Grade 6 · SEL · Lesson 14

Motivation and task initiation

Motivation is the energy behind a task — the reason you choose to do it and keep going. Task initiation is a smaller, sharper skill: it is the moment you actually start. Many students have plenty of motivation but still freeze at the starting line, because starting and wanting are not the same thing. This lesson gives you both pieces — the why behind your work, and the moves that get you moving.

What this lesson teaches

1Define motivation, intrinsic, extrinsic, initiation, barrier, micro-step and momentum
2Distinguish intrinsic motivation (interest, mastery) from extrinsic motivation (rewards, deadlines)
3Identify three common barriers to starting: overwhelm, fear of failure and no clear first step
4Apply start strategies such as the 2-minute rule, smallest next action, body doubling and public commitment

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