introduction:
The study of Olympic athletes by a group of researchers revealed one key factor that strongly predicts success over time: motivation—not talent, strength, or intelligence.
Those athletes who were not particularly gifted athletically, but had an exceptional drive, outperformed other athletes who may have been more talented but were not driven to achieve over time.
This finding leads to an important question: What motivates people? And why do so many individuals have difficulty remaining motivated over time?
Motivation is the driving force (invisible engine) of human behavior. It defines how a person sets goals, overcomes obstacles and defines success in their careers as well as their personal lives. In an age of distractions, exhaustion and performance expectations, understanding motivation is more important than ever.
Motivation will be examined in this article by looking at the Science of how motivation operates, the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, and some practical ways to develop lasting motivation in our daily lives.
Motivation:
What Influences Our Choices and Actions?
Psychological Foundations of Motivation
Although it can be seen as a personality trait, motivation is, in fact, an evolving process. Recent discoveries within the field of research indicate that the various elements involved in motivating behavior are dependent on the biological processes of the nervous system, as well as emotional processes, and cognitive processes.
Today’s researchers have discovered the following about our behaviors
Dopamine Processing:
Dopamine is responsible for regulating our motivations. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with the anticipation of reward; therefore, motivation is associated with the anticipation of a reward, not the enjoyment of a reward.
Goal Prediction Errors: When we are making progress toward achieving something, motivation increases if our progress is slightly greater than expected.
Cognitive Appraisal:
The way that we view our performance and our failures determines the level of motivation for us.
The theory of self-determination explains the sources of motivation with three core psychological needs:
- Autonomy (having control over your own actions)
- Competence (feeling effective)
- Relatedness (feeling connected to others)
- When these needs are fulfilled, motivation becomes more powerful and resilient.
Differences Between Modern Science and Older Models of Willpower
Traditional models of willpower (the “old-school” way of thinking) have focused on sheer discipline or willpower to achieve motivation, but Modern Science has shifted focus from this view to utilize Environmental and Cognitive Alignments to achieve motivation. Therefore, modern science sees motivation as less about “trying harder” and more about how we structure our conditions to make ‘efforts’ more meaningful and rewarding.
An Example of This in Action:
Companies redesigning jobs to provide increased autonomy generally have a higher level of motivation from their employees than a company that uses only an external financial incentive.
Meaningful vs. ‘Reinforced’ Motivation: The Long-term Effects
There are two main types of motivation:
- Intrinsic motivation: the motivation within oneself; based on a sense of ‘inner’ satisfaction, curiosity or purpose.
- Extrinsic motivation: motivation based on something externally ‘rewarding’ (i.e. money, status or praise).
Studies have shown consistently supportive evidence for both Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivations, but they yield very different results with respect to long-term effects.
Some examples of different types of motivation might include:
- Intrinsic motivation would be learning a new language because you feel like it helps you grow as a person.
- Extrinsic motivation would be studying for a test specifically for the purpose of passing it or getting promoted.
Research has shown:
- Studies in both education and organizational psychology show that although external rewards can provide a temporary boost to performance, relying too heavily on them may decrease intrinsic motivation (this is referred to as the “overjustification effect”).
- One important distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is that the former is based on “Why is it important?” and the latter is based on “What will I receive in return?”.
- The best businesses and people understand how to connect/explain external rewards with intrinsic meaning as opposed to simply replacing one with the other.
- Creative, resilient and long term commitment are all strongly correlated to intrinsic motivation.
- In one example of how external incentives work against intrinsic motivation, an experiment involving children who were paid to draw demonstrated that those same children appeared to lose interest in drawing once the reward of cash was no longer offered.
Creating Sustainable Motivation: Effective Strategies for Success
Strategy 1: Set Goals That Motivate You
Clearly defined goals with a strong tie to an individual’s values will help them find motivation to pursue their goal. The key components to successfully setting effective goals are:
- Define Specific and Challenging Goals
- Provide Feedback on Progress Frequently
- Create Visible Tracking of Progress
When a person divides large goals into smaller steps, this produces additional dopamine release and reinforces the motivation to complete the goal. Strategy 3: The Context of an Environment Is More Important Than Willpower
Motivation is highly affected by the environment in which it exists. In many cases, making some basic adjustments to the environment can have a much greater impact on motivation than using self-control.
Examples:
Remove distractions rather than fight against them.
Create environmental cues to trigger desired behaviors (e.g., have books/tools/reminders available to facilitate achieving the goal).
Devise routines that reduce decision fatigue.
The Difference Between Motivation Hacks and Sustainable Motivation
In contrast to short-term “motivation hacks” or inspirational content, these sustainable motivation strategies arise from behavioral science (as opposed to using emotions), and focus on the system of support rather than the motivation to take the first step. Therefore, motivation is a byproduct of using a structure rather than being a precursor to taking action.
For Example, instead of saying “I want to get fit,” specify “for the next 30 days, I will walk at least 8,000 steps every day.”
Strategy 2: Motivation Is Based on Identity
Research supports that sustainable behavior change occurs when a person’s identity is associated with the behavior, rather than the outcome of a behavior.
- Outcome-based: “I want to write a book.”
- Identity-based: “I am a writer, and I write every day.”
- This change in perspective makes it possible for individuals to view their efforts as a form of self-expression rather than simply a task to complete.
Summary and Conclusion
- Motivation is not an enigma reserved for successful individuals; rather, it is a process based upon methods derived from scientific data. The following conclusions were reached in this article:
- Motivation does not rely only on willpower; rather, motivation is reliant upon neurobiological and psychological systems.
- Intrinsic motivation provides a greater level of support, in terms of sustained engagement, than extrinsic motivation.
- There are three elements to the creation of sustainable motivation: designing goals, aligning one’s identity with the motivation, and shaping an encouraging environment.
In the future, individuals and organizations that prioritize the creation of sustainable motivational systems will outperform those that rely solely on the use of rewards or pressure. Those who lead in the fields of education, leadership, and personal development will be the individuals and organizations that know not only how to push someone but why a person takes an action. As such, if you wish to become a leader in your area of expertise, then you must develop a solid understanding of the science behind motivation.
Now it is time to take action.
Take time out of your day to assess your current goals and daily routines. What areas of your life are you forcing yourself to achieve? Identify one of the three systems—your goals, your environment, or your identity language—and redesign it in such a way that supports your intrinsic motivation for success. Motivation is not something that you simply wait for; it is something that you create for yourself!