basic needs to keep motivated — physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. Also discuss the motivation theories derived from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, such as Alderfer’s ERG Theory, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, and McLelland’s Acquired Needs Theory, among others. Explore how they relate with each other or even pick out which improvised theory best captures and works with your situation at school or work.

5. Motivating Children To Succeed

Adults at home and school have a big role in instilling in children the importance of motivation as the key to success. For this essay, share the motivational methods your parents and teachers employ to help you keep motivated. Then, assess how these methods effectively or ineffectively build your inner sense of motivation. 

6. Using Motivation to Succeed in Fitness

Many of us might have added fitness goals into our New Year’s resolution. And most might have deferred it or abandoned it altogether. Provide your readers with tips on how they can conquer laziness and hit the gym. Of course, the most challenging part is staying motivated in this routine. So compile tried and tested techniques from wellness and fitness experts, and encourage your readers to chronicle their fitness journey so they can appreciate their progress over time. 

7. Creating a Motivationing Atmosphere at Home

This may be a challenge for parents who are working from home. Once parents feel the weight of the responsibilities at home, their motivation for work tends to slip away. So, provide recommendations on how working parents can set healthy boundaries between housework and professional work to deliver on their priority tasks. 

Now, if you want your essay to cater to students, you could also write your experience in distance learning – if any – during the pandemic. Talk about your challenges, strategies for overcoming them, and recommendations to enhance students’ motivation in distance learning. 

8. Rejection as a Powerful Driver for Motivation

Several success stories are made possible because of rejection. For your essay, learn how popular figures embraced rejection. How did they harness it to generate the energy they need to reach their dreams? Finally, offer your readers, particularly those who may be experiencing rejection, some encouraging words to help them get through such trying times. 

9. Motivating Team Members

How do you deal with uncooperative team members? Unfortunately, some team leaders just allow such instances to pass. But for leaders determined to uplift their team members’ motivation, what can they do? For your essay, offer proven practical approaches to help members align with team goals. Use case studies from the experiences of long-time leaders and managers.

For more writing tips, learn about persuasive writing. Also, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers to ensure your piece is error-free.