Where does motivation come from?
How does one get it or find it? When do you know you have it? Why do humans need motivation? These are all questions that I find myself, my friends, my family, and my clients asking on a regular basis. How do you keep going, when all you want to do is quit?
There are different types of motivation. I will be touching base on both internal and external sources. We all have internal and external motivation, we just have to be aware of it and strengthen it!
Examples of internal motivation (arises from within the individual) include:
- Personal satisfaction or desire
- Personal accomplishment
- Personal values and needs
Examples of external motivation (arises from outside the individual) include:
- Money
- A Prize
- Positive reinforcement a smile or encouragement
- Getting something in return
What do we need motivation for? We can all use motivation for just about anything we do in life. Really….think about it?
The one that I am around a lot, is the motivation to get to the gym, to workout and to eat healthier. Along with being a licensed professional counselor I also work at Orange Theory Fitness as a member consultant. I see the real struggle in the fitness world. I started to think about what keeps people going, what keeps me going, and how am I going to do the Dri-Tri on Sunday. The Dri-Tri is an in-studio “triathlon” helping to raise money to send a kid (Tyler) who has muscular dystrophy to camp this summer. This is a big motivation for myself and others, to help others out, to give back, to support someone you don’t even know.
Here is another major question that comes up….“Why the hell am I doing this again?”
Using personal examples of internal and external motivation for working out can look something like this.
- External- Going on a trip, being in a wedding, earning a prize for attending a certain amount of classes per week, such as a free shirt or money, meeting a friend at the gym
- Internal- Wanting to feel good, building strength and consistency to be healthier and stronger, hitting your fastest speed or lifting your heaviest weight, building it into your own personal values
Some may ask: Is one type better than the other? My quick answer is no, however, one type may last longer. For example, if you work your butt off at the gym for a money prize and then you get it, what is the chance you will continue to work out after? That is where hopefully your internal motivation has also developed and will continue to help you work out even after you won the money.
External motivations can also easily change, turning internal. Think about growing up. A lot of our parents, teachers, and coaches used external motivation to help shape our behaviors. Yet now that formerly external motivation can be more internal and part of our everyday personal satisfaction, accomplishment, and value.
Whatever you find that works in that moment, do it, and work on building and strengthening both the external and internal motivation to help you keep going.
“You will get there…BUT…..Only if you keep going.”
“Don’t Be Afraid to Fail, Be Afraid Not to Try.”
Warmly,
Katie
About the Author
Katie Bisbee-Peek is a therapist in the Denver area specializing in life improvement, anxiety reduction, issues with depression and many more life obstacles that tend to come up from time to time. Recognizing internal and external motivations is one way to get deeper into the goals and dreams of your life to be an even more authentic you. Need some help? Try booking a session.