Chapter 1. Self-Concept and Self-Motivation FREE
The way you see yourself shapes how you act, learn and treat others. Two ideas help us understand this: your self-concept and your self-motivation.
What self-concept is
Your self-concept is the picture you have of yourself: who you are, what you are good at and what you value. It is built up over time from your own experiences, the feedback you get from others, and your culture and background. A realistic, positive self-concept means you can see your strengths and accept your weaknesses, while believing that you can grow and improve.
Self-motivation and self-talk
Self-motivation is the drive to do something, and to keep going, that comes from inside you rather than from other people. Motivation that comes from inside is called internal motivation, while a reward or a prize from outside is external motivation. The way you speak to yourself, your self-talk, has a strong effect: positive self-talk such as thinking that you can improve if you practise builds motivation, while negative self-talk weakens it.
Building self-motivation
You can grow your self-motivation. Set clear goals so you know what you are working towards, remind yourself of your reasons, celebrate small wins along the way, use positive self-talk, and spend time with supportive people who believe in you.
Worked example
A learner does badly in one test and thinks, "I can learn from this and do better next time." How does this help? This is positive self-talk based on a realistic self-concept, and it strengthens self-motivation so the learner keeps trying instead of giving up.
Common errors
- Confusing self-concept (how you see yourself) with self-motivation (the drive to act).
- Thinking a positive self-concept means ignoring all your weaknesses. It means accepting them while believing you can grow.
- Believing motivation must always come from outside. The strongest motivation comes from inside you.
Practice
- What is a self-concept?
- What is the difference between internal and external motivation?
- Give one example of positive self-talk.
Solutions
- The picture you have of yourself: who you are, what you are good at and what you value.
- Internal motivation comes from inside you; external motivation comes from a reward or prize outside you.
- Thinking that you can improve if you practise (any reasonable positive statement).
Summary
Your self-concept is the picture you have of yourself, shaped by your experiences, the feedback from others and your background. Self-motivation is the inner drive to act and keep going, and it is strengthened by positive self-talk and clear goals. A realistic, positive self-concept lets you see your strengths, accept your weaknesses and believe that you can grow.