September is quickly approaching….
Personally, I view September as a time to set new goals and resume routines. This requires motivation. We all have days where we feel less motivated to engage in productive tasks or enjoyable activities. We may also lack motivation if we experience mental health symptoms such as: depression or anxiety.
Motivation typically evolves through external rewards (e.g., money) or internal desires (e.g., the joy of engaging in a task). Research demonstrates the importance of the latter form of motivation: intrinsic motivation:
“Intrinsic motivation is defined as the doing of an activity for its inherent satisfaction rather than for some separable consequence. When intrinsically motivated, a person is moved to act for the fun or challenge entailed rather than because of external products, pressures, or rewards.” (Ryan and Deci, 2000).
Take some time to reflect on what motivates you in your daily activities – does a clean house lead you to feel relaxed, or happy? When an item is checked off your list, do you feel a sense of accomplishment? Understanding your intrinsic motivators can be beneficial for helping you complete a task or reach a goal.
Further reading on motivation:
Drive – Daniel Pink (book)
Why We Do What We Do – Edward Deci (book)
The Self-Determination Theory of Motivation – Richard Ryan and Edward Deci (article) https://www.apa.org/members/content/intrinsic-motivation