Of your own volition.
You’ve more than likely heard this phrase and probably understand what it means, but you may not understand its potency.
An important part of my occupational therapy education, and a term my classmates and I have been inundated with since our first day, is client-centeredness. Essentially, this means we will prioritize what is important and meaningful to the client. It also involves the use of our clients’ volition.
Let’s begin by asking ourselves: “what is volition?”
According to Gary Kielhofner, a prominent occupational therapy theorist, volition is the power of choosing or determining. It is synonymous with conscious choice, autonomy, self-determination, and free will. Extending this further, I believe volition refers to decisions and preferences based on deep and personal attachment.
Personally, there’s a lot of things I do that are not of my own volition. I don’t particularly enjoy doing the dishes, checking my email, or paying my credit card bill. In high school, I never wanted to run sprints at practice. And as a kid, I certainly did not complete chores of my own free will. In these cases, I am acting on motivation, not volition.
Let’s break down the difference. Motivation is focused on reward (or in some cases, avoiding punishment). As a kid, receiving an allowance for completing your chores is a reward. Having a clean kitchen is a reward. Volition invokes significantly more than that. Volition refers to an inner desire according to previous experiences, interests, and values. A deep and personal attachment.
I am extremely passionate about occupational therapy. Passionate enough to take out student loans, anyways. I truly believe that occupational therapists can play a large role in improving their clients’ participation in daily life and I want to spend my professional career being a part of that.
Volition, not motivation, is the reason why I often stay up until midnight completing assignments, watching lecture videos, and reading textbooks. I want to become the best OT I can be and because I’m utilizing my volition, I’m able to accomplish much more than if my only motivation was to receive good grades.
I concede, not every task can or will invoke volition. Good luck finding a child that is passionate about doing the dishes. In any case, volition is different for everyone. If you find and utilize volition where you can, whether it’s as an occupational therapist, other healthcare provider, or in your everyday life, you will perform more effectively and joyously.
More on volition:
· https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/going-beyond-motivation-to-the-power-of-volition/
