The key is to figure out why you are motivated to do things, and encouraging both types of motivation. So, intrinsic motivation is good, and extrinsic motivation is good.
If you’re in school, you’re extrinsically motivated to learn calculus because you’re being graded on it, even if you enjoy practicing and studying it (this was NOT me). If you have a job, and you have to complete a project, you were probably extrinsically motivated – by your boss’s praise or lack thereof or by the potential reward of a raise or promotion for finishing the project – even if you enjoy the project while you’re doing it. Turns out, extrinsic motivation is just part of being human. We don’t live in such a motivation-Utopia, and being extrinsically motivated doesn’t mean anything bad. So intrinsic motivation is best, right? That’s how you achieve success! After all, doesn’t it sound like it would be ideal if you didn’t need anyone or anything motivating you to accomplish tasks?! They are more persistent when facing difficulties. They are more passionate and have a stronger sense of personal commitment. Research finds that when people are intrinsically motivated, the quality of their action is better, leading to better performance, especially in the long term. Cleaning your home because it helps you feel organized.Exercising because you want to relieve stress or be healthy for your family.Reading a book because you enjoy the storytelling.When you’re intrinsically motivated, your behavior is motivated by your internal desire to do something for its own sake – for example, your personal enjoyment of an activity, or your desire to learn something new just because you want to.Įxamples of intrinsic motivation could include: Cleaning your home to prepare for visitors coming over.When you’re extrinsically motivated, your behavior is motivated by an external factor pushing you to do something in hopes of earning a reward or avoiding punishment. ( Also know as “The Carrot and The Stick Approach”)Įxamples of extrinsic motivation could include: Ultimately, if you examine “successful” people (I say “successful” because we all have varying ideas of what success means to us), one of the main differences is that they have been able to balance being motivated by others with being motivated by themselves. They are not necessarily more intelligent, or have better ideas, or have better luck they are just able to pursue a goal until they have reached it or decided that it wasn’t the right goal. Sometimes there is something obvious that separates them, but the differences may not be so obvious. “I can’t seem to lose weight unless I have someone constantly checking on me and I can’t afford a personal trainer.”ĭo any of these sound familiar? If so, you’ve probably looked at people you deem to be successful and put them in a different category from yourself. “I do well with deadlines, but I can’t seem to make myself finish my own projects.” “I have so many great ideas, if only I could get motivated.”