Motivation – Why do you do the things you do? Whether it is working out or pursuing your dreams, there is some driving force motivating you to put in the effort and time and keep you going. Motivation has a continuum with two ends – external (or extrinsic) motivation and internal (or intrinsic motivation.) I remember this concept being first introduced to me in my sports psychology class. This can be applied to motivation for anything, not just working out or sports. With external motivation, you are driven by an external reward – something quantitative and tangible like physical gains or money. With internal motivation, it is something within us. It is qualitative and intangible such as feeling good or overall health. Motivation is multidimensional, and these different types of motivation coexist with one another.
Generally, when it comes to our goals, we are somewhere along this continuum of motivation. Sometimes we are more externally motivated than internally motivated, and our motivation can even change over time. You may start out externally motivated like when you first start working out. It may be because you want to look good, but eventually you realize it makes you feel good so now it is more internal motivation. Between the two, internal motivation is what will keep you motivated for a longer period. Therefore, it is important to dig even deeper and really ask yourself why you are doing this.
Try asking yourself why 5 times. Why are you motivated to do this? Then ask why again. It requires you to go past external factors and truly investigate the reasons you are working out or pursuing your dreams. For example, my first answer to why I work out would be to look good. Then I would ask myself why I want to look good and keep going from there. You will be surprised by the answers you find. The importance of knowing why you do the things you do will help you continue doing it. On days where you do not feel like pushing yourself or putting in the work, remind yourself why you are doing it in the first place. Find your why, continue moving forward, and accomplish what you set out to accomplish!
