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Sometimes we all need a little push in the right direction.
By Christine Schoenwald — Written on Dec 06, 2016
Motivation is a strong force and it’s the thing that propels us to act. There can be positive and negative influences that get us to take action. Some things that motivate us are rewards/incentives, fear of consequences, achievements, growth, power, and social factors.
When an actor is studying a part, they try to figure out their character’s motives or why they do the things that they do. It’s sometimes easier to discover why a fictional character does something than ourselves, and it's even more challenging figuring out why your partner doesn’t do something that would be good for them.
We want our partners to have the best lives possible and we want to help them in any way that we can, so sometimes that means helping to motivate them. Perhaps you want to motivate your partner into going to the gym or saving money, but how can you encourage them to go in a positive direction without being too controlling or obnoxious?
If your partner is in a bad place, you want to do your best to make them feel better about themselves and to boost their self-confidence. They may be so down that it’s up to you to motivate them into doing something that gets them out of their depression and to take positive steps to improving their life.
However, nobody wants to be pushed into changing or into doing something that they don’t want to do, even if that something is good for them. The best way to motivate one person may not work for another; in fact, it can backfire entirely and make the person very resistant to doing what you want them to do.
Astrology can help. Every zodiac sign has its own behavior and set of motivators. Here’s how you can motivate your partner into taking positive action.
Aries (March 21 - April 19)
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Aries is least likely to need help with motivation as they're always setting goals for themselves and accomplishing great things. One way that you can help motivate your Aries partner is by challenging them. If they were your employee, they'd want to be challenged on a weekly basis. Keep raising your expectations and their motivation will also increase. Aries individuals love a good challenge.
Read: The 13 Brutal Truths About Loving An Aries, As Written By One
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
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Encourage your Taurus partner to use the personality traits they already have to motivate them. They're headstrong, stubborn, and have a strong belief in themselves, so let them use those to make their dreams a reality.
Read: The 5 Brutal Truths About Loving A Taurus, As Written By One
Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
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The best way to increase a Gemini's motivation is to give them evidence of the success they already have and remind them of how amazing and talented they are. Give them examples of their past accomplishments and how their brilliance and outgoing personalities have helped them succeed, and how using those again will help them with new goals.
Read: The 13 Brutal Truths About Loving A Gemini, As Written By One
Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
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With a Cancer individual, you need to find out why things aren't going well for them. Create a warm, cozy atmosphere where they can feel comfortable enough to tell you what's standing in the way of achieving their goals. When you know what's been blocking them, give them emotional support — don't criticize or reprimand them, show them that you support them and gently guide them to come up with a new plan of action.
Read: The 5 Brutal Truths About Loving A Cancer, As Written By One
Leo (July 23 - August 22)
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Your Leo partner probably has a whole entourage telling him what he wants to hear, but that's not entirely helpful. You need to strike a delicate balance where you emphasize some of the good things that your Leo has accomplished without over-praising him. If you're constantly praising him as if he's in kindergarten, your praise will start to seem fake and won't mean as much when you say it.
Virgo (August 23 - September 22)
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When you want to motivate a Virgo, be careful not to come off as too demanding. You want to help motivate him but not put so much pressure on him that he collapses. Virgos put enough pressure on themselves without you adding to it, and you don't want to make them even more stressed than they already are. Be encouraging but not too pushy.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Virgo (As Written By A Virgo)
Libra (September 23 - October 22)
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In order to motivate a Libra, you need to point out how working on achieving a goal gives them the opportunity to improve, grow and become more competent. Libras want to be well-liked and they don't want to disappoint anyone, which can be a huge incentive to put their eyes on the prize and get things done.
Read: 11 Brutal Truths About Loving A Libra, As Written By One
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
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Scorpios have a strong desire for control and power, and these can be strong motivators. All you have to do is help them to see the connection between what they want and what they have to do to get it.
Read: 14 Brutal Truths About Loving A Scorpio, As Written By One
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
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A good way to motivate a Sagittarius is to remind them that by accomplishing their goals, they will not only have independence but will feel in control of their own life. They won't have things hanging over them that they have to do, preventing them from fully enjoying their life.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Sagittarius, As Written By One
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
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Capricorns are very motivated people as they have a need for security and money, and they don't need any help with being motivated in their jobs. What they do need to be get motivated for is fun and relaxation. They feel so guilty when they're not working that you have to make them see how important it is for them to take some time for themselves to de-stress.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Capricorn, As Written By One
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
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Show your Aquarius partner that when they act and make an effort, it makes you happy; this will make them more motivated to succeed. Highlight how they always have an original way of looking at things and that while their actions may be a bit unorthodox, they usually have amazing results.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving An Aquarius, As Written By One
Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
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Pisces feel things deeply and are very unselfish. If you point out that the actions they take are helpful to others, they'll be motivated to continue. Look to accentuate all the positive things that come from their actions and attempts.
If something doesn't always get the result that was wished for, it doesn't mean that it won't lead to success down the line. You need to help your Pisces see that even when they fail, some good comes out of it, even if the goodness isn't immediately obvious.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Pisces, As Written By One