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Types of motivation: the 8 motivational sources

Types of motivation: the 8 motivational sources

March 29, 2024

Motivation can be defined as the process that initiates, guides and maintains behaviors aimed at achieving a goal or meeting a need .

It is the force that makes us act and allows us to move forward even in difficult situations. Going for a glass of water when one is thirsty, studying all night to pass the driving test that is so desired or training hard to be the best of a championship, are possible thanks to it.

However, just as the challenges and projects we propose are very varied, the types of motivation from which our forces are born to achieve our objectives are also. Exactly of that I will speak in this article: of the types of motivation.


  • A theory that analyzes human needs: "The Pyramid of Maslow"

The interest of psychology for motivation

Many psychologists have been interested in the study of motivation, it is a basic principle in the behavior of human beings : nobody moves without one without motivation, without a reason for it. Being motivated means carrying out daily tasks without putting a heavy burden on us and keeping us alive. But not only that, motivation is related to other psychological variables, such as the level of stress, self-esteem, concentration, etc., and, as many studies have indicated, it has an effect on the health and well-being of all of us.


Therefore, there are many theories that speak of human motivation, among them the aforementioned Pyramid of Maslow, the three factors of McClelland wave Herzberg's dual factor theory . When studying motivation, different approaches have been developed that are applicable to different areas: work, sports, learning, etc. This has caused that several authors have classified the motivation with different names.

Types of motivation

The degree of motivation of each individual is not directly proportional to the value of what causes it, but rather it is the importance given by the person who receives it to determine the force or the level of motivation.

Next we will explain the different types of motivation, as well as the different sources of motivation that impel us to perform certain acts.


Extrinsic motivation vs. intrinsic motivation

1. Extrinsic motivation

The extrinsic motivation It makes reference to the fact that the motivational stimuli come from outside the individual and outside of the activity. So, the motivating factors are external rewards such as money or recognition by others . Extrinsic motivation is not based on the satisfaction of carrying out the chain of actions that make up what we are doing, but on a reward that is only indirectly related to it, as if it were a by-product.

For example: an individual can work hard to earn more money or can study hard for the social recognition that gives him a good job once he has finished his studies. A person with extrinsic motivation for a task that must be delivered, work hard in it despite having little interest, because the anticipation of the external reinforcer will motivate you to finish it on time.

2. Intrinsic motivation

The intrinsic motivation It refers to the motivation that comes from within the individual rather than from any external reward. It is associated with the desire for self-fulfillment and personal growth, and is related to the pleasure that the person feels when performing an activity, which allows a person to be in "Flow State" when performing it.

For example: an individual who attends the training of his football team simply for the pleasure of practicing his favorite sport.

Intrinsic motivation is the type of motivation most linked to a good productivity , since there where the individual is given is not limited to meet the minimum necessary to obtain the reward, but is personally involved in what he does and decides to put a lot of his effort into it.

Positive motivation vs negative motivation

3. Positive motivation

The positive motivation refers to the process by which an individual initiates or maintains a behavior adhering to the achievement of a positive reward, whether external or internal (for the pleasure of the activity).

4. Negative motivation

The negative motivation refers to the process by which a person initiates or stays attached to a behavior to avoid an unpleasant consequence, both external (punishment, humiliation, etc.) or internal (avoid the feeling of frustration or failure).

Other types of motivation

The literature specialized in sports psychology has also provided information on other types of motivation related to the world of physical activity and sport.

Basic motivation vs daily motivation

5. Basic motivation

The basic motivation it refers to the stable base of the motivation that determines the level of commitment of an athlete with his activity. It refers to the interest of an athlete for sports results, their personal performance and / or the positive consequences of both.

6. Everyday motivation

The daily motivation refers to the interest of an athlete for daily activity and the immediate gratification that it produces.

Motivational orientation focused on the ego vs motivational orientation focused on the task

7. Motivational orientation focused on the ego

This type of motivation refers to the motivation of athletes depends on challenges and results compared to other athletes.

8. Motivational orientation focused on the task

Motivation depends on challenges and personal results, and subjective impressions of mastery and progress.

Both orientations are orthogonal and not opposed. Therefore, there may be athletes with both high orientations, both low orientations, with a focus on the ego high but low on the task and with a high task orientation but a low ego-centered orientation.

Let's move on to practice: how to motivate yourself?

We invite you to know a series of strategies and keys to maintain your motivation at high levels .

  • You can consult the article: "The 10 keys to motivate oneself"

The Power of Motivation: Crash Course Psychology #17 (March 2024).


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