The different types of motivation, which one are you?

Motivation is predominantly our desire and willingness to do something. It is typically our reason or reasons to act or behave in a certain manner. This could be our acts for self-improvement, accomplishing one of our life’s goals, or complete a challenging project we have worked hard on. The motivation we have within us is what helps push us forward towards achieving the goals we set.

The more highly motivated an individual is, the more they will accomplish because they remain focused on what they want to achieve and experience. Highly motivated people pursue their thoughts and create habits that fuel their determination. It offers us guidance with decision making and setting goals to further motivate and excel to the next levels.

Everyone is motivated differently. Before I explain the different types of motivation, do you know what motivates you the most? It can be how you are motivated by setting goals for yourself or self-improvement, the sky is the limit with motivation.

The following are the 10 common types of motivation.

1. Intrinsic Motivation-

People whose motivation is driven by internal feelings and rewards are encouraged by intrinsic motivation. They are not motivated by other’s recognition or from winning awards. This form of motivation is not acting in a selfish manner but can be what guides them in selfless actions. They are pushed and encouraged by their own feelings to do what is right or what is good for the world. Many motivated in this way will go into organizations working with charities or non-profit organizations so they are able to do their part with making a difference in the world and for those that are suffering. These individuals are motivated more by helping other than the money they can make.

2. Extrinsic Motivation-

Those that are influenced by extrinsic motivation yearn for recognition from others. This type of motivation might sound selfish because they are not as clear for others to understand, but they really are not selfish people. There are a number of reasons why people do the things they do throughout their lives. Maybe working at a lower-paying non-profit organization isn’t enough to pay the bills, so even though a person loves what they are doing, they leave that company to go to work a higher paying job. Does that make them selfish? I do not think so because they only want a better and more comfortable quality of life for themselves and their family. It is likely their motivations are both internal and external.

3. Social Motivation-

Humans are naturally social creatures. We all typically have a desire to interrelate and engage with others. This type of motivation covers the common eagerness that most humans have to connect with others, have a sense of acceptance, and to belong to a group. This doesn’t need to be a large group but could be a smaller group. Some may long to connect with humanity on a deep and larger scale because they want to travel, to experience and learn about how others from different cultures live. Some people may want to become closer with family and friends in order to build happy life long memorable experiences and memories. When people belong to a group of others with similar goals and interests, it can help them achieve their goals and continue to move forward.

4. Competency Motivation-

People who are motivated by competency are enticed by processes. This encourages more to be achieved while gaining tactile comprehension and wisdom that can be utilized later. These individuals are not as interested in the finished products as they are in the processes it takes to reach their goals. People that go back to school several times are a good example of competency motivation because their interests are more in the final outcome of their gained knowledge. It also shows competency motivation when people decide to take classes to build on their knowledge from a classroom setting.

5. Expectancy Motivation-

The individuals that are guided by expectancy motivation are driven by how they expect the outcomes of their actions are going to be. Any choices that they make are determined by what the end goal is for the actions they take. They are not typically concerned with the action necessary to make it to their end goal. When management decides to link bonuses to performance, gripping their employees’ expectations of the outcome to encourage them to work harder is an example of expectancy motivation. If management violates their employees’ expectations it can be incredibly demotivating and destroy trust. Another example of expectancy motivation is exercise and weight loss. Unfortunately, if the expectations with exercise and weight loss are not met, a person can become discouraged.

6. Attitude Motivation-

Attitude motivation is similar to social motivation with the difference being that the person is not searching for a group to fit in with. A person is motivated by the ability to influence the ways others think and feel. An individual will wear a smile on their face when out in public despite what they are going through. The person is motivated to practice kindness in the world to ameliorate the attitudes and emotions of those they come into contact with. This form of motivation may help an individual inspire the people around them to spread positivity to those that are in need of it.

7. Arousal Motivation-

The theory behind arousal motivation indicates that people are compelled to carry out actions in order to maintain an optimal level of physiological arousal. Each person as a distinct arousal level that is best for them personally. When arousal levels become lower than our personal optimal level, the person will search for stimulation to increase theirs. When our levels become too high, the person will try finding ways to calm themselves.

Arousal motivation is closely linked to the Yerkes-Dodson Law, in regards to the way our performance is linked to our arousal state. This law indicates that performance increases to a point with physiological or mental arousal and when arousal levels become too high, our performance decreases.

8. Fear Motivation-

Although it might not be a positive experience at some point during our lifetime everyone has acknowledged fear as a motivator. Fear can cause us to take action to avoid or confront our fears. Fear can be a beneficial tool for one’s self, but not as much when it comes to intimidating others. Fear can help us get things accomplished while creating unnecessary enemies likely to discover ways to attack later. When using fear as a motivator it is best to confront and overcome our fears. Each fear we are able to overcome strengthens our abilities to handle challenging situations, overcome and reduce the impact of any future fears.

9. Achievement Motivation-

A theory of achievement motivation explains the desire to achieve goals for the purpose of reaching a peak of brilliance. The downside of this type of motivation is the sheer fear of failure. This person wants to be the best of the best at whatever they do. Alongside possible dark turns, people may begin looking for a short-cut, decide to cheat or engage in other unethical behaviors to obtain excellence. An example of this type of motivation is when the person studies to earn a certification or obtain a new skill by way of training.

10. Incentive Motivation-

It is human nature to desire to be rewarded for a job well done. Incentive motivation is about pursuing palpable rewards and the fulfillment provided. Incentives are a favored way to initiate habits and make personal changes by rewarding one’s self once reaching the goal we set out for.

Discovering what motivates us can be an important and beneficial tool to understand. Once we have this knowledge, there is nothing we can’t achieve. How did you answer my question about your type of motivation at the beginning of this post? After reading the various descriptions of motivation, did your answer change at all? Which type of motivation best describes you?

Thank y’all for visiting my site today. I hope the information provided was beneficial and interesting for you. I would love to read your thoughts on this post and what type of motivation best describes you. I do promise to respond to all comments in no more then 24-hours. I found the different types of motivation pretty interesting myself. I hope you are enjoying your weekend and of course staying safe. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa