Leveraging Motivation
Last week, I reduced the concept of motivation to a nothingburger. As I reflected on my ideas over the weekend, I concluded that dismissing motivation as a smoke-and-mirror prerequisite to productivity was a mistake. We all know what it's like to be motivated–that exhilarating, 'full steam ahead' feeling where we tackle a challenge with confidence, breaking through any obstacles that get in our way; it's a great feeling, one that we can't always count on.
Sometimes I'm pretty motivated to hit the gym, and the result is great: I give that extra 10% effort in my workout, for which I'm rewarded with sore muscles and a sense of accomplishment; the traitorous voice that tries to convince me I'd be better off on the couch watching That 70's Show is quiet. Other times, I rationalize my inaction with a list of excuses: it's cold outside, my hip hurts, I didn't eat beforehand, etc.
Thus, motivation is an unreliable source of inspiration.
Well, maybe?
The Question ❓
This whole motivation rabbit hole got me thinking: Is there a way to leverage this feeling? Can we tap into this vein of productivity whenever we want?
Two Kinds of Motivation
Let's dive in with something called Self-Determination Theory (SDT). SDT essentially provides a framework for studying both motivation and personality development. Besides being fancy enough to warrant its own website (selfdeterminationtheory.org), SDT divides motivation into two separate concepts:
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Intrinsic - A natural curiosity that occurs without external pressures. 🧐
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External - Goal-driven action derived from an external reward or an avoidance of punishment. 🔨
We're all familiar with extrinsic motivation: Want to graduate college? Pass your classes. Interested in paying the light bill? Get a job. Swimming to stay afloat. But what about intrinsic motivation?
The other day I was hanging out on the roof of my apartment building when a snowfall hit. Struck with inspiration, I stayed until there was enough to make a snowball–my first one–and tossed it at a nearby wall. There was no external pressure or reward for my action, just the draw of a novel (and fun) experience. This is intrinsic motivation–when we explore for the sake of exploring, and play for the sake of play. So how do we cultivate this?
The Pillars of Intrinsic Motivation
Research suggests the quality of our intrinsic motivation is determined by three metrics: our senses of autonomy, competence, and community (relatedness). We are at our most motivated when we explore of our own volition, feel capable in the space we are exploring, and are supported by a community that celebrates and values our exploration.
This idea of intrinsic motivation packaged into SDT has opened up new frontiers on the psychological and physiological fronts of research. One of the most fascinating findings come's from an observation Dr. H. Harlow made in the 1950's while studying rhesus monkeys:
...He coined the term intrinsic motivation to describe his observation that these primates would persist in playing with mechanical puzzles even in the absence of external rewards. Indeed, he observed that the introduction of rewards for playing led these primates to decrease their spontaneous manipulative explorations, relative to those not exposed to external rewards. (Harlow)
Strangely, introducing reward elements to intrinsically motivated actions seems to corrupt interest. Quite the contrary finding by Harlow (not Jack), as it flies in the face of B.F. Skinner's behavioral work that dominated the field of psychology at the time. We mammals aren't just a function of positive and negative reinforcement pressures.
There are things that interest us in the purest sense–and we are at our best when we engage with those things.
Getting to the Heart
Everyone has different intrinsic motivations: some gravitate toward the complexities of the human mind; others are captivated by the unknown hidden in the stars above us; or the wonders of our natural environments, from deep oceans to dense forests. Perhaps our intrinsic motivations are clues leading us to our most human virtues–our sense of purpose.
Some suggest that such exploration is critical to the development of our personalities and values. In a summary paper outlining the scientific landscape of SDT titled The Emerging Neuroscience of Intrinsic Motivation: A New Frontier in Self-Determination Research, Domenico and Ryan quote fellow researchers who state intrinsic motivation "...provides the impetus for individuals to learn about particular subject areas and to differentiate their interests..." and that it may be the most important form of motivation in school achievement.
The aforementioned article is loaded with interesting information like the potential links of dopamine to intrinsic motivation, and sheds light on all of the research that still needs to be done. Check it out below ⬇️
Action Generating Motivation
To switch gears, action is a tangible way to generate energy for an interest or task. Simply moving in the direction of a goal can create the drive for our exploratory journeys. When I sit down to write something, just typing out a few words helps inspire the next few; before I know it I've got a paragraph, then a page. Just act. Motivation will follow.
Some of the research on motivational structures supports this as well. Our motivation is tied to challenge. Taking action toward a challenge inspires us to grow, particularly when the challenge is optimal–something that tests our limits, but feels approachable. Actually, this idea of optimal challenge is synonymous with flow state, a phenomenon of total absorption in an activity.
So, Can We Game Motivation?
Back to the initial question: Can we leverage motivation at will?
Yes, I think so.
Action is a lever we can pull whenever we want. When struggling to progress with a challenge or habit, simply moving can be the spark we need. But what about this elusive intrinsic motivation?
While inspiration is random (like my snowball adventure the other day), we can still seek out more of those moments if we pay attention to the common threads. If we can find those unique areas to explore of our own choice, exercising competence, and surrounded by people who support our endeavors, we can find consistent motivation and enhanced productivity.
Still, questions remain. What is the takeaway from the idea that rewards are harmful to our sense of natural curiosity? Should we separate our passions and interests from the realities of life where there are bills to be paid and commitments to honor?
What do you think? Send me an email!
Till next week,
Ethan Mark
Works Cited
Di Domenico, S. I., & Ryan, R. M. (2017). The Emerging Neuroscience of Intrinsic Motivation: A New Frontier in Self-Determination Research. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 11, 145. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00145
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (n.d.). Theory. selfdeterminationtheoryorg. https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/
