How to Stay Motivated Without Praise

No encouragement? No thanks?

Not even a high five?

You've just wrapped up another successful project, knowing you've done some really good work. But like many times before, your supervisor says a whole lot of nothing.

You find yourself wondering how to keep your enthusiasm alive when your efforts keep going unacknowledged.

Do you feel like your supervisor doesn't encourage you in your work with praise and thanks?

This absence of encouragement isn't just demotivating – it's a recognised workplace issue known as lack of praise and recognition.

When you don't receive positive reinforcement for your work, it can affect both your enthusiasm and your professional confidence.

What's Praise and Recognition?

Praise and recognition include receiving encouragement and appreciation for your work efforts. This positive reinforcement is important for both workplace motivation and job satisfaction.

When praise is present, it helps confirm you're on the right track and your efforts are valued.

But when encouragement is lacking, you need strategies to maintain your motivation and drive.

Why It Matters

Here's why lack of encouragement needs attention:

• It can lead to uncertainty about whether your work meets expectations
• It often results in decreased enthusiasm for taking on new challenges
• It may affect your confidence in developing new skills and abilities

But you don't have to depend on external praise to stay motivated. There are ways to find drive and satisfaction in your work.

1. Set Milestones

Create personal benchmarks to celebrate your progress and achievements.

2. Find Purpose

Connect your work to broader goals that matter to you personally.

3. Build Support

Develop a network of peers who can offer mutual encouragement and feedback.

Building Inner Strength

That deafening silence after you've achieved something exceptional can slowly chip away at your enthusiasm.

But finding self-motivation can help. This isn't just about managing without praise – it's about discovering your own measures of success and finding satisfaction in meeting them. It's often called intrinsic motivation.

Pro tip: you can boost your intrinsic motivation by using MOOD.ai to track how you feel each day. Through daily check-ins, you'll gradually uncover what truly lights you up, and build on those internal motivators.

Quality work matters. So does your commitment to it.

Regardless of external recognition, finding your own sources of motivation will help you unlock your best self – at work, and beyond.