Motivation is a potent force that drives people to pursue goals, engage in challenges, and withstand adversity. However, not all motivations are equal. Extrinsic motivation, that is, the action being determined by an external reward like money and praise or recognition, certainly shapes the course of actions to a large extent; but intrinsic motivation is recognized for its long-term impact on individual growth and fulfillment. This refers to the urge to participate in an activity for the enjoyment or inherent satisfaction it brings, which is the hallmark of sustained effort and success.
Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation is the motivation to engage in an activity for its own sake and in its own merit, not reliant directly on any external rewards or outside incentives. Such an individual carries out the task in a quest for enjoyment and fulfillment. It’s not about reaching an external goal.
Someone could enjoy playing the piano not for a music competition or to make money, but for the joy derived from making music and the pleasure of progressing. The same goes for writers: they write not for fortune but for the joy of creation and personal challenge.
The Psychology Behind Intrinsic Motivation
Psychologists have long studied intrinsic motivation and its effects on human behavior. One of the theories that greatly helped in understanding intrinsic motivation comes from Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory. The authors postulated that fulfillment of three psychological needs leads to the intrinsic motivation being surfaced.
- Autonomy-the need to feel in control of one’s actions and decisions.
- Competence-the need to feel capable and effective in one’s actions.
- Relatedness-the need to feel connected to and to have meaningful social experiences with others.
When the aforementioned needs are satisfied, an individual becomes more likely to engage in an activity for its own sake, with deeper levels of satisfaction, increased persistence, and greater general well-being.
Some Benefits of Intrinsic Motivation
The effect of intrinsic motivation is far more powerful than extrinsic motivation, and its effects might last longer. Some of the benefits are as follows:
- Persistence: People who are intrinsically motivated tend to stick to tasks despite emotional adversity because they find the activity internally enjoyable. This means that they are highly attentive, very dedicated, and will work for a long time without compromising their well-being.
- Quality of Expression: Intrinsic motivation brings out creativity, focus, and the urge for mastery. When activities are performed simply for the enjoyment of doing them, the quality of output is usually high because the activities represent an expression of passion and personal satisfaction.
- Better Psychological Well-Being: It has been found that those who are intrinsically motivated have higher levels of psychological well-being. Intrinsic motivation has been related to greater life satisfaction and happiness as many of our activities that influence psychological well-being provide a sense of fulfillment through the attainment of personal desires and goals.
- Affordance for Self-Growth and Learning: An intrinsic motivation is about fun, learning, and self-development-Fun leads towards learning before people become serious about it. It helps them develop always and most of the time, and it paves the way for the creation of a mindset focused on improvement and progress, rather than perfection.
How to Build Intrinsic Motivation
While many people naturally display intrinsic motivation, others may develop this trait over time. Here are some solid suggestions to encourage intrinsic motivation:
- Concentrate on Fun and Passion: Rather than being outcome-oriented, do things that are in line with personal interests, a lot of fun, and mean the most to you. Give yourself the freedom to do what you are really passionate about and curious about.
- Set Meaningful and Challenging Goals: Set yourself up with goals that are of interest to you and in line with your values: just outside of your comfort zone. In doing so, it will allow you to experience the growth and satisfaction that meeting those goals can give.
- Create a Climate of Autonomy Support: Whether at home or work, create an environment in which people strive to make their own choices and decisions. When you feel that you control what you do, you might feel more motivated to engage.
- Develop Competence by Mastery: Feelings of competence and ability work to fuel intrinsic motivation. Split your tasks into smaller, achievable goals and celebrate the progress in order to build confidence and sense of accomplishment.
- Connect With Others: Being with others with aligned interests or values creates connection or relatedness, further helping support intrinsic motivation. When working with others, people can lend support and encouragement.
In organizations, a direct correlation exists between motivation from within and a heightened sense of satisfaction, creativity, and employee retention. The employer can encourage further development of intrinsic motivation through:
- Continuous opportunity for professional and skills development.
- Flexible working options that enhance employee autonomy.
- Meaningful and values-aligned work.
- Teamwork and a supportive team culture.
Intrinsic Vs. Extrinsic Motivation.
There are both intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors that play an important role in our day-to-day lives. However, intrinsic motivation sustains one’s interest over long periods, enhances creativity, and brings personal satisfaction, while extrinsic motivation is mainly effective for such tasks that provide reward-oriented results or establish certain behavioral reinforcements.
However, some evidence suggests that when external rewards are too much emphasized or perceived to control the individual, their effectiveness fades into insignificancy. In general, what can be harmful is when an individual starts to associate the initial tingling feeling they enjoyed for its own sake with an outside reward. This distracts us from the directing focus on ratifying the act of fruition. That is, a person’s intrinsic enjoyment of an activity, rather than its material consequences, tends to diminish-a phenomenon referred to as the “overjustification effect” in which the introduction of external rewards serve to undercut intrinsic motivations.
Conclusion
Intrinsic motivation is a more powerful and persistent guide to personal fulfillment, mastery, and success. Intrinsic motivation infuses meaning into endeavors and colors them with personal growth, enjoyment, and meaningful engagement, thusproviding individuals with some lasting inner motor power that is neither externally inducible or coercive. To promote intrinsic motivation is to enrich experiences with layers already intimate to our lives and relationships in the classroom, workplace, and life in general, to offer one a satisfying experience over an extended time.
