ABSTRACT
Motivation determines both the direction and the magnitude of human behaviour, that is, the choice of a particular action, the effort expended on it and the persistence with it. The curious fact is, however, that the third of these motivational dimensions – persistence – has received far less attention in past research than the other components. This imbalanced treatment is in stark contrast with the perception of classroom practitioners, who know all too well that persistence is a key aspect of a learner’s disposition: student motivation is not constant but displays continuous ebbs and flows, and it is also characterised by a steady ‘leak,’ that is, a tendency to decrease and even peter out with time. How can we redress the balance? It is argued in this chapter that in order to sustain motivation in the long run, one needs a strong initial goal/vision with an effective action plan that includes energy-saving, energy-regenerating and energy-amplifying features, as well as sufficient self-control to draw on when encountering difficulties and setbacks. The discussion then elaborates on each of these components.
