noun
self-motivation
self-moh-ti-VAY-shuhn
Self-motivation (noun) means the ability to get yourself to start and keep going at something without being pushed, supervised or rewarded by anyone else. Example: “Working from home takes real self-motivation.”
noun
1
The ability to get yourself to start and keep going at something without being pushed, supervised or rewarded by anyone else.
"Working from home takes real self-motivation."
"Her self-motivation carried her through two years of unpaid research."
How to use self-motivation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBeing able to make yourself do things without anyone pushing you.
When to use it
Neutral; heavily used in job adverts, applications and workplace writing.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a high level of self-motivation
lack self-motivation
self-motivation and initiative
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Working from home takes real _____.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for self-motivation
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for self-motivation →
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between self-motivation and self-discipline?
Self-motivation is the want-to, the internal reason that makes you begin. Self-discipline is the do-it-anyway, the ability to continue when the want-to has gone. Most sustained work needs both, because motivation is unreliable and discipline is what covers the gap.
How do you show self-motivation on a CV?
Do not claim the trait, evidence it. Name something you started without being asked, say what it produced, and give a number if you have one, since an unprompted project with a result proves the point better than the adjective does.
Is self-motivation the same as intrinsic motivation?
They are close but not identical. Intrinsic motivation means doing something because the activity itself is rewarding; self-motivation covers driving yourself towards any goal, including a dull one you have chosen for external reasons.
What is the meaning of self-motivation?
"self-motivation" (noun) means the ability to get yourself to start and keep going at something without being pushed, supervised or rewarded by anyone else.
