How to Help Your Teen Get Motivated

Motivation is absolutely essential when it comes to accomplishing goals and taking positive steps in life. Motivation is the internal drive to do something. Teenagers sometimes seem apathetic or lacking in direction. You may worry about your teen's decision making skills and life goals. Your adolescent may need some crucial guidance and encouragement from you in order to develop the motivation that it takes to succeed. By investing some time and energy in influencing a teen, you can dramatically alter the course of his life.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a light-hearted, warm moment to bring up the topic of becoming motivated in a specific area. If you bring the topic up during a conflict, your teen is likely to already be feeling defensive and obstinate. If you wait until you are sharing a good time together, she may be in a better mood to discuss the situation with you.

    • 2

      Discuss the effects of having motivation versus not having motivation in regard to a specific topic, such as school work. Talk about the rewards and the negative consequences of both scenarios.

    • 3

      Invite your teen to set goals for herself. Talk about these goals together and write them down. Revisit them often.

    • 4

      Ask your teenager to brainstorm strategies with you regarding ways to maintain motivation. If you invite your teen's input, he is much more likely to internalize the motivation and put it to use. If you merely dictate a list of goals and strategies, he'll probably be more likely to tune you out.

    • 5

      Plan rewards for accomplishing goals. There will be automatic consequences of achieving goals, such as getting good grades on a report card. Go an extra step and plan an additional celebration together. Your teenager might enjoy a special family outing or taking the car out for a drive to celebrate becoming motivated and achieving specific goals.

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