Examples of Extrinsic Motivation

Here are examples that explain what extrinsic motivation looks like for you.


1. You are studying because your parents have promised to give you some rewards.

2. You start exercising and do diets because you want to fit in a dress, look like your role model, or someone criticized you for the weight.

3. You take classes or go to classes for the sake of false ego, compulsion, or for any rewards. Internally, you will not enjoy doing it.

4. Choosing work that gives good financial stability, social status, work perks, and allowances. But in reality, you could hate the job you are doing. You could feel like this job is not taking you anywhere & yet you have to do it. For the sake of financial stability, you are motivating yourself to do the job you don’t like. It’s an extrinsic motivation type.

5. You buy books and stack to show off. You buy things to show off.

6. People do things to prove a social status. Inside, they could be struggling, or they don’t enjoy it.

7. Start things just to compete with people who are already doing it. It’s another way of extrinsic motivation.

8. You clean your room because your peers could get a bad opinion or your parents could give you some sort of punishment etc.