Who Needs Motivation?

We all struggle with needing motivation at some time in our lives. Motivation comes with the desire to complete a goal. When it comes to meeting goals, we are driven either by intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. Depending on the type of motivation you are seeking and how you respond to both positive and negative motivation will depend on your outcome.

Those who use intrinsic motivation vs. extrinsic motivation tend to be more successful long term in obtaining goals. Intrinsic motivation is based on something you want to do. This comes from within yourself. These are often things you can control, such as your emotions, behaviors, etc. So, when you want to accomplish something for yourself, and you find intrinsic motivation, you are more likely to accomplish it. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation comes from outside sources such as a reward or something tangible. For example, doing something to get money, or a prize of some kind. While you have the initial motivation to get the tangible reward, that motivation is most likely gone after you receive it.

The factor that impacts motivation is how you respond to that specific experience. If you are positive about your goal and your motivation, you are more likely to enjoy the experience, and therefore the outcome of your desired goal will be more positive. If you start working out because you want to improve your overall health and fitness, it would be an example of positive motivation. However, if you work out because you don’t want to gain weight, negative motivation would be an example. You are doing this only to avoid an outcome rather than for the experience of getting healthier.

Motivation is an important part of our lives, and everyone needs motivation to help us achieve our goals. When we use motivation in the right way, goals can be very obtainable and rewarding. When setting up goals, it is important to be sure they are realistic and something you can achieve. If you are setting goals that are not obtainable, you will struggle with the path leading to those goals and most likely will lose motivation altogether.