Help wanted: Motivation needed!

ShelleyERgirl, LPN · Jan 29, 2004

Originally posted by SusanNC
Navynurse,

I'm one of those with a family to care for - husband, 3 kids, mortgage, house repairs, carpooling - on and on and on. I actually envy your situation with just the 3 cats - lucky girl.

For me at least, it's not my family motivating me - it's my dream/desire to become a Nurse that keeps me heading in that direction. Actually, having a family and so many responsibilities is making this so much harder to do. I don't know your age, but assuming you are young, just remember that this is a career you can have all your life - that alone should be a good motivation. If you get married and have kids someday - Nursing School and all the studying will be far behind you.

Your name is Navynurse - are you currently in the Navy or is that your goal? I'm a Navy Vet and know more than I want to know about Navy life - if you have any questions, just ask me.
Take Care, SusanNC

Hey Susan, yeah, I was in the Navy for 5 years as a hospital corpsman. Loved it but got out to go to school full time. Thanks for the reply, that is good motivation!

Raevyn · Jan 29, 2004

Well....

Even though my family keeps me motivated.. I understand where you are coming from.....

What helps me is:

See a car I cannot afford..but want soooooooo badly.

If you don't already have a house... getting one of those too

Not having to work in an office (BIG PLUS FOR ME.. been doing that for 20 years..LOL)

Not having to work at a fast food restaurant good too..LOL

My goal when I get done... besides being a nurse... I want a Lincoln Navigator. When I graduate.. I will be 40 I have never owned a new car. I will get that navigator! I will.. I will ... I will

That is my motivation... I look at my 94 dodge minivan... and say... YOUR TIME IS SOON COMING TO AN END!

I see all the younger girls in class with really nice flashy cars... I spent my life saving up for a house... and I have a big one.. and the rest of my money goes to the kids for clothes and whatnot...

I am finally going to do something for myself. Sounds selfish I know... but I am working hard for this.. I graduate Dec. 2005 so I still have a long time to go.. but I don't care come hell or high water.. nothing is going to make me give up this goal. I don't plan to quit with school until I get my CRNA.

I know this isn't what motivates you... but finding something you want.. and can't afford now and won't be able to afford it until you can make good money might help.

It also might be helpful since you are not married and don't have kids... is NEVER EVER EVER EVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A MAN TO FOOT THE BILL FOR YOU!

Been married three times.... sometimes... you find ones that just won't work... I have a fabulous husband now... we work together for everything... sometimes.. that little extra comfort of knowing that you can get a job no matter what part of the world you go.. is comforting to me.

Hope that helps some.

Rae

bonjovigirl · Jan 29, 2004

What personally keeps me going when everything else fails...

How would I ever pay back those loans working at (insert mall store name here) ?

Gets me back in the book in two seconds.

Also having a husband that says "your only job is to go to school." works too, the guilt if I didn't make it would kill me....

>--stethoscope--o · Apr 14, 2008

I know EXACTLY how you feel. Ok maybe not exactly, cuz I like going to class, but as far as the motivation aspect and not opening a book for me, I'm with ya there.

You did say, you had friends and hey at least you have that.

I just talked to one of my friends, she's in nursing too (higher courses), and she brought up the idea that I don't look like I want to be a nurse b/c I'm always saying neg. things about clinical (Teachers use to be hard on me, now I'm hard on myself.). When in reality that is not the case. Hopefully you have the type of friends that motivate you to study, not bring you down, and help you stick to your dreams.

Hopefully you also have parents that care. Some ppl like me, don't, and they tell you anything to get you to quit nursing school.

I know, trust me, I know. I'm with you. :cry:

TangoLima · Apr 14, 2008

I have lacked motivation in school at times. This is normal. My motivations are:

1. Financial. My husband just retired from the Navy and is now making only 40% of what he was making before. I know that I must finish school since I will be the major breadwinner of the family.

2. Grades. I have a 4.0 and maintaining this GPA is incentive.

3. Desire to finish. I have been going to school for 8 years, and need a break. So, the sooner I finish, the sooner I get a break!

4. Friend. I met my best friend in NS and we have been inseparable ever since. She often is my motivation by scheduling times when we will get together and work on school stuff. I help tutor her on some things, and she bugs the crap out of me to make me do my assignments. :chuckle It works for the both of us.

NS is really hard, busy, overwhelming. But, it is worth it in the end. I am graduating in 3 weeks, and couldn't be happier.

Good luck.

MySimplePlan · Apr 14, 2008

Hey guys, really need some advice here.... I am only in my second quarter of nursing school and already I am ready to give it up. Well....maybe not give it up, I have worked too hard to get here, but I am at the point where I don't even want to go to my labs or even open my books and study! How do you guys stay motivated? I know alot of you all have kids and families that motivate you and that is great. I just don't have that, all I have are three cats and a great group of friends. Believe me, I am not complaining about that, I have great respect for you all out there with families trying to do this. So tell me..... what motivates you to really be gung ho or hell, even get up in the morning and go to school?

Three cats and great friends! That's a good start! You are loved.

Navynurse, when my motivation was circling the drain, I would remind myself how far I'd come in terms or pre-reqs and the time, effort and $ I had spent on them. No WAY was I going to let that go to waste. It would all have been for nothing if I had - and I was going to let that block of time in my life be wasted. I set small, small goals for myself..."Ok, just study TWO hours tonight, and that's the goal!" and I would, feeling a small sense of accomplishment. Then I would start the next day with another small, attainable goal. Sometimes on a Sunday night, I would say to myself, 'How do I end this week with a bang? How do I want to go into the weekend?" I would then do eveything possible to have a great week.

You can't look at nursing school as one big chunk. You have to break it up into amounts you can handle. Sometimes it's only a day. Sometimes a week. I didn't take much more than that at a time. Focus on the assignments THAT week. Get the clinical paperwork done. Study for that one test that week.

I did have to quit socializing, just keeping spare time to my sisters and parents. Thank God for the Internet - I kept in touch that way with my friends, so I didn't feel so out of the loop. :typing But Friday nights - that's a good chunk of time for studying, navynurse. :saint: And your kitties would love to have you home with them. :heartbeat :heartbeat :heartbeat

By the way, never feel you have it easier than someone else because of your life circumstances. Your 'stuff' is hard, too! We all have 'stuff' (I use a spicier term in real life) that we have to deal with. :banghead: Just because it's not as bad as the next person's doesn't mean I want to be dealing with it. You have your 'stuff' in your life and sometimes it's hard to manage it all together and it's stressful. :wtosts: :uhoh21: Nursing school is hard, and it's hard keeping all the plates spinning on the poles while you're doing it.

Take a deep breath, tell yourself you have been hanging in there and you can continue to hang in there, and start looking at those little goals.

Good luck to you! :yeah:

pretyjazz · Apr 17, 2008

Hang in there my dear. I try to distract myself so I don't feel overstressed or overwhelmed. I'm in my 3 quarter and have 3 more to go, but I remind myself everyday that I must continue to try harder so I can make ito December 2008. Join a study group, talk with your teachers and do what ever it take to get yourself motivated (pray, your friends, family, exercise). You made it this far, hang in there. Good luck