We are often taught from a young age to seek external rewards or avoid punishments, such as getting a sticker for completing homework or being grounded for breaking a rule. While these methods may appear to be effective in the short term, their ability to create long-term motivation is limited. Many children, for example, find it difficult to stay motivated to complete tasks when there is no external reward…. This is where intrinsic motivation comes into play.
As illustrated in the above example, there are two types of motivation — intrinsic motivation (also known as internal motivation) and extrinsic motivation (external motivation).
By focusing on internal factors such as personal interest, enjoyment, or a desire for personal growth, we can actually tap into a more sustainable and fulfilling source of motivation.
In this article, we will delve deeper into intrinsic motivation and offer advice on how to discover and harness your own internal motivation.
Table of Contents
What is Intrinsic Motivation?
Let’s look at the American Psychological Association’s definition of intrinsic motivation:[1]
Intrinsic motivation – an incentive to engage in a specific activity that derives from pleasure in the activity itself rather than because of any external benefits that might be obtained.
The drive or desire to engage in an activity for its own sake, rather than for external rewards or pressures, is referred to as intrinsic motivation. It originates within an individual and is motivated by personal interest, enjoyment, or satisfaction gained from the activity itself.
Intrinsically motivated people are driven by internal factors such as a desire to learn, explore, create, mastery, or personal growth or fulfillment. They get more enjoyment and satisfaction from their work or activities because they are motivated by internal desires rather than external rewards or pressures. This leads to improved performance, creativity, and perseverance, as well as psychological well-being.
Pursuing a hobby, learning a new skill or language for personal fulfillment, or participating in a sport or activity simply for the enjoyment of it are all examples of intrinsically motivated behaviors.
Why Intrinsic Motivation Tops Extrinsic Motivation
“To be motivated means to be moved to do something.”[2]
Generally speaking, we all need motivation. Significant research done in the domain shows that when it comes to finding the lasting drive to “do something,” internal incentives are much more powerful than extrinsic rewards.
Why? It’s simple. There is a great difference when you engage in something because “you want to,” as opposed to “you must.”
Just think about the most obvious example there is: work.
If you go to work every day, dragging your feet and dreading the day ahead, how much enjoyment will you get from your job? What about productivity and results? Quality of work?
Yep, that’s right; you won’t be topping the Employee of the Month list anytime soon. The thing with external motivation is that it doesn’t last.
It’s susceptible to something psychologists call Hedonic Adaptation.[3] It’s a fancy saying that external rewards are not a sustainable source of happiness and satisfaction.
When you put in 100-hour weeks to get promoted, and you finally are, how long does your “high” last?
Research tells us that the walking-on-a-cloud feelings wear off quickly, making you want more. Therefore, you are stuck on a never-ending “hedonic treadmill,” i.e., you can progressively only become motivated by bigger and shinier things to find out that they don’t bring you the satisfaction you hoped for when you finally get them.[4]
Or, as the journalist and author Oliver Burkeman wonderfully puts it: “Write every day” won’t work unless you want to write. And no exercise regime will last long if you don’t at least slightly enjoy what you’re doing.
Benefits of Intrinsic Motivation
According to research, intrinsic motivation is a better predictor of job performance in the long run than extrinsic motivation.[5] One reason is that when we are internally driven to do something, we do it simply for the enjoyment of the activity. So, we keep going daily because we feel inspired, driven, happy, and satisfied with ourselves.
Another reason is that internally motivated attitudes are intertwined with things such as higher purpose, contributing to a cause, or doing things for the sake of something bigger than ourselves or our benefit. Research confirms that the use of external motivators, such as praise, undermines students’ internal motivation and, in the long run, results in “slower acquisition of skills and more errors in the learning process.”[6]
In contrast, when children are internally driven, they are more involved in the task at hand, enjoy it more, and intentionally seek out challenges. Therefore, all the research seems to allude to one major revelation: intrinsic motivation is a must-have if you want to save yourself the drudgery we sometimes feel when contemplating what we should do or must do.
Unlocking Your Intrinsic Motivation
Let’s say you need to dig a ditch. For many, this may seem like a chore they would neither choose nor enjoy without being paid or forced to. Both of which are extrinsic motivators if you’ve been following along. But what if you were digging the ditch to create a swimming pool that would provide you and your family with years of enjoyment? This would certainly change things for you and most others.
While these might appear to be extrinsic thoughts, they are a form of what psychologist Abraham Maslow called “growth motivation”—motivation that leads to growth from over and above basic needs.[7]
According to Maslow, all of us have a hierarchy of needs. He proposed that motivation results from a person’s attempt at fulfilling five basic needs: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. He further theorized that these needs could create internal pressures that influence a person’s behavior. Growth motivation is a part of our self-actualization and our desire for self-fulfillment.
So, how does all this “psychobabble” fit in with your intrinsic motivation?
The psychobabble is the key to unlocking your intrinsic motivation. Once you understand where your internal growth comes from, you can shift your focus to this area rather than any external reward. In doing so, you will notice that work becomes pleasure and pain becomes progress, with all of it leading to growth within yourself.
It is truly a magical place that will lead to years of success and happiness for you as it has for me. But how, you may be asking?
Here’re five quick tips to help you kickstart your intrinsic motivation:
- Start by looking at all components of each situation or task you face.
- Break it down into individual components: why, how, and what?
- Focus on the aspect that will bring you internal satisfaction or enjoyment.
- Make this the cornerstone of the activity.
- Reflect and practice gratitude for at least this component—if not everything.
6 Ways to Enhance Your Intrinsic Motivation
So, how does one get more of the good stuff — that is, how do you become internally motivated?
There are many things you can do to become more driven. Here are the ones that top the list.
1. Self-Efficacy
The American Canadian psychologist Albert Bandura developed the self-efficacy theory in 1982.[8] Efficacy is our own belief in whether we can achieve the goals we set for ourselves.
In other words, it’s whether we think we “got what it takes” to be successful at what we do. It’s not hard to see the link of self-efficacy to higher self-esteem, better performance, and enhanced motivation. People with high self-efficacy are more likely to put extra effort into their actions, self-set more challenging goals, and be more driven to improve their skills.[9]
Therefore, the belief that we can accomplish something serves as a self-fulfilling prophecy — it motivates us to try harder to prove to ourselves that we can do it.
2. Link Your Actions to a Greater Purpose
Finding your “why” in life is incredibly important. This means that you must be clear about why you do what you do and what drives you.
What is intrinsically rewarding for you? Psychologists call this “reframing your narrative.”
Remember the famous story of John F. Kennedy visiting NASA in 1961? As it goes, he met a janitor there and asked him what he did at NASA. The answer was: “I’m helping to put a man on the Moon.”
Inspirational, isn’t it? Re-phrasing how your actions can help others and leave a mark in the universe can be a powerful driver and a meaning-creator.
3. Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to give back to the world. It can also help boost your internal motivation by making you feel important in supporting the less fortunate, learning new skills, feeling good about yourself, or linking to some of your inner values, such as kindness and humanitarianism. [10]
You are intrinsically motivated when you remove any external reward expectations and do Something for the pure joy and fulfillment of improving others’ lives.
4. Don’t Wait Until You “Feel Like It” to Do Something
A great piece in the Harvard Business Review points out that when we say things such as “I can’t make myself go to the gym” or “I can’t get up early,” what we mean is that we don’t feel like it.[11] Nothing that psychically prevents us from doing those things, apart from our laziness .
But here’s the thing: You don’t have to “feel like it” to take action.
Sometimes, it so happens that you may not want to do something in the beginning, but once you start, you get into the flow and find your intrinsic motivation.
For instance, you don’t feel like going to the gym after a long day at work, rather than debating in your head for hours “for and against” it. Tell yourself that you will think about it later. Once in the gym, surrounded by similar souls, you suddenly won’t feel that tired or uninspired.
Another way to overcome procrastination is to create routines and follow them. Once the habit sets in, suddenly getting up at 6 am for work or writing for an hour every day won’t be so dreadful.
5. Self-Determination, or the CAR Model (As I Call It)
Two professors of psychology from the University of Rochester in the mid-80s—Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, created the self-motivation theory.[12]
The theory is one of the most popular in the field of motivation and focuses on the different drivers behind our behavior—i.e., the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. There are three main needs, the theory further states, that can help us meet our need for growth: Competence, Autonomy, and Relatedness (CAR).
If our jobs allow us to learn and grow, and if we have enough autonomy to do things our way and be creative, we will be more driven to give our best, and our performance will soar. In addition, as humans are social beings, we also need to feel connected to others and respected.
These sources of intrinsic motivation, separately and in combination, can become powerful instigators to keep us thriving, even when we feel uninspired and unmotivated.
6. Tap Into a Deeper Reason
Some interesting research done in 2016 sought answers to how high-performing employees remain driven when their company can’t or won’t engage in ways to motivate them—intrinsically or intrinsically.[13]
The study tracked workers in a Mexican factory, where they did the same daily tasks, with virtually zero chances for learning new skills, developing professionally, or being promoted. Everyone was paid the same, regardless of performance. So, there was no extrinsic motivation other than keeping one’s job.
The third kind of motivation was then discovered, which scientists called “family motivation.” Workers who agreed more with statements such as “I care about supporting my family” or “It is important for me to do good for my family” were more energized and performed better, although they didn’t have any additional external or internal incentive to do so.
The great thing about this kind of driver is that it’s independent of the company one works for or the situation. It taps into something even deeper—if you don’t want to do it for your own sake, then do it for the people you care for. And this is a powerful motive, as many can probably attest to this.
Final Thoughts
Intrinsic motivation tips the scales when finding long-term happiness and satisfaction in everything we do and improving our overall well-being.
The next time you need to give yourself a bit of a kick to get something done, remember to link it to a goal bigger than yourself, preferably one that has non-material benefits.
If you feel a bit defeated or don’t know how to find internal motivation, think back to the janitor at NASA. Because once you find your internal generator, you will be truly unstoppable.
Featured photo credit: Juan Ramos via unsplash.com
