Motivation

Our brain is constantly thinking about a variety of things throughout the day. Many of them do it for a living or as a pastime. For example, when people encounter things that inspire them, they write about it. Like me, I write articles every single day. I've only recently begun to express to others everything I've experienced or learned in my life. Some people relate to it, while others do not, but the question now is, "What is motivation?"

Motivation is a strong desire to do something that is fueled by an urge. It inspires spirits to work hard in order to achieve predetermined targets/goals. It keeps one going in their efforts and puts an end to hopelessness. Motivation is a fundamental and necessary component of working and struggling.

Sources of motivation can be categorized into two- the external and internal motivation

External Motivation

External motivation refers to people's motivation to complete tasks and learn new skills as a result of external rewards or the avoidance of punishment. In this case, you act in a certain manner not because you enjoy it or find it appealing or satisfying, but to obtain something valuable in return or to avoid something unpleasant.

For example, Chris study not because he likes it, but he study so he can have good grades. Studying, for him, is like a punishment simply because he don’t enjoy it.

Internal Motivation

Internal motivation is the act of undertaking something for which there are no clear external rewards. You do it because it is pleasurable and interesting to you and not so much because of external motivation or pressure, such as financial incentives or deadlines. In other words, internal motivation is the desire to undertake an action for its own reason rather than the desire for an external reward or pressure.

An example is that I personally love crocheting. Crocheting is an activity which I consider as a reward of itself. I am motivated to do it since it is internally rewarding. A sense of fulfillment and satisfaction is achieved whenever I finish some crochet projects.

In a nutshell, Internal motivation is more concerned with personal development, a sense of duty, and a sense of purpose, whereas external motivation is more concerned with rewards and public acknowledgment.

Which of the two is preferable?

Each person is unique, and our motivations and perceptions on rewards differ as well. Some people are internally driven by tasks, whereas others are motivated by the same activities externally.

While both can be useful, most agree that internal motivation is preferable and that external motivation should be used less frequently in order to reduce overjustification consequences. This phenomenon relates to the discovery that providing excessive external rewards for what is already an internally rewarding behavior might result in a decrease in inner drive.