This article will try to explain the dark motivation for your personal growth as an LGBT+ person and how you can achieve it. So, if you’d like to know more, please keep on reading.
“We are powerful because we have survived.” — Audre Lorde
What is dark motivation?
It is a form of motivation based on a particular desire to complete tasks and improve yourself in any way possible. Different negative feelings cause it. Firstly, we have to admit; it’s natural for a human being to feel jealousy, insecurity, and the urge to compare. Although it’s good to let go of those feelings, they can sometimes be a great resource.
As a part of the LGBT+ community, we know how hard it is to succeed. It often takes a lot more effort, even though the world has been making constant progress in the past few decades. For instance, you see a lovely couple. And your subconscious tells you to feel good. But seeing them, how happy they fill you up with negative emotions. And here comes a chance for you to make progress with a dark motivation.
So, dark motivation effectively motivates you to step out of your comfort zone and push yourself towards your goals. The pain of sitting at home and doing nothing urged us to exit that situation by taking action.
Instances of dark motivation
Firstly, dark motivation relies entirely on negative emotions. These emotions include jealousy, insecurity, anxiety, discomfort, and anything like that. However, they’re natural for us, and you can use them to your advantage. For example, when you date people after a break-up, some part of your mind wants to make your ex jealous and prove that you’re better without them. Or when somebody puts you down because you are gay or a lesbian, you want to show them, you are happy and content.
These forms of motivation are usually more potent than motivation in everyday situations. An urge to move away from pain is more powerful than a desire to move towards pleasure.
How to use dark motivation to your advantage
Spicing your motivation with these feelings is like adding a solid supplement to your training routine. It will be efficient, but it can be harmful if you use it too much. See, if you constantly compare yourself and let jealousy and insecurity take over, you’ll probably face problems with your mental health.
Our advice is this. Remember that you don’t need to compare yourself to other people all the time and all the way because achievements don’t make anyone a better human being. True confidence comes from inside, and you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone.
For instance, your friend is thrilled with his new partner, but you are still single. Sometimes you can feel jealous of their happiness. But remember, there is a reason you are not with this person. Perhaps because you didn’t make enough effort, or this other person isn’t right for you. It can be because of its traits, your personality, or perhaps because they aren’t gay or lesbian. So, remember their happiness isn’t your happiness. You have your way and your path. So, use your dark motivation for your personal growth.
Dark motivation is very beneficial if you use it now and then. However, at times, you might feel demotivated. When you know something you should do but don’t feel like doing it, try to add some dark motivation and see how you feel.
Next time you know you should complete a task, dig deep into your mind. See if there’s a certain feeling of insecurity or jealousness that can motivate you. It may feel uncomfortable for a while, but nothing great in life comes without effort. And once you’ve completed the task, let it go.
We all have some insecurities and underlying emotions that can be used as dark motivation, so why not use them to your advantage? Learn to control them so that they don’t bother you in your everyday life, but you can expose them when you need to. That’s when it is the best way to use dark motivation to your advantage.
How to use your dark motivation for your personal growth as an LGBT+ person? – Final thoughts
That was our guide about dark motivation. With a little bit of practice, you can channel your negative emotions into outbreaks of new inspiration and eventually be grateful for having them!
We recommend you to use dark motivation with caution, though. Apply it in a way that doesn’t harm the overall quality of your life but is just enough to keep you improving yourself constantly! We guess you want to be a happy person in general.
“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.” — Harvey Fierstein
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Featured photo: @kieferpix