Why Is Intrinsic Motivation More Effective Than Extrinsic Motivation?

Motivation means to move oneself towards a definite goal. Motivation is the driving force that makes an individual move towards a definite aim. Motivational power is the key to achievement of ambitious objectives. Motivation is essentially a cause for action, desire, and intentions.


Motivation, in psychology, refers to a desire that demands satisfaction that results from action. These desires, wants or needs can be general, intrinsic, extrinsic, or generally innate. Generally, psychologists believe that motivation is based on the central management of the energy within us, which enables us to control our feelings, thoughts and behaviors towards particular ends, such as work, school, sports, romance, healthy diet, recreation, hobbies, and relationships. People who have high motivation are those who manage to use their energy in the best possible way, as well as those who feel that they can use their energy in the most productive ways.

People who are in search for motivation need to understand the difference between what they want and what they need. They need to recognize their positive behaviors as well as negative behaviors and change their thoughts or beliefs accordingly. They must also take care of themselves physically, mentally and emotionally. This, in turn, will help them to attain the goals on their list. Here are some of the benefits of motivation:

Motivation has been found out to promote productivity, improve work performance, reduce absenteeism, reduce tardiness, increase production, promote better sales and employee engagement, and increase profitability. A variety of behavioral studies have revealed that being highly motivated is linked to higher job performance, job satisfaction, increased job scope, enhanced job safety and improved worker relations. Motivated workers are able to concentrate better on their tasks, perform better and meet deadlines. Employees who are well-motivated do not lose concentration easily and are not sidetracked easily. As a result, they feel in charge of their environments and perform to their full capacity.

When it comes to motivation, you have a number of different avenues from which you can draw when it comes to attaining your goals. You can draw from your genetic makeup, your personal history, your culture and your environment. These behaviors and traits can help people take action towards achieving their goals no matter what they may be. The following are some of the different motivation factors:

One major drive that drives us to achieve our goals is our desire to do so. Motivated people want to attain their goals because they derive satisfaction and happiness from their actions. People who are highly motivated also have strong self-esteem, which is linked to assertive behavior and assertiveness. When you understand your own driving motivators, then you can begin to tap into your own personal inner passions and behaviors.

Another major force in our motivation is our internal resources. This includes our attitudes, our energy, our enthusiasm and other aspects of our character that we have within us. In order to become motivated, you have to tap into and leverage these resources. You must learn how to attract your own energy and vigor. Once you have internal resources that are already primed and ready to become highly motivated, you can begin to use them to help you attain your goals.


Yet another factor that helps fuel us to become highly motivated is our ability to set and reach goals. The more control you have over the outcomes that you are able to create, the more extrinsic motivation you will need. External pressure can be one of the most difficult things to deal with because external pressure forces us to act in ways that may not be optimal. Yet if we were to face an extrinsic motivational factor, we would have no power or influence over our own behaviors. Our intrinsic motivation comes from within and that is ultimately more powerful.