Motivation

Motivation is the desire to act in service of a goal, and it's crucial in setting and attaining your objectives.

​Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation refers to behavior driven by internal rewards.

In other words, the Motivation to engage in conduct arises from within the individual because it naturally satisfies you.

Intrinsic Motivation occurs when we act without any obvious external rewards. For example, we enjoy or see activity as an opportunity to explore, learn, and actualize our potential.

When you pursue an action for the pure enjoyment of it, you are doing so because you are intrinsically motivated. Your motivations for engaging in the behavior arise entirely from within.

Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic Motivation arises from outside the individual and refers to behavior driven by external rewards such as money, fame, grades, and praise.

It occurs when we are motivated to perform a behavior or engage in an activity to earn a reward or avoid punishment.

In this case, you engage in conduct not because you enjoy or find it satisfying but to get something in return or avoid something unpleasant.

Emotional Motivation

Whether subtle or intense, conscious or unconscious, overt or covert, all emotions have one of three motivations:
  • Approach
  • Avoid
  • Attack

Approach Motivation

In approach motivation, you want to get more of something, experience more, discover more, learn more, or appreciate more — you increase the value or worthiness of your attention.
Common Approach Emotions
  • Interest
  • Enjoyment
  • Compassion
  • Trust
  • Love
Common Approach Behavior
  • Learning
  • Encouraging
  • Relating
  • Negotiating
  • Cooperating
  • Pleasing
  • Delighting
  • Influencing
  • Guiding
  • Setting limits
  • Protecting

Avoid Motivation

In avoiding motivation, you want to get away from something — you lower its value or worthiness of your attention.

Common Avoid Behavior:
  • Ignoring or Dismissing it
  • Withdrawing from it
  • Rejecting it, it's beneath you

Attack Motivation

In attack motivation, you want to devalue, insult, criticize, undermine, harm, coerce, dominate, hinder, or destroy.
Common Attack Emotions
  • Anger
  • Hatred
  • Contempt
  • Disgust
Common Attack Behavior
  • Demanding
  • Manipulating
  • Dominating
  • Coercing
  • Threatening
  • Bullying
  • Harming
  • Abusing