Need to Motivate Yourself? Choose Self Determination

What motivates you? If you’re like me, and most people, you probably find that some external reward is what it takes to get you fired up to get things done.  Well, at least most of the time. Sometimes it’s avoidance of negative consequences that does the trick. Still, I’ll bet you operate on a bit of intrinsic motivation as well. Well, at least some of the time. 

The reason I bring this up is that I recently read a great article titled “Unleash Your Potential,” in Men’s Health. Essentially, it covered the application of Self Determination Theory (SDT) to the choice of fitness routines, and it referenced the approach of Saint John’s University coach John Gagliardi, “The Winningest Coach in College Football History.”

Essentially, Coach Gagliardi does something counterintuitive in his approach: he avoids drills, laps, and calisthenics, allowing his players to practice for games by simply playing 90 minutes of touch football. As Tom McGrath, author of the article states, Gagliardi “… crated a football program powered not by his own threats or intimidation or screaming, but by the players’ natural passion for football.”

So, what are the elements of intrinsic motivation?

As pointed out in the article, an activity must meet three basic needs for you to be intrinsically motivated. First is autonomy; you must be the one who made the choice to do the activity. Second is competence; you are able to perform the activity at some level. Third, is relatedness; the activity, in some way, connects you to others.

So what does this have to do with you?

Simply this: Expanding your intrinsic motivation can enhance your life! In a world where you face choices in every aspect of your living – from your career to your exercise program -- it is really a good idea to chose the activities that will tap you passions. According to Richard Ryan, Ph.D., University of Rochester faculty member and researcher, “The more self-determined we are – that is, the more we’re doing what we want to do and aren’t being forced to do – the happier and more successful we tend to be.”

Comments

[Wendy Spiegel]

Walter, what a great post. This is so true. How much time are we spending doing things that are demotivating (like sitting in traffic several hours a day), or staying stuck in a job that is not satisfying, or demeaning in some way.

I agree with the professor -- we have to manifest our actions into those that are self-fulfilling to achieve our happiest potential.

Wendy

[Walter Akana]

Thanks Wendy!

In many ways this is ideal, for there is much in life that still requires the “old carrot and stick” – that is, external motivators. Yet, we often have more choices than we realize. And so many of them can generate intrinsic motivation and be self fulfilling – both on larger issues, such as career choice and smaller issues, such as productive use of drive time!