“People have to want to change.”
It sounds reasonable, but behavior change is rarely that simple. Someone can genuinely want things to be different and still struggle to take the next step. They may feel uncertain, overwhelmed, discouraged, or caught between wanting change and wanting to stay with what feels familiar.
Motivation is not an on-or-off switch. It can change over time, fluctuate with circumstances, and look different from one person to another. In substance use treatment, SAMHSA describes motivation as a dynamic process rather than a fixed trait, and emphasizes that professionals can help clients identify their own reasons for change rather than simply trying to convince them to change.
That distinction matters.
If we assume someone is simply “unmotivated,” we may miss what is actually getting in the way. Maybe they don’t believe change is possible. Maybe previous attempts have ended in disappointment. Maybe they are worried about losing relationships, routines, or a sense of identity. Or maybe they understand why change matters but don’t yet know how to begin.
The role of a behavioral health professional isn’t to manufacture motivation for someone. It is to help create an environment where motivation can develop.
Research on self-determination theory points to three psychological needs that can support motivation: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In practice, that can mean giving people meaningful choices, helping them experience small successes, and making sure they feel understood and connected rather than judged or controlled.
This also helps explain why pressure alone doesn’t necessarily create lasting change. A person may initially make a change because someone else expects it, but lasting change is more likely when the person begins to connect that change to their own values, goals, and reasons.
For professionals, this can mean shifting the conversation from “Why aren’t you changing?” to “What would make change feel possible?”
That question opens the door to something more useful than pressure. It invites curiosity. It acknowledges ambivalence. And it gives the person space to identify what matters to them.
Change still requires effort. Motivation still matters. But sometimes the most helpful thing we can do is stop treating motivation as something a person either has or doesn’t have.
Instead, we can help create the conditions that allow it to grow.
Why This Matters
Motivation isn’t simply something people bring to treatment. The way we listen, communicate, offer choices, and build confidence can help strengthen it. Sometimes, helping someone change begins with helping them believe that change is possible.