When you find yourself lacking motivation to complete a task, why is that most often the case? Is it because you lack the skills to complete the task? Or do you know what you need to do, but it’s difficult and you don’t want to? Or perhaps you don’t see how the task is aligned with your vision or goals.
We will all regularly face tasks that we do not feel motivated to complete. It would be an unrealistic goal to try and be motivated all the time. But we can become more aware of our motivations so that we know how to move forward when we face these kinds of situations. We can do this through the tool of the Four Squares.
The Four Squares
The Four Squares is a mental model that you can use to think about the different reasons why you might not be motivated to complete a task. And it helps us recognize the fact that ability and motivation are both key factors in considering why we might not meet our goals.
Naming which square you are in for a given task at a given time can help you determine a Path forward to help you reach your goals.
Can and Will
The first square is Can and Will. This is when your ability and motivation align and you feel both equipped and excited to do something. This happens when you can see how your tasks are aligned with your goals and you feel empowered to reach them. The goal is to move from the other squares into this square.
Can’t but Wants To
In this square, you have the motivation to complete the task but you lack the ability. To move into the Can and Will square, you need to gain the ability to complete the task in front of you. You could find someone in your organization who could teach you, look up free online resources, or even take an official course–depending on what the skill you’re trying to learn is. As you go about gaining this new ability, keep your ultimate goal in mind, so that you remember why it is that you wanted this skill in the first place.
Can but Won’t
Now we move to Can but Won’t, where you have the ability to complete a task but lack the motivation. Oftentimes, a lack of motivation is connected to an inability to see how your current work connects to your There, or your overarching vision and end goal. If your task does not help you get There, it might be time to consider if you’re on the right Path. And if it does align, that will help you persevere through what might be difficult or mundane in order to reach your destination.
Can’t and Won’t
In the Can’t and Won’t square, you lack both the ability and the motivation to complete the task. You might try learning the skill you need first, and then see if gaining new ability helps with your motivation. If it doesn’t then consider how the task aligns with your There. Similarly to the Can but Won’t square, this might be a good opportunity to assess your Path and question if it’s really helping you get There. If it doesn’t then learn from your mistakes and adjust your approach in order to reach your goals.
We cannot be perfectly motivated all of the time. But we can increase our self-awareness and consider ways to align your current reality with your vision and goals and learn the skills necessary to get There.
