To be inspired by the desire to motivate oneself is a desirable goal. I can identify with this, as I have drawn from particular experiences in my own life, where I have had to motivate myself in order to transcend challenges associated with failure within the education system, oppression and racism. What has become apparent during the course of my analysis of motivation, has been my ability to reflect on what I have overcome as opposed to what has been achieved.
During the challenges that I encountered whilst at University, I drew upon my own inherent self-belief and an overwhelming desire to succeed, whilst transcending preconceived stereotypes and misconceptions that were associated at the time of being a British born black male of African descent, which related to insidious comments made by senior lecturers such as ‘he might have a chip on his shoulder, or we have to be careful as he might be too ‘confrontational.’ All of which did not manifest but in turn made me more determined and focused to obtain the masters degree that I was pursuing at the time.
