Motivation: Principles, Theories, and How It Works

Motivation determines the reasons that guide our actions and behaviors, an organic desire fueled by specific internal or external rewards or incentives.

Note: This article is taken from the author "Evan Tarver", in which he talks to us about the concept of motivation and the principles and theories related to it.

There are several differences in the best motivation depending on different situations, but all types of motivation consist of three similar components that you can use to increase your overall motivation.

By understanding the idea of motivation, the theories behind it, and its types and components you can increase your motivation as well as motivate others to pursue goals at a higher level. Read the article to learn about the details of motivation and how to use it to achieve your dreams.

How Does Motivation Work?

Motivation defines the specific reason behind someone's thoughts and actions and is usually explained by either rewards or by internal or external motives. Motivation directed by internal factors is known as intrinsic motivation, while motivation directed externally is known as extrinsic motivation. Within these two types of motivation, there are many differences related to specific incentives or rewards.

For example, learning and personal growth may be the drivers for a promotion for those motivated by internal factors, while a salary increase may be the motivation for getting a promotion for those motivated by external factors, both of which are not bad, but both types are explained by an incentive or a reward separate and unique motivational.

This means that if you can identify your primary motivating factor, you can use it to increase your motivation. To help you do this, several theories of motivation use a mixture of biology and sociology to suggest why people are motivated by rewards or certain factors and not others. No theory is perfect, but most offer a deep insight into the inner thoughts of the human mind and how we can motivate ourselves.

The same also applies to motivating others; Some people around you will be motivated more by an internal factor, while others may be motivated by an external factor. The key is to identify the motivating factor of the individual or group of people and focus on developing that to increase desire, action, and performance.

Whether you are trying to motivate yourself or motivate others, remember:

1. Motivation depends on a specific internal or external reward or stimulus/ incentive.
2. All types of motivation usually consist of three interrelated parts.
3. Most people are motivated by biological needs, emotional wishes, or social desires.
4. Identifying the underlying motivation for a need, desire, or wish can increase motivation.

The Three Main Components of Motivation

Motivation may seem to be an abstract concept, but it consists of three interrelated parts, and its three main components are activation, intensity, and insistence. These three components work together and force people to act in a certain way, and understanding these components can help you better develop your motivation, as well as the types and theories that follow it.

1. Activation

Activation is a decision to initiate a behavior to achieve a reward or incentive. Activation is also known as directive and involves a commitment to action in pursuit of a larger goal like taking a coding course for a career change or saving money for early retirement.

Think of this first component as an action procedure, regardless of the specific type of motivation, incentive, or reward. As all the motives will begin with the initiation of that action, because of this, the level of activation will largely depend on the importance of the reward or motivation you are trying to achieve.

2. intensity

Intensity is defined as the dedication and effort associated with seeking a reward and is driven by your experiences and level of desire, for example, those who display high intensity want something strongly and will prioritize it in their time, energy, or resources to obtain it, however, it does not work all individuals with the same intensity, for some, it may take less effort, while others require higher levels of intensity to achieve the same.

Another example, a student who understands the material easily and does not need to devote much time to studying, shows low intensity, while otherwise, a student who needs to study hard to get the same grades, shows more intensity. This means that high or low intensity is not necessarily bad or good, rather, this particular intensity is the degree to which you must reach when you take the necessary actions to achieve the reward you want.

3. determination

determination is the ability to stay on track during challenges or setbacks, maintaining the procedure and intensity required over time to achieve your reward, it does not only rely on work and passion for developing the motivation necessary to realize your dreams, you will also need a healthy level of persistence, because anything worth achieving will take time and need a consistent and steady effort.

Types of Motives

All motivations include the aforementioned components, regardless of the type or theory behind the motive. However, there are two basic types of motivation: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation represents all internal rewards or incentives, while extrinsic motivation represents all external rewards or incentives, and together, they represent all internal or external "motives".

Types of motivation should not be confused with theories of motivation. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations include the wide range of incentives or rewards that drive our desires, while motivation theories suggest specific ways to increase motivation based on specific stimuli.

1. Internal motives

Intrinsic motivation refers to a person's internal motivators. Behaviors driven by intrinsic motivation carry implicit or satisfying rewards for the individual that they do not usually depend on anyone else to achieve. For example, someone learns to play a musical instrument for fun, challenges themselves with games or puzzles, or starts an educational course to satisfy their curiosity.

Here, there is no external reward that drives these behaviors such as money or praise, but instead, the reward is internal, such as the pleasure of learning to perform those actions. This does not necessarily mean that the internal motivation is better or worse than the external motivation, however, it is often good to identify a factor A stimulus that is under your control rather than depending on something that is given to you, such as a reward or praise.

2. External motives

Extrinsic motivation is behavior that is directed by external rewards. Extrinsic motivation is usually used in situations where the action or the internal reward for performing such an action may not be personally satisfying. These rewards can be tangible, such as money or prizes, or intangible, such as praise. or public discretion, but these are usually not within your direct control.

For example, if you are motivated to do a good job because of a pay raise, then you are extrinsically motivated, and another example, writing a screenplay in hopes of getting an Oscar is being extrinsically motivated, both of which are not bad, but perhaps the best solution would be to find something intrinsically rewarding. He also has an external motive that is satisfactory when achieved.

Tip: Under each of these two main types there are subtler differences that point to specific external or internal drivers.

Theories Related to Motivation

There are several theories about what motivation is, the rationale for its existence, the specific internal or external motivators behind it, and the process of developing it within yourself and others, and to help you, we offer a short list of the best theories below.

Here is a short list of the best motivation theories to know and use:

1. The theory of fairness in motivation

you assume that people are motivated by the level of equity they perceive, not by reward or expectation, and the fairer things are, the more motivated people are.

2. Expectancy theory of motivation

It says that people are motivated by the expected outcome of their actions, and the more confident a person is in the outcome, the more motivated they are to take action.

3. Arousal theory of motivation

This theory explains that a person's level of motivation is proportional to their mental alertness or 'arousal'. However, if arousal becomes too high or too low, it causes inhibition of motivation.

4. Goal-setting theory in motivation

a theory that interprets itself, stating that difficult goals can be motivating.

5. The acquired needs theory of motivation

states that people are motivated by their desire to gain achievement, power, and social affiliation and that more of these desires results in more motivation.

6. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory

It is a well-known theory that states that people are motivated by five specific needs, and can move on to the next need only after the previous needs are met.

7. Three-dimensional attribution theory

attempts to explain how people interpret events, how those interpretations affect their motivation, and if we view an event positively, we will be more motivated to repeat that event.

While all these theories are important for motivation, they represent a simple part of this motive theme.

How Do You Motivate Yourself and Others?

There are plenty of motivational tips and strategies that can help motivate yourself and others, and I've found that you can break the process down into a few tried-and-true steps, based on my own experience trying to motivate myself as well as those around me, both at work and in other social environments.

How Do You Motivate Yourself?

Motivating yourself is the first step towards achieving more on your way to any goal, and while self-motivation is unique to the individual, when I need to motivate myself, I usually do the following:

1. Making sure that I have a positive outlook and a growth mindset.
2. Making sure I understand my ultimate and most important goal.
3. Determine the “why” behind my desire to achieve said goal.
4. Create a series of smaller, more flexible goals that help me get closer to my ultimate goal.
5. Looking for a partner to hold me accountable, I can take advantage of it in my accounting.
6. Celebrating each of these small gains as I approach my larger goals.
7. Always focus on the practice and on learning experiences along the way.
8. Never lose sight of the bigger picture when focusing on smaller goals.

How Do You Motivate Others?

Although it may sound similar, motivating others is different from motivating yourself, more often than not, this occurs in the workplace; You want to motivate a team member or a staff member. If you need to do so, try what comes, I worked for me as a leader of a senior team:

1. Understand the quality of a person's personality.
2. Help them learn the skills needed to succeed.
3. Create a set of common goals and expectations.
4. Give that person a sense of autonomy in their day-to-day work.
5. Make sure to provide feedback and coating to them constantly.
6. Praise them when they do a good job, and give them coaching when they need improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the motivation at work?

Work-related motivation can be either self-caused or caused by individuals or teams and usually a motivation driven by external rewards such as increased pay or praise, However, in a business environment, internal motivation can often have the same strong impact and the same sense of reward as the external motivation, if not more.

2. What Is Motivation in Management?

Like motivation in business, motivation in management is a tool used in the corporate environment. Managers use motivation to inspire their team. For this reason, it usually focuses on motivation at the team level, but also includes individual motivation provided to employees.

3. What Is Motivation in Psychology?

Motivation in psychology is usually associated with academic theories of motivation rather than applied science, however, psychological discussions about motivation remain valuable, this is because they can help to understand the biological and social causes of one's motives.

4. What Is Motivation in Education?

Similar to motivation in psychology, motivation in education is associated with academic theories and research aimed at explaining motivation rather than applied science; For this reason, many students or people in school settings seek academic research rather than actionable tactics for motivation.

in conclusion

Motivation is often something intangible and ephemeral, but you can constantly motivate yourself and others if you follow some guidelines. Remember that all motivation is based on some type of internal or external stimulus, and if you can identify that and create an environment that supports the pursuit of that motivation, you will become more motivated with time.