motivation

 Jennifer Morris, MD MBA

ABPN, ABOM, ABPM-add, ABSSP


Motivation is defined as desire to act towards achieving a goal; it guides and maintains goal-oriented behavior. 
Motivations entails:
    initiation--the decision to activate
    persistence--the continued effort towards the goal, enduring even through challenge and frustration
    intensity--maintaining concentration and level of effort in pursuing the goal. (activation), persistence and intensity. 
 

Motivation may be either extrinsic or intrinsic. 

Daniel Pink, as summarized in "Drive", demonstrates drive and the effects of extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation

1. extrinsic motivation: motived from without...think of rewards and punishment. Extrinsic motivation is not always bad:


Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is driven from within...learning for the sake of learning; running for the joy of running. Intrinsic motivation leads to identity and a sense of self. 



Intrinsic motivation includes autonomy, mastery and purpose. Human beings have the innate inner drive to be autonomous and self-determined...when this drive is liberated, higher levels of achievement are unlocked, and a sense of identify and connectedness occurs.





Everyone experiences fluctuations in motivation. Motivation, and especially intrinsic motivation (the self-renewing, self-sustaining type) can be improved by:

1. focusing on goals or things important to you

2. setting intermediate or smaller steps as benchmarks or intermediate goals

3. improving confidence with intermediate benchmarks for performance or learning

4. discerning reward in the process, rather than just the endpoint. 


Things that can destroy motivation include:

1. all or nothing benchmarks: perfectionism

2. believing in quick fixes

3. isolating to one approach rather than multiple or alternate approaches. This may be applicable to learning styles or different intermediate steps.

4. setting goals solely to meet external goals: a grade, a raise.  


Improving motivation occurs when we are able to determine intrinsic sources for motivation and enhance this renewable resource through healthy goal-setting and intermediate steps, focusing on the journey rather than the endpoint or reward.

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