Maybe you've been there.

It's minutes before a practice or training session and your kid isn't ready to leave.

In fact, it seems they're purposely trying to drive you crazy by slowing you down!

Deep inside, you know this behavior stems from the fact they don't want to go.

And you're completely confused, because they never used to battle you to go.

What changed?

As common as this scenario may be for parents, the truth is there isn't one simple answer.

That's because motivation is a moving target.

What drives someone to enjoy a task one day can be completely different the next.

There are a few common stages that drive us to want to do a particular activity, with the transition from one to the next happening at random times.

The first stage is curiosity. When we first discover something fun or interesting, it's exciting.

Taking part in a sport or workout program for example, is a thrill in and of itself. We want to go because of the novelty of it.

Eventually that phase ends.

To stay motivated we must develop a passion for the activity, and we need to see a purpose for the work we put in.

What is this doing for me? Is it the thing I most want to spend my time on?

Without good answers to both, the reality of how hard it will be to improve becomes a barrier to continue.

So what do we do?

Usually we give a partial effort at first, which steadily decreases the longer we continue.

When we do see a purpose for what we do, and are passionate about it, we'll fight through endless obstacles to improve.

Setbacks are temporary, sacrifices are part of the price we pay for success.

This is the athlete who plays their sport, or trains for it, year after year no matter how their team does, or how elite they've become.

It's a part of their identity.

And yet motivation can still suffer if, at this stage, we do not have autonomy over our situation.

The farther down any path we go, the more we naturally want to take control of our own destiny.

This can be blocked by authoritarian coaching styles.

It could develop through pressure from family or peers.

Feeling like you have no control over what you do with your time and energy can slowly eat away at our once vibrant outlook.

Finally, for those who reach very high levels of sport, achieving mastery becomes the main driver.

Long periods without improvement can drain the enthusiasm from even the best performers.

They feel like there's nothing they can do to improve any more, so they stop putting in as much work.

Setbacks or injury can make it even worse for elite players.

It's important to note that all drops in motivation can be either temporary or permanent.

Lulls in enthusiasm may blow over if we rediscover a purpose in what we do, if autonomy is restored, or if we blast through plateaus.

We are not robots. Our paths to success will never be linear.

For those stuck in a motivation rut, the people around them can help tremendously.

Youth athletes, in particular, often have a hard time expressing emotions.

If your child literally must be pulled from the house, kicking and screaming while clinging to the frame of your front door, know that they are likely trapped between one of these stages.

Getting a clear explanation on what's wrong will be an even bigger battle.

Knowing where they may be along this path, you'll be able to narrow down the main roadblocks enough to start a productive conversation.