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- The Science of Motivation
Most people are very aware of some of the biggest levers they can pull to improve their health and wellness. A healthy diet, exercise, not smoking, proper sleep, and several others we have discussed on this podcast/newsletter. But why can some people put these practices into action with such ease while others struggle so much just to get started, let alone keep going? We won’t claim to have all the answers, but we decided to begin diving into the science of motivation and behavior to see if we can find some answers.
Self-determination theory is possibly the leading theory of human motivation we have today. At it’s root, this theory simply asks to what degree are our motivations self-determined. Are we simply acting on the whims of others, or do our motivations come more from within?
To break down this theory, understand it exists on a spectrum. It moves from the least self-determined (and most external) on one end, to the most self-determined (and most internal) on the other end.
As you move through the spectrum, the different forms of motivation have long, nerdy names and can be confusing. I thought instead I would just illustrate the various forms of motivation in the steps below. I’m going to use the example of fitness/exercise.
1) I have no motivation to exercise at all and I feel no guilt for not exercising. I have no interest in changing.
2) I’m going to begin exercising, but I’m doing so to win a bet (money), appease my doctor/friend/spouse, or avoid a negative consequence. Purely external motivation.
3) I’m seeing a bunch of lean, muscular bodies on the internet, and this is motivating me to exercise. I want to look like those people. The ego begins to play a role (show others or prove others wrong). I am beginning to internalize external motivations.
4) I’ve identified that my physical and mental health is important to me, and I am willing to take action to drive my health forward. I am doing this primarily for myself. This is becoming more and more internal motivation.
5) I see myself as an active person and it is part of who I am. My diet/exercise routine is largely on autopilot, and it works for me without my having to put much cognitive effort towards it. This takes time to develop, and it is much more internal motivation.
6) I exercise purely for the sake of the joy I get from exercising. Just as a child playing for the sake of play, I am not exercising to get a reward (money, health, validation) but rather simply for it’s own sake. This is pure internal motivation.
It is common that we will most likely flip in and out of these various stages at different times and in different areas of our life. It is not necessarily the case that one is better than the other, but you could probably argue the more internal your motivation, the more sustainable it is over the long term. There have without a doubt been very high achievers that were driven solely by their ego and the need to prove something to others.
We end by discussing this recent study which asked people who had lost weight about the process of behavior change and maintenance. I also provide some good book recommendations that relate to motivation. You’ve got to tune in to get those!
Simplified Takeaways…
When studying the science of motivation, a key question to identify is whether you are doing something in order to get an external reward (such as money, praise, or even avoid a negative consequence) or if you are doing it purely for internal purposes (only for yourself and simply for the joy of doing something).
It is common to move in and out of various points along the motivation external/internal spectrum.
It is not the case that one point of motivation is necessarily better than another (if you are exercising, regardless of the reason it is probably a good thing). However, intrinsic motivation is more sustainable over the long term.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advise. No doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this newsletter or materials linked from this newsletter is at the user’s own risk. The content of this newsletter is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advise, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advise for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.