How to get motivated even when you don’t feel like it

TED-Ed2 minutes read

Intrinsic motivation driven by personal enjoyment is more effective for long-term engagement compared to extrinsic motivation. The overjustification effect warns that mixing intrinsic and extrinsic motivators can decrease overall motivation, underscoring the need to balance different motivational factors.

Insights

  • Intrinsic motivation, fueled by personal enjoyment, is more effective for long-term engagement than extrinsic motivation, which often yields short-lived results.
  • The overjustification effect warns that combining intrinsic and extrinsic motivators for a task can diminish overall motivation, stressing the need to carefully balance different motivational factors to ensure sustained engagement.

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Recent questions

  • What is intrinsic motivation?

    Intrinsic motivation is the desire to engage in an activity because it is inherently enjoyable or satisfying, rather than for external rewards or outcomes. It involves personal interest and enjoyment in the task itself.

  • What is extrinsic motivation?

    Extrinsic motivation involves pursuing a behavior or task for a specific outcome, reward, or external incentive, rather than for personal enjoyment or satisfaction. It is driven by external factors rather than internal desires.

  • Which type of motivation is more effective long-term?

    Intrinsic motivation is more effective in maintaining long-term engagement compared to extrinsic motivation. This is because intrinsic motivation is driven by personal enjoyment and interest in the activity itself, leading to sustained engagement over time.

  • What is the overjustification effect?

    The overjustification effect occurs when having both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators for a task can actually decrease overall motivation. This is because the external rewards or incentives can undermine the intrinsic enjoyment of the activity, leading to a decrease in motivation.

  • Why is it important to balance different motivational factors?

    It is important to understand and balance different motivational factors to sustain engagement because relying solely on extrinsic motivation can lead to short-lived results, while having too many external rewards can diminish intrinsic motivation. Balancing both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators can help maintain long-term engagement and motivation.

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Summary

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Balancing Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation for Engagement

  • Motivation is defined as the desire to initiate and maintain a behavior, with intrinsic motivation stemming from finding an activity inherently enjoyable, while extrinsic motivation involves pursuing a task for a specific outcome or reward.
  • Intrinsic motivation, driven by personal enjoyment, is more effective in maintaining long-term engagement compared to extrinsic motivation, which can lead to short-lived results.
  • The overjustification effect highlights that having both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators for a task can decrease overall motivation, emphasizing the importance of understanding and balancing different motivational factors to sustain engagement.
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