There are two types of motivation – intrinsic and extrinsic – and one is better than the other for helping you reach your goal.

In order to have and maintain self-motivation, you need five things:

1. belief in your ability to accomplish the goal and a kind attitude towards yourself
2. a growth mindset
3. intrinsic motivation
4. good goals and deadlines
5. good rewards

This guide will discuss the third step to reaching any goal.

What is intrinsic motivation?

An activity that is “intrinsic” is done for its own sake. An activity that’s “extrinsic” is done to reach another goal.

For example, doing your job because it’s meaningful and satisfying to you means you have intrinsic motivation to do your job. On the other hand, doing your job because you need money or you want your parents to be proud of you means you have extrinsic motivation to do your job. Another example is eating vegetables because they taste good to you (intrinsic) versus because you want to lose weight (extrinsic).

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation by Muhammad M Rahman from Wikimedia Commons. CC-BY-SA

Why is intrinsic motivation better than extrinsic motivation?

Intrinsic motivation is better than extrinsic motivation because the benefit of extrinsic rewards diminish over time. For example, you interview for a job because you need the salary. You’re excited when you get the job, and you’re motivated to do your work. Over time, the benefit of the money motivates you less. You still need the money of course, but you have less motivation to complete your work tasks. In contrast, if you find meaning in your work, your motivation to work isn’t affected by time.

Intrinsic motivation also prepares you to be more effective at reaching your goal – you feel less frustrated while working towards it, and you’re better able to problem solve when problems come up. Friedrich Nietzsche, a famous German writer, wrote in Twilight of the Idols, “He who has a ‘why’ to live can bear with almost any ‘how’.” In other words, when you have a really good reason “why” you’re working towards a goal, then you will find a way, or a “how”, to reach that goal no matter the obstacles.

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation from Aduro/Limeade webinar. From Ryan & Deci Study, 2000.

Where else is intrinsic motivation important?

Having intrinsic motivation is particularly important when you are in the middle of reaching your goal. At this point, motivation decreases for everybody: you’ve already been working on the goal for some time, but you still have a ways to go. This is called the “middle slump”.

You can learn more about combatting the decrease in motivation at this time in step four – making good goals and deadlines (the next guide). Whether something is intrinsic or extrinsic is also important for step five – creating good rewards.

Summary: Intrinsic motivation, working on a goal because you enjoy it, is stronger than extrinsic motivation, working on a goal because you want to get something.

Tip: Knowing the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation means you can chose goals that you actually find easier to reach – ones that are intrinsically motivated. This also means you can predict which goals will be harder to reach – ones that are extrinsically motivated – and plan accordingly.

An action you can do today: Think about a goal you’re trying to reach – are you intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to reach this goal? If you’re intrinsically motivated, great! If you’re extrinsically motivated, and sometimes that’s just the way it is, try to find an aspect of reaching the goal that you enjoy doing. Example:
The goal: You need to get level 7 on the CELPIP test to apply for permanent residency.
Motivation: Extrinsic – You want to become a permanent resident of Canada.

Look for some intrinsic motivation to reach your goal. For example,

1. Study in a way that you enjoy: Attend an English class you enjoy, listen to English music you like, read for pleasure in English for 30 minutes a week, or learn vocabulary that is useful in your life.
2. Think of how this goal fits into your bigger goals – Connect it to the true meaning of reaching this goal.
3. Help someone else working towards the same goal – This is motivating because it creates a feeling of belonging.

 
By Nastashya Wall
 
Sources: Match Your Motivational Tactic to the Situation, Juliana Schroeder and Ayelet Fishbach, Harvard Business Review Home; Self-Motivation Explained + 100 Ways To Motivate Yourself, Courtney E. Ackerman, MA.,Positive Psychology.com; Understanding the Power of Intrinsic Motivation, Stefan Falk, Harvard Business Review Home. Accessed September 13, 2023.