There are two types of motivation. These two types are the focus of this week's and next week's blog posts. They are Intrinsic Motivation, addressed today, and Extrinsic Motivation; next week's post.
What Is Intrinsic Motivation?
Intrinsic motivation refers to something that comes from within you. There is not an obvious reward for getting it done.
Performing any activity for its own sake is what provides the intrinsic motivation. It is more about a sense of duty or purpose. It may involve personal growth!
Examples of Intrinsic Motivation
Playing sports for how you feel, not to win or get a trophy
Travelling to explore different types of living
Reading for curiosity
Working more because you believe in what you are doing
Helping people for how it makes you feel
Learning how to improve yourself strictly to become better
Doing things just because they make you happy
There is a sense of purpose in what you do
By doing an activity, you believe it helps you and others
Intrinsic Motivation Is Hard and Easy
When you find things you love to do, it is easy to be motivated to do them. You have an intrinsic benefit to doing these things. Maybe it's working out or helping people cross the street. Either way, you do them for how it makes you feel. You don't feel tired but actually energized by doing these things. This makes it things easy.
Intrinsic Motivation becomes difficult when you spend a lot of time doing things that you don't particularly care for. For me, that's vacuuming. I feel like it is a chore to get done. There is no reward when finished (extrinsic motivation) and I don't feel any enjoyment with vacuuming.
It's okay to not find fun or enjoyment in everything. It may make you feel burn out if you keep at it too long. I strongly encourage you to try to find something you enjoy for work, exercise, or other aspects of your life.
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