Motivational Magic Myths
- Lynn Brookes
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Motivation Isn’t Magic — It’s a Relationship
A Hypnotherapist’s Perspective on Confidence, Mindset and Lasting Change
If you’ve ever searched for “how to stay motivated”, “why do I lack motivation?”, or “how to stop procrastinating”, you’re not alone.
As a hypnotherapist and counsellor, one of the most common themes clients bring into sessions is this:
“I just can’t seem to stay motivated.”
They assume they’re lazy.Undisciplined.Not driven enough.
But here’s the truth:
Motivation isn’t something you either have or don’t have. It isn’t a personality trait. It isn’t fixed.
Motivation is a relationship — between your conscious goals and your subconscious beliefs.
And when those two are out of alignment, motivation naturally drops.
How many of you have vision boards, or sticky notes stuck on the fridge, or note books full of things you want to:
Be
Want
or
Have
And how many of you actually get round to doing them?
Why Motivation Feels So Hard (The Subconscious Factor)
You might consciously want to:
Lose weight
Build confidence
Change careers
Start a creative project
Speak up at work
Leave a toxic situation
Get choosen off the bench to join the team
But if your subconscious mind associates change with risk, rejection, failure, or loss — it will quietly apply the brakes.
This is why willpower alone often fails.
From a hypnotherapy and counselling perspective, low motivation is rarely about laziness. It’s usually about:
Fear of failure
Fear of success
Low self-worth
Perfectionism
Anxiety or overwhelm
Unresolved emotional blocks
Your mind is not working against you. It is trying to protect you.
The problem is — it’s protecting you from growth.
Motivation vs Discipline: What Actually Works?
Many productivity experts will tell you:
“Don’t rely on motivation — build discipline.”
There is truth in that. Structure and habits matter.
But here’s what I see in therapy and hypnosis sessions: When someone lacks motivation long-term, it’s often because something deeper needs attention.
But if underneath it all you believe:
“I’m not good enough.”
“I always quit.”
“I’ll probably fail.”
“It’s safer not to try.”
Your nervous system will resist progress.
Real, sustainable motivation grows when your inner dialogue changes.
And that’s where hypnotherapy is powerful.
How Hypnotherapy Helps with Motivation
Hypnotherapy works directly with the subconscious mind — the part responsible for habits, emotional reactions, confidence and self-sabotage.
When we work on motivation in hypnosis, we often address:
Releasing fear of failure
Rebuilding self-trust
Strengthening self-worth
Creating internal safety around success
Rewiring procrastination patterns
Reducing anxiety that blocks action
Instead of forcing change, we create alignment.
When your subconscious mind feels safe, capable and worthy — motivation becomes more natural. Less forced. Less exhausting.
Clients often describe it as:
“It feels easier.”
“I’m not battling myself anymore.”
“I just started doing it.”
That’s not magic.That’s alignment.
The Nervous System and Motivation
From a counselling perspective, it’s also important to understand the role of the nervous system.
If you are:
Chronically stressed
Emotionally overwhelmed
Burnt out
Living in fight-or-flight mode
Experiencing anxiety or low mood
Your brain prioritises survival — not ambition.
Motivation requires emotional safety.
Before judging yourself for procrastinating, it can help to ask:
Am I exhausted?
Am I anxious?
Am I trying to push through something unresolved?
Do I actually need rest, support or clarity?
Sometimes the issue isn’t motivation.It’s regulation.
Therapeutic work helps you create that internal stability first — and motivation follows. That's where I come in and bring my tool box to help resolve the stuckness.
Micro-Commitments: Rebuilding Self-Trust
One of the simplest psychological tools I encourage clients to use is micro-commitment.
Instead of:
“I need to completely change my life.”
Try:
Five minutes of focused work.
One small healthy choice.
One uncomfortable but honest conversation.
One step toward the bigger goal.
Every small promise you keep to yourself builds self-trust.
And self-trust is deeply motivating.
When you begin to believe:
“I do what I say I’ll do.”
Confidence rises. Resistance lowers. Momentum builds.
Self-Compassion and Sustainable Motivation
There will be days when motivation dips. That is normal.
Motivation is cyclical — just like creativity, energy and emotion.
Through counselling, many people discover that their harsh inner critic is actually draining their motivation. The constant self-judgement creates anxiety and shame — which then leads to avoidance.
Self-compassion is not weakness.It is regulation.
When you feel safe with yourself, you move more freely.
If You’re Struggling With Motivation…
It may not be about productivity.
It may be about:
Confidence
Fear
Emotional blocks
Anxiety
Burnout
Old beliefs that no longer serve you
Motivation grows when your inner world feels safe, aligned and supportive.
You don’t need to force yourself into action.You need to understand what part of you is holding back — and why.
That’s the work we do in hypnotherapy and counselling.
Not pushing.Not shaming.Not “fixing” you.
But gently uncovering what’s underneath — and creating lasting change from the inside out.
A Final Thought
You are not lazy.You are not broken.You are not incapable.
If motivation feels hard, there is usually a reason.
And when that reason is addressed — with compassion, insight and subconscious change — progress becomes lighter.
Sometimes the most powerful shift isn’t trying harder.
It’s understanding yourself more deeply — and allowing motivation to grow from there.
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