MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES: THE PROBLEM WITH THEM AND HOW THEY ARE USED

 

‘No motivational quote today, if you want give up!’

 

Funny how the most motivational quote to me for the duration of this lockdown period, has been that one.

 

 

The most popular inspirational quotes are mostly from famous people or surprisingly ‘Anonymous’.

 

We use them as decorations, social media statuses/stories, wallpapers and screensavers because they supposedly push us to do more.

The science behind them however, has a lot to say.

 

 

Quotes can have different effects based on the mood or personality of the receiver and the type of quote in question.

 

 

Related:Simple ways to boost your mood

 

 

It has been shown that affirmative quotes like ‘I am strong’ or ‘I am beautiful’ are really uplifting when they are beforehand, a belief of the person. On the other hand, they can have opposite effects on people with low self-esteem.

In such instances, it is important to note that affirmative quotes are not the equivalent of mental energy drinks. Just saying them alone is no fix if you do not believe them.

 

Other examples along the line of

“I never gave up till I held my dreams in my hands” or

“I came, I saw and I conquered”, can subtly give one the instant feeling of being the 'conqueror' whereas the time frame from coming to seeing and to conquering, took many years of hard work, consistence, failure and smart work.   

 

In essence, depending on the mindset of the individual and most times unknown to him/her, quotes can take the attention from the process-which is where it is supposed to be-to the end result.

 

 

The truth about quotes is that they are parts of a whole-excerpts from a speech or part of an answer to an interview question- that seemed well and properly worded and had a nice ring to them. Thus they are cropped and popularized.

In such cases, they can lose the original intent of the speaker and be easily misinterpreted or used out of the context in which it was made. There’s always a story behind every quote.

 

And that is if they were actually stated in the first place. It is not news that quotes can be attributed to people who never said them. As helpful as it is, the internet is still the biggest source of misinformation.

 

 

Related:Things to note to stay motivated

 

 

Another aspect to quotes is that they can be made at a phase of the originator’s life that they grew out of. That is to say, they expressed the speaker’s view point at that period but since change is constant, they can also grow to embrace other probably better perspectives and no longer hold the former as theirs.

 

For example, someone who sees life from a ‘no one is worth your stress’ point of view, can grow to see or accept that ‘some people are key to you as a person, stressful or not’ and vice versa.

 

Another example is obvious in quotes from atheists who became converts and also vice versa.

 

 

 

All things in view, a timely quote can be very helpful and very well be what you need to get started or back on what you were doing as well as forming the building blocks for your positive personal development. But depending on them to always lift your mood, strike a chord or spur you to action, is not the best. Such motivation should be able to be internally generated before external stimuli.

 

Do share and tell me what you think in the comments.