What level of motivation involves exercising for the enjoyment and satisfaction of exercise itself?

Extrinsic motivation is defined as behavior that is driven by an outcome, result, or reward which is external and separated from the action itself. 

Whenever we are driven by an external motivator, it is not the actual performance or action we are focused on. Rather, these serve as a means to an end. The reason we play a sport, go to school, or seek out a certain profession is based on a perceived outcome. 

Enjoyment or fulfillment from an action may or may not be gained. Either way, that is not the objective an individual who uses external motivation is seeking. Instead, they have their eyes locked on some end result that can be gained through such an experience. 

For extrinsic motivation to take place, there must first be an external reward. Let’s use a grade as an example. There is a test coming up and a student knows they want to receive an A. The external reward has been presented: getting an A.

Now, the student begins to study. They are not studying for the pleasure and intrigue of learning the material in and of itself. Rather, they are putting in the effort to study with the expectation of receiving an A in return. 

We can use sports as another example. Many times you hear athletes say they are chasing a championship. Their aim is to work all year long in hopes of attaining the end result, which happens to be winning the championship at their level. 

If that is what truly drives them, then this would be a form of extrinsic motivation. Such an individual is not involved in the sport for the fulfillment and enjoyment of training and playing games, but rather for the possibility of receiving an external award. 

Extrinsic motivation is not always based on rewards either. Nor are they always physical in nature. We can also be driven to perform activities in order to avoid punishment. Extrinsic motivators can come from anywhere, making them quite abundant in our lives. 

Intrinsic Motivation is defined as behavior that is driven by an internal feeling of joy or satisfaction. 

When we are driven by an intrinsic motivator, there is no connection with an outcome. Yes, we may receive recognition, money, or other rewards for the behavior, but that is not the objective. 

Intrinsically motivated behavior is separate from any external result. We are focused primarily and driven mainly by the action or behavior itself. There is a level of personal fulfillment felt from doing rather than from receiving. 

In this state, there is little to no concern as to what the action may yield. As children, this type of motivation is easy to get behind. We always were searching for more enjoyable ways to play and have fun with our time.

As adults, it can be easy to lose track of what intrinsically motivates us. As the external achievements seem to become more important, we focus less on what actions and behaviors bring us personal joy and fulfillment. 

For us to be motivated intrinsically, we must be driven by the action alone. A good example would be exercise. An individual who is intrinsically motivated enjoys exercising because the act itself makes them feel good.

While exercising will have a positive impact on the way they look, that is not what drives them to get off the couch every day.

Another example would be an athlete who plays a sport out of passion. This individual loves training, practicing, and playing games. They do care about winning and would like to have a shot at the championship, but that is not their main driver. The sport is played because the act brings the athlete so much joy and satisfaction. 

We can look at the list from above and see what each would look like if the individual were internally motivated. 

One of the best ways I can think to illustrate how external rewards and outcomes drive behavior is my own experience. 

I always thought of myself as an intrinsically motivated individual. Whenever it came to exercising, training for baseball, eating well, or learning new subjects the drive developed from within. There was no need for anyone to force me to do any of this. 

However, the more I learn about extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation, there is a recurring theme that becomes evident. A lot of what I did was driven by internal motivation but was done with the aim of achieving something external.

When I was in college, there was a strong drive to succeed on the baseball field. As I dive deep into what the reasoning was for my desire to hit for a certain average, have a significant amount of home runs, or attain a specific fielding percentage, I realize it was all for external reasons. 

In fact, it could all be summed up with one simple explanation: I was driven by the desire for other people’s approval and admiration. Even as I left college and thought about continuing to play, it wasn’t for my own enjoyment, but rather as a way to receive praise for reaching a certain level in the sport. 

I find that so interesting to think about. Even though I believed that I was motivated internally, the true driving force was something outside of myself. There is definitely nothing wrong with external motivation, I mean we all want to win championships and be part of a winning program.

What I would like to ask you, based on the example I gave, is how long would that type of extrinsic motivation last? Would it be a sustainable way to motivate myself in the long term?

In terms of fitness, I can admit that the journey began with extrinsic motivation. I started weightlifting my freshman year of high school to help myself perform better on the baseball field. However, as I have gotten older, this extrinsic motivation has taken on a negative form at times. 

Rather than enjoy the act of exercising, I have found myself doing it solely for the appraisal and recognition from others. This never feels good, and always results in me being overly critical of myself. When I exercise for the pure enjoyment of the action, though, I feel much more satisfied. 

So there are different ways extrinsic motivation can drive our behavior. We must be careful to make sure we understand if we are being driven by such external forces. It can be dangerous to our psyche to believe we are operating out of intrinsic motivation, only to truly be behaving for external rewards and approval.  

Interestingly, extrinsic motivation is quite abundant in our lives, especially as we are growing up. As I have stated, in school most of us are driven to study and complete work out of the hope of receiving a good grade. Or possibly to avoid the wrath of our parents if we were to fail.

As we grow older, there is a push for us to work towards a degree to land a good job in order to receive a livable wage. Unless there is an underlying joy driving these actions, our lives will be run by extrinsic motivation. 

The question that arises is whether or not extrinsic motivation is effective? 

I have known people who seem to be solely motivated by external materials. Whether that be money or acknowledgment. So, some people do respond to this form of motivation, but it can be difficult to accept it as an effective form of motivation for lasting change. 

As I described with my experience, external motivation has the tendency to lead us down a path towards approval-seeking behavior. We may believe we are driven to perform out of devotion, but the truth is we are seeking recognition and appraisal from those around us.

In this way, yes, extrinsic motivation is effective, at least in the short term. I am glad I was pushed to begin weightlifting when I did since it helped me develop and gain strength. However, as I have gotten older, this type of motivation does not last. 

In order to continue to exercise and enjoy the process, I have had to learn that there must be love and satisfaction in the actual action itself. 

The same holds true with baseball. As I look back on my college experience and think about my career ahead of me, I wonder how effective extrinsic motivation was/would be. 

I believe that in college it would have served me well to realize the external drive that was pushing me to succeed because there were tremendous amounts of stress and anxiety that resulted from such focus. 

Progressing in my career, I do not believe extrinsic motivation will be effective. The drive to continue to play must come from within, out of pure joy for the game.