Success and motivation are directly proportional to each other. Everyone has a different reason to achieve their success. Instead, without encouragement, a success story can not be completed.
At the same time, the source of motivation also plays a crucial role in success. As motivation, the head of inspiration can be too different for everyone.
This is our today's topic to discuss— the source of motivation. Here, you are going to learn about the critical side of success. So, lets, start today's topics.
There is two types of motivations, viz., intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Both play a vital role in your life. Although, it is up to you what you chose to be a part of your life.
Talking about extrinsic motivation, as its name says, inspiration comes from external factors. Whereas in intrinsic motivation, the reason comes within you.
In this article, we will focus on extrinsic motivation. We will try to figure out its nature and all the other details. So, let's move further.
What is extrinsic motivation?
Extrinsic motivation is a kind of operant conditioning, which means behavior where the use of reward or punishment is done to boost or dissolve the affection.
You can say a reward-driven behavior is extrinsic motivation. People use the rewards as their motivation and act accordingly.
When I'm saying rewards, I mean, to say is, the fame, money, or praise. People use these reward points as their motivation to perform a particular activity.
Extrinsic motivation is opposite to intrinsic motivation. Its existence is wholly based on external factors, unlike inherent reason.
Another way to understand extrinsic motivation would be- think of the reason for reading this article. If you are reading these words because of getting the grades, it will be extrinsic motivation. You want to learn this article to increase your knowledge because you like the topic, is intrinsic motivation.
People don't care about their interests while moving further with extrinsic motivation as the rewarding elements don't let them focus on their part. For example, a job that gives you a handsome salary may be an excellent instance of extrinsic motivation.
While doing a job, as you are doing it for a longer time, you may start to like it, but the motivation to go to the office is just the money you are being paid to do the job.
The amount you receive through the job is enough to handle your expenses, so you daily attend the appointment. You can not hope of getting a tangible reward through extrinsic motivation.
Let's have a look at some more examples of extrinsic motivation to understand it better.
Examples of extrinsic motivation
If you do something to get a reward, then you are motivated extrinsically.
Taking part in sports for trophy
Finishing a job for the money
Helping others so that you could get praised by the family
Doing social work or anything for fame
Studying well to get grades
And so on. Here, you can see, each event is tied to a particular reward, which makes it include in the extrinsic motivation.
Is extrinsic motivation compelling?
Well, the worst part about extrinsic motivation is, you have to compromise with your likelihood. Simultaneously, I would say it is not a bad thing.
As I said earlier, you do the job to get a rewarding salary; it did not mean you are enjoying the job environment always.
I have often seen people make an excuse to get cut off from the job for some time. Why may it be happening? The clear answer is, they are not interested in the work.
If you like something, you want to spend more time with the task. Instead, you enjoy doing it. Like in the intrinsic motivation, you enjoy the work and don't care for the reward.
Talking about the effectiveness of extrinsic motivation, it may be more beneficial for some people. Maybe the rewards getting from extrinsic motivation keep the people motivated to continue their job enthusiastically.
At the end of the day, choosing the extrinsic motivation for success is the people's personal choice.
The Nature of Rewards in Extrinsic Motivation
Now, you know that extrinsic motivation depends on rewards. Remember, the rewards people may be expecting can be actual or psychological. We will see both of them.
The actual or tangible rewards include the trophy or the money to perform a specific task. People generally engaged in a particular activity to get the essential tips, such as sports, competition, or a job.
Whereas the psychological rewards include praise or recognition. Many people do their work to get praised by the friends and family. Some examples of such event would be:
Kids are cleaning their room to get praised by their parents
A dancer is dancing fabulously to get praised by their audience
A person is helping someone to get praised by the society
An actor is delivering an excellent performance to get praised by the people, and so on.
In all the cases, there is only one reward, which is to get praised by the other. To achieve this, people work so hard to get the desired output.
Can Extrinsic Motivation Go Badly?
Again, it is the fact that extrinsic motivation has the capability of backfire. In a study, it was found that rewards can minimize the importance of intrinsic motivation.
Whereas the terminology explains this takeover as, overjustification effect. It means extrinsic motivation decreases the value of intrinsic motivation. It norms due to the rewards; extrinsic motivation dissolves the importance of the intrinsic motivation.
An example of this event would be, if someone is getting rewards for their task from the intrinsic motivation, they may opt the study as their job, and it turns the intrinsic motivation into extrinsic motivation.
Experts warn the parent about the use of extrinsic motivation with the children as it can affect badly on their thinking power. They may think that they will receive a reward for every task. And they may get used to this rewarding journey.
This is the primary reason why extrinsic motivation can be wrong. It is not bad in all cases as it is proved that extrinsic motivation is also helpful for many people.
Best Ways To Use The Extrinsic Motivation
Well, nothing is terrible. If extrinsic motivation is wrong for a particular purpose, it also has proved itself to be correct.
Extrinsic motivation is best, where the basic skills are lagging for a particular task or people have a small initial concern about the job. But, when the desired skills are archived, the study should not be tied with the reimbursed.
Importance of Extrinsic Motivation
It is not wrong if I say intrinsic motivation is better than extrinsic motivation as it involves the likelihood of the people, more interest and enjoyment towards the work.
Simultaneously, it can not be ignored that not everyone has the same passion for a particular thing. Or something works the same for everyone.
However, in such a situation, extrinsic motivation is essential, especially the fields like the workplace and education.
Extrinsic motivation is essential to get a degree of sound marks, get recognition, and a higher workplace package. In such places, if extrinsic motivation replaces intrinsic motivation, it will not be wrong.
Although extrinsic motivation works in four different ways, viz.,
External Regulation
Introjected Regulation
Regulation Through Identification
Integrated Regulation
Every type works in their core area to motivate the people. As it is proved that extrinsic motivation is not wrong, going with it is not a bad option for people who don't find themselves fit for intrinsic motivation.
The Bottom Line
It is an unchangeable fact that motivation is so essential for success. Unless and until you find your source of inspiration, getting the win would be a challenge for you.
You may have seen many people who don't care about anything. Instead, they don't get involved in any activity or do any task. It is because they don't have any motivation to do so.
Extrinsic motivation is a suitable replacement for intrinsic motivation. It is not essential that everyone feels the same. Everyone gets the motivation from the same source. And, that's is the reason, even if you choose extrinsic motivation to feel motivated towards a specific work, it is all good, and it's your choice. The only need is, you need to enjoy your work.
Now that you have read the article, you understood the nature of extrinsic motivation. Verify what your source of inspiration is. If you feel like updating any element that is appropriate for your growth, go with it.