The challenge of blindness
Can you imagine being blind? Now, can you imagine dancing by yourself blind? How about taking on to the next level of challenge and dance ballet without being able to see?
Alicia Alonso (21 December 1920 - 17 October 2019), Cuba’s prima ballerina assoluta, overcame her limits and took this significant challenge from a nearly impossible task to a debut performance.
She was already a young, fine ballerina when she was diagnosed in 1941 with a detached retina, a serious eye condition. Alicia had several eye surgeries in order to correct the problem. After the second surgery, when the bandages came off, she discovered that she lost her peripheral vision. She consented to a third procedure, but this time she was ordered to have bed rest for a year.
Motivation through the eyes of a blind girl
It is interesting to consider how this particular life event impacted her levels of motivation. Perhaps, if you were to be in Alicia Alonso’s shoes and lose your peripheral vision as a young aspiring ballerina, this could have made you feel discouraged and deflated, leading to a dip in your motivation levels.
Or.. perhaps this event could have served as a catalyst for you to work even harder and strive towards achieving your goals as a dancing ballerina, increasing your motivation level.
So it is clear that life's circumstances have the power to influence our motivation, but in the end what matters most is how we interpret events and what we decide to do afterwards. In this case, the fact that Madame Alonso lost her vision could have been a breaking point in her life.
Instead, she chose to begin again, and rebuild her skills with grace, teaching herself to dance as a blind girl now.
'I danced in my mind. Blinded, motionless, flat on my back, I thought myself to dance Giselle.'
What is more important is that, as human beings, we are not simply passive-helpless beings on which life simply unfolds. Our motivation levels are not determined by life's challenges, but rather by our own perceptions of what we can achieve within those given circumstances.
It's up to us to choose whether we will allow those difficult circumstances to defeat us or to inspire us to greater heights.
The force of motivation?
What are your thoughts on what happened to Madame Alonso? How come did she not give up on her life? Afterall, she lost her eyesight..
Well, she decided to face this adversity, adapted and developed the skill of blind dancing, a new skill that she may not have learned otherwise. Alicia relied on their ears, feet, and a strong sense of her body in space to keep performing, adding a new layer of complexity and coordination each time.
Of course that she fell, of course she went through pain and desperation sometimes.. Imagine how miserably she failed at times.
One might wonder then, what kept the bling girl moving forward?
The power of decision
Madame Alonso recognized that being a ballerina was the real CHOICE she wanted to make. She utilized this choice to break free from a limitative and helpless mindset . Instead she cultivated a sense of purpose and control, by choosing again and again, to train and overcome her own limitations.
The findings of researchers from Texas Univerity¹ indicate that individuals with a strong personal interest tend to view making choices as favorable. This is because it provides them with a chance to fully realize their potential, enhance their skills, and align the task with their specific preferences or goals, ultimately leading to successful performance.
So did Alicia Alonso, Cuba's prima ballerina assoluta. Her strong interest in bale allowed her to sustain a remarkable choice, something that has never been heard before. Madame Alonso took the chance of realizing her true potential, becoming one of the great ballerinas in the worlds history.
Take away lessons
What can we learn from Alicia Alonso's life story? What kind of solutions can we implement when it comes to lack of motivation:
1. To cultivate your interests
Researches show that if one's choices align with personal values, goals, or interests, this will have a great impact on motivation, performance, and learning. So if we want to make meaningful choices we should always take into consideration our personal interests.
2. To create a choice
It's important to recognize that motivation isn't solely determined by external factors. While our external circumstances can play a role in our motivation, and influence our motivation, the ultimate choice to be motivated lies within us.
This idea of creating a way to be motivated is actually supported by science too.
According to self-determination theory people are naturally inclined to interact with the environment in ways that promote learning and a sense of personal control. We tend to pursue actions that enhance our understanding of life and a sense of self-control. We like and perform better in a task if we are provided with the ability to chose.
So if you want to perform in a task, follow your natural tendency of understanding the world by taking actions that help you become more sure of yourself. Also, give yourself choices, make a plan B, multiple routes. Rarely depend on a single course of action. Imagine not a single way of achieving your goals, but multiple ways, creating thus multiple choices on which you might act and rely on.
3. To take action
It's essential to understand that motivation often comes after taking action, not before. Start with small, manageable steps towards your goals, even if you don't feel motivated initially. As you take action, you will likely find that your motivation is starting to build momentum.
4. To keep on going
There will inevitably be days when you will feel less inspired or will have to face obstacles. By committing to being persistent, you can achieve your goals. Keep reminding yourself of the bigger picture or the rewards that await you on the other side of your efforts.
Continue to make progress
Ultimately, choose to push through, learn from failures, and keep moving forward even thought you don't feel like doing it.
Take responsibility for your motivation, as Madame Alonso did, by recognizing that you have the power to choose your attitude, perspective, and actions in any given situation. And remember, motivation lies within your grasp: choose it, nurture it, and let it guide you on your journey to achieving your dreams.
Article sources
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2022, December 17). Alicia Alonso. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alicia-Alonso
Favilli, E., Cavallo, F., & Girls, R. (2017). Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls 2. Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Robinson, J. C. (2008). The effects of choice on intrinsic motivation and related outcomes: a meta-analysis of research findings. Psychological bulletin, 134(2), 270.
Patall, E. A. (2013). Constructing motivation through choice, interest, and interestingness. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(2), 522.