IS IT IN YOU?
In 2000, Bartle and Marjorie defined motivation as “a process through which persons take available resources – time, talent, and energy – and distribute them in a way they choose” (p. 29). They discussed what many many other researchers before and since have covered: the notion of extrinsic (external) vs. intrinsic (internal) motivation.

For most of us, motivation is present in various aspects of our lives in varying degrees. For example, I may be highly motivated to meet my friends for our morning run, but not quite so motivated to get in the freezing cold pool on a blustery day. I may be highly motivated to turn in the paper my professor is expecting next week, but not quite as motivated to set aside the package of double stuff Oreos that is fueling my ability to write the paper.

Just as motivation is present in varying degrees, so is the balance of its source – whether external or internal. My super-fun running buddies provide great external incentive to brave the frigid temperatures to meet them at crazy o’clock in the morning. But the internal motivation to push aside a yummy chocolate treat is – well – a bit void at times.

GET THE PICTURE?
That being said, for most of us, the presence of strong external motivators often propels us in the early stages of setting and chasing our goal. This can come in the form of incentives, approval, acceptance into a certain group of people, or tangible or measurable rewards.

Intrinsic, or internal, motivation is an inherent characteristic that feeds off a person’s inner desire to accomplish something. This can be self-determination, a desire to perceive oneself as competent enough to achieve something, or a desire to engage in things that are interesting and fulfilling.

Internal motivation also takes the form of an inner desire to participate in an activity simply for the sake of participating and completing a task. Watts et al. (2004) talked about four parts of intrinsic motivation:

a. Self-determination: An innate quality in people that leads them to participate in things that are interesting and  fulfilling; things of their own choice that meet their own needs and involve  no coercion or obligation.

b. Self-perceived competence: An internal  need to be effective in what you do.

c. Relatedness: A need for warmth from involvement or interaction with others.

d. Perceived salience: People are more  likely to engage in something they  believe is important to do. This may involve some initial external motivation  – like others telling them or reinforcing  the importance – but is later adopted  by the person as an intrinsic motivator.

It is interesting to look over this list and reflect on your own goals. Try it. Think about one thing you have accomplished or one thing you are currently trying to accomplish. Are you fueled by internal or external forces? Perhaps a combination of both? And when you look at this list of intrinsic motivation parts, what role does each play within you?

We are pretty complex beings, aren’t we? I am a PhD student in counseling and pretty close to the end of that intense, but immeasurably valuable, journey. I am a triathlete, a newlywed, and a new stepmom. When I look at my own goals – academic, personal, athletic, short term, long term and “day to day survival” - I realize that they are driven by a myriad of things, which can change from day to day and situation to situation.

In prepping for this story, I talked to several of my super-motivated friends about this notion and about how they define motivation in their lives.

My friend Beth, the happiest early-morning person I have ever known, talked about her fitness goals and the “chicken and the egg” dilemma. And she addressed what Bartle & Marjorie (2000) called social integration incentives – the desire for companionship, social interaction, and feeling like you belong.

“Of course, friends are my #1 motivator. But, that’s like saying, which came first, the chicken or the egg,” she explains. “My initial motivator was health & fitness-related, then came my friends. And now it’s the friends that keep me going, and the health benefits follow.”

Beth definitely describes a combination of internal and external motivators as well as a shift that occurs over time. And, like Beth, when most of us take a look at what motivates us to get and stay active, our drivers – our motivators – change.

Another friend of mine addressed what Hyde & Kling (2001) called achievement motivation. This is, simply put, a desire to accomplish something of value or importance through your own efforts and to meet standards of excellence in what you do (p. 365).

Steve, an outstanding and incredibly focused triathlete, not to mention successful businessman, said this, “Motivation drives me to cover the gap between the will to win and the will to prepare to win ...I cannot define what motivation is, but I know it sets a standard and what it drives me to be willing to do.”

His statement also illustrates as aspect of achievement motivation that Hyde & Kling (2001) refer to as mastery goals and performance goals. Both play cross-over roles in the extrinsic and intrinsic categories.
Mastery goals are fueled by a desire to develop personal competence by acquiring knowledge and skills (Hyde & Kling, 2001, p. 366). Performance goals, on the other hand, are the active demonstration of that personal competence and can often take the form of outperforming others, as in sports, academics or business.

My soul-sister and awesome super-achiever chick, Janeen, reflected that, for her, motivation is “the fear of failure – the triumph over trial – the independence gained from success”.

Did that resonate for anyone? It did for me.

The fear of failure (Conroy & Elliot, 2004) is an energizing agent for some people. We all hold certain beliefs about the aversive consequences of failing. These beliefs are activated any time we place ourselves in situations where failure is possible – and somehow we are energized by them. Hence the triumph over trial Janeen mentioned.

Conroy and Elliot (2004) outlined five beliefs about failing:
a. fears of experiencing shame and  embarrassment;
b. fears of devaluing one’s self-estimate;
c. fears of having an uncertain future;
d. fears of important others losing  interest; and
e. fears of upsetting important others.

I remember hearing author Gary Zukov (Seat of the Soul) on Oprah several years ago and he stated that all things we do are rooted either in love or in fear. To him, anything rooted in fear will likely remain unsatisfying. And those things rooted in love, or in something soul-deep satisfying, will help us grow. If that is the case, Janeen and I – and all the rest of you who are motivated by a fear of failure and triumph over adversity – could be in trouble.

But this too is on a continuum. Just like the balance between internal and external motivators, and the array of internal motivators listed above, battling our fear of failure – and winning – helps us develop healthier internal drivers and alters the degree to which fear drives us. And helps bring us to true satisfaction.

Had enough of the theory yet? I have just a few more pieces for you to consider.
Two things have consistently emerged in the research that determine the likelihood that a person will summon the necessary motivation to meet a goal. The first is their expectation for success. Certain goals, such as starting a new exercise program, are not judged by a person’s perceived competence in one area, such as their ability to successfully start and maintain an exercise program in the past. New goals are judged instead by that person’s general experience of competence and confidence.

Simply put? If you have been successful at achieving goals – any goals – in the past, that belief will help carry you to success with any new goal you set. Sure, you may never have done a triathlon before. But ask yourself this… have you ever accomplished something – anything – that you weren’t sure you could do?

The second key component is called subjective task value. This is a textbook way of saying that even if you believe you can be successful at something, you will not do it unless you value it.

Bottom line? Choose something that means something to you. Don’t just set a random goal because you read it in a magazine, because someone told you it would work, or because it seems like the latest thing to try. Listen to yourself and see what resonates within you.

IN A NUTSHELL
We are, as I said earlier, pretty complex creatures. And the things that drive us are just as varied as the things we decide to undertake. But as we enter this season of resolutions, weight loss, and goals for a whole new “you”, step back for a second and really think about what it means to you. Ask yourself some questions:

Do I need a little push? What are those external things that can help get me moving? Have I been successful at achieving goals in the past? How so? And what are my internal drivers that can keep me fueled for now… and that can eventually play a bigger role? Do I own this goal… does it mean something to me? Or is this what I am supposed to do?

These questions help with everything we do. And while you are busy asking yourself these questions, take a look around. Who are the people who are supportive, fun, and energizing to be around as you take on your challenge? Two of the best outcomes of setting, pursuing and meeting your goals are the internal sense of satisfaction and the fun you have along the way.

Find humor wherever you can. If you get a chance, check out www.despair.com for a totally funny take on motivation and goals. You’ll laugh for sure.

And if you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself surrounded by people who make the ride a complete blast. Like my running buddy, Larry, who after realizing that we would be greeted by 22 degree temperatures when we met for our Wednesday morning run, sent our little running crowd this poem:

We must be brave, we must be bold
At 6am it will be awfully cold

Wear your hat and wear your mittens
Run real fast you awesome vixens

We’ll go 6 miles, we’ll go with vigor
Must keep an eye on your holiday figure

Don’t be late, please be on time
Hope you enjoyed my little rhyme.

Now if that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is! Go get ‘em.

References
Barbuto, J.E. (2006) Mental energy: Assessing the motivation dimension. Nutrition Reviews, 64, S14-S16.
Bartle, L.P. & Malkin, M.J. (2000) The motivation to move. P&R, 28-36.
Conroy, D.E. & Elliot, A.J. (2004) Fear of failure and achievement goals in sport: Addressing the issue of the chicken and the egg. Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 17, 271-285.
Hyde, J.S. & Kling, K.C. (2001) Women, motivation, and achievement. Psychology of Women, 25, 364-378.
Watts, R.H., Cashwell, C.S., & Schweiger, W.K. (2004) Fostering intrinsic motivation in children: A humanistic counseling process. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education & Development, 43, 16-24.