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Whether you’re choosing what show to watch or which job offer to accept, every choice we make involves either intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. And yes, this is true even if your big decision of the day is whether to watch “Stranger Things” or “Outer Banks.” Maybe you really want to watch Eleven fight monsters from the Upside Down, but your friends just won’t stop talking about the Pogues and the Kooks. Do you choose “Outer Banks” so that you can be part of the conversation? That’s what we call extrinsic motivation. Or do you opt for “Stranger Things” because that’s what you wanted to watch? That would be intrinsic motivation.
No, extrinsic motivation isn’t just a fancy word for peer pressure, and intrinsic motivation isn’t just the ability to ignore FOMO. These two different forms of motivation are a way to define what really drives your decisions: is it an inner desire, or an outside force? Truth is, you probably experience a mix of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, but pinpointing which type drives which decisions can help you learn how to truly motivate yourself in all areas of your life.
“Knowing which of these motivates you can be an eye-opening experience,” therapist Katie Luman, LPC, tells POPSUGAR. “It’s an opportunity to re-evaluate your goals, values, and relationships.” POPSUGAR spoke to four mental health professionals about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, what makes them different and — the real question of the hour — whether one of them is actually the key to a more fulfilling life.
What Is Intrinsic Motivation?
“Intrinsic motivation involves doing something because it’s personally rewarding to you,” says clinical psychologist and author Monica Vermani, PsyD. Sure, you might receive external validation for a task after you finish it, but that validation wasn’t the reason you did the task in the first place. With intrinsic motivation, “we act and behave in certain ways because we enjoy an activity, a process, a chance to learn, experiment or grow,” Dr. Vermani says. “Intrinsic motivation springs from our authentic selves engaging in what makes us happy and joyful.”
Examples of intrinsic motivation include anything you do for pure enjoyment, like:
- Working hard in school because you enjoy learning new things
- Working hard at your job because your work is personally fulfilling and meaningful
- Exercising because it makes you feel good
- Journaling or writing for personal pleasure
- Learning a new skill or hobby for yourself, not because of external pressure
- Cleaning your space because you like feeling organized
