Are Motivation and Learning Connected?

The higher a person’s level of motivation is to learn something, the more learning that will probably occur. Desire alone is not enough to learn, but rather we need the willingness to make sacrifices, especially when the learning will take substantial time and effort.

Intrinsic Vs. Extrinsic Motivation To Learn

The motivation that comes from within ourselves is intrinsic. Our desire to learn something new can be motivated by a sense of pride in obtaining knowledge or developing a skill. We may feel that learning something new gives us a greater understanding of others or the world. Learning something in some situations can help us feel safer or better able to acclimate to an environment.

Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of ourselves. We could experience pressure to lose a scholarship if we do not maintain good grades or lose a job or miss out on a promotion if our work performance is poor. We may have family members who are disappointed with us if we do not learn. Tests provide strong external motivation to learn but may not always be very effective for retaining that information long-term. For example, if you lack the motivation to learn something but need to pass a test, you may study in a manner that allows you to recall answers on a test the next day, but that information may be quickly lost afterward.

Keeping Ourselves Motivated To Learn

Even when we try to learn something that we know will benefit us, it can sometimes be less exciting. A pitcher learning a new pitch may spend hour after hour throwing the ball in a new way. A person in medical school may be excited about becoming a doctor but find the memorization of terms to be agonizing. To keep ourselves motivated, it is helpful to focus on our end goals. We may need to remind ourselves often why we are spending the time learning, time to achieve more instant gratification. We should also strive to be aware of our degree of motivation. When it decreases, do we need to take a break from learning? Do we need additional extrinsic motivation on top of intrinsic motivation, such as by asking someone to hold us accountable in learning or allowing us to eat our favorite meal once becoming proficient in something? Motivation will not stay constant, but paying attention to how our motivation compels us forward can help us further enrich our lives through learning.