Let’s talk about intrinsic (internal) and extrinsic (external) motivation. This is important because motivation comes into everything in our life from getting out of bed (vs. hitting snooze) to what kind of job or passion we pursue. It’s really embedded in in everything going on in our world. There are two main types of motivation:  intrinsic and extrinsic.They have different roles, different purposes, and we can utilize them to really help us reach our goals. But it’s important to understand them and understand how they can be misunderstood. 

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation is the internal drive, the things you do  because of the pure joy brings you. That can be a hobby that you enjoy engaging in, it could be playing a game, anything to engage in because you enjoy it. Intrinsic motivation is moving from inside of you to take action of some sort. It’s important to understand that motivation does not equal action; we can be motivated, we can want something, and that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to act on it. Intrinsic is all about that pure joy you get, maybe you’re like me an enjoy ice cream, or playing with your pet, or taking a walk – things that just naturally bring you joy and you know that they’re going to bring you joy, so you’re going to engage in them.

Definition: Intrinsic motivation refers to engaging in an activity for its own sake, because it is inherently interesting, enjoyable, or satisfying.

Characteristics:

• Personal Interest: Activities are pursued because they are enjoyable or fulfilling.
• Self-Driven: Motivation comes from within the individual.
• Long-Term Engagement: Often leads to sustained and long-term involvement in activities.

Examples:

• Reading a book because you find the story fascinating.
• Playing a musical instrument because you love the process of creating music.
• Solving puzzles because you enjoy the challenge and the sense of accomplishment.

Benefits:

• Higher levels of creativity and problem-solving.
• Greater persistence and resilience.
• Enhanced well-being and satisfaction.

Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation it is all that external stuff; it can be pressure from outside, it could be if you do this you will receive an incentive. It’s important to understand that  extrinsic motivation is different because it can also be a very temporary thing; we may be motivated to get that reward or that job but it doesn’t necessarily resonate with us. Thus, it’s probably not going to stick around for long, it will lose its power to influence you. For example, someone may be court mandated to certain programs or services, and that can have a short-term benefit of compliance, but it may not necessarily lead to long-term continuation because it’s not aligning with who they are and their internal motivation. 

Definition: Extrinsic motivation refers to engaging in an activity to achieve a separable outcome, such as a reward or recognition.

Characteristics:

• External Rewards: Motivation is driven by external factors like money, grades, or praise.
• Goal-Oriented: Focus is on achieving specific outcomes or avoiding negative consequences.
• Short-Term Engagement: Engagement may decrease once the external reward is removed.
• Examples:
  • Studying to get a good grade.
  • Working extra hours to receive a bonus.
  • Participating in a competition to win a prize.

Benefits:

• Can be effective for short-term tasks and goals.
• Helps in accomplishing tasks that may not be inherently enjoyable.
• Provides clear incentives and structure.

Is There Really That Much of a Difference?

Think about something you love to do, when you engage in it it’s not hard, it’s not taking a lot of your energy. If anything it’s energizing you and will be a rewarding process that’s going to keep refueling you so you can keep doing it more and more. Think about how hard it is whenever there’s an extrinsic motivation, that’s whenever you have to be like “okay, I have to do this because that’s the only way I’ll do I’ll get the promotion,” or the certificate, or reach that benchmark. That’s not that fun. Instead, tap into the passion – ask yourself what makes you come alive and find a way to use that for your intrinsic motivation and then you can apply it to different things. To cultivate intrinsic motivation takes a lot of awareness and it’s worth it. Again, extrinsic motivation is temporary –  right someone can take away the certification they can take away the promotion they take away whatever the reward is and there goes the motivation; if it’s outside of you, you don’t control it. Whenever you have intrinsic motivation, though, when you are pursuing things that align with you, then you’re going to be more resilient and creative.

Comparison

• Source of Motivation: Intrinsic motivation comes from internal desires, while extrinsic motivation is driven by external rewards.
• Sustainability: Intrinsic motivation tends to be more sustainable over the long term, whereas extrinsic motivation might only last as long as the reward is present.
• Impact on Behavior: Intrinsic motivation often leads to deeper engagement and higher quality of work, while extrinsic motivation can lead to higher performance in tasks that require clear incentives.

Leveraging Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Many activities are driven by a blend of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Recognizing and leveraging this combination can enhance both performance and personal satisfaction. Here are key points on how these motivations interplay and their implications:

Complementary Nature:

• Enhanced Engagement: When individuals are both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated, they tend to show higher levels of engagement. For instance, a student who loves a subject (intrinsic) and aims for good grades (extrinsic) will likely put in more effort and time.
• Sustained Motivation: Intrinsic motivation provides a long-term drive, while extrinsic rewards can offer immediate incentives. Together, they help maintain consistent motivation.

Finding Your Intrinsic Motivation

Engage in some self-awareness and ask yourself “why am I doing this? Am I doing this because of an extrinsic motivation?” Yes, sometimes that’s okay, I’m not saying you can never be extrinsically motivated, but life’s going to be better when we are engaging in more things that are intrinsically motivated.

Think about what makes you feel good, what problems you want to solve – tap into that interest of your because that’s where your intrinsic motivation can be born. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, it doesn’t have to be solving the world’s issues, it just has to be what makes you come alive because what makes you come alive is what you’re going to be the best at doing. There’s a lot of passion there and it’s going to keep feeding itself because whenever you tap into it, whenever you’re doing that thing you enjoy, you’re rewarding your intrinsic motivation. 

Conclusion

Putting this all together, one thing stands out: learn what motivates you and then apply that as needed. If you have a desire to start something, like going to the gym or cooking, but there’s self-doubt and internal dialogue that’s getting in the way, try using an extrinsic motivator to jump start your new hobby or routine. Maybe you’re competitive and so you challenge a friend with a similar goal to see who can stick to it the longest. What will likely happen is that your self-efficacy will improve and then the intrinsic motivation will take precedence. triking the right balance ensures that while external rewards provide immediate incentives, the enduring joy and satisfaction from intrinsic motivation continue to inspire and sustain long-term commitment, success., and satisfaction.