Who you calling “motivated?”

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Who you calling “motivated?”

Like many of us, you probably hope to lose weight and get in better shape. And like many of us, you’re probably having a hard time getting motivated. If so, read on!

What differentiates a highly motivated person from those of us who need to push, prod and force ourselves to accomplish our goals? Here’s a few thoughts about the psychology and psychiatry think.

In or Out?

A report by the National Institute of Mental Health suggests that there are two kinds of motivation:

Intrinsic motivation is the desire to do something simply because you want to.
Extrinsic motivation is working on a task to obtain rewards or avoid punishment.

Which one are you?  Admit it, you are reading this blog (weird word “blog” – let’s call it “a report”) because something has made you want to improve yourself.  Improve (“to make better”) yourself (“you and only you” as ‘We the Kings’ would sing.  It’s true – this is all about you.  Remember what Dr. Lane says, “this is the best version of selfish”)

Studies show that high intrinsic motivation is linked to higher school achievement and better psychological adjustment in children, adolescents and college students. In adults, it contributes to active, productive engagement in work, play and creative pursuits.
On a deeper level, we are also propelled to action by a variety of powerful physiological, social and psychological needs.

So “intrinsic” is internal desire, or a need to meet internal goals, “extrinsic” is to get something for yourself, a prize or gift, or just to avoid the wrath of someone else (e.g. a spouse, child, or parent)

Hierarchies of Need

When examining motivation, social scientists often look to psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which include:
  1. Physiological needs
  2. Safety needs
  3. Social needs (such as belonging and companionship)
  4. Esteem needs (such as a sense of purpose, recognition from others and self-identity)
  5. Self-actualization


According to Maslow, deprivation motivation arises from pain and discomfort when one is deprived of the basic elements — such as water, food and air — that are crucial for survival. Growth motivation, an urge to benefit or improve in some way, becomes significant only when the lower-level needs are met. Translation? You tend to worry less about your overbearing boss or putting on a few extra pounds when you’re in the midst of an asthma attack and struggling to breathe.

Psychologist Clayton Alderfer has another theory, which evolved from Maslow’s. Alderfer maintains that there are three groups of core needs:
  1. Existence (basic survival needs)
  2. Relatedness (the drive for social and interpersonal relationships)
  3. Growth (the desire for personal development)

Unlike Maslow, Alderfer believes that a person may be motivated to satisfy a higher-order need, such as a wish for recognition and approval, even if this means that a lower-order need, such as an adequate salary, remains unfulfilled.

Negative Motivation

Negative emotions can be as strong a motivating force as positive ones. Haven’t you just once vowed to show up at an event on the arm of a spectacularly attractive date who clearly adores you, just at the moment when your last significant other, who dumped you, arrives? And no doubt you’ve dreamed of winning a Pulitzer Prize or an Oscar, if not solely to wave it triumphantly in the face of the seventh-grade teacher who was so sure you would never amount to anything!

Steps to Getting Motivated

Psychologist Clayton E. Tucker-Ladd points to three critical steps in self-directed motivation:
  1. Deciding what you want to achieve and how much you’re willing to invest to be successful.
  2. Making a commitment to change.
  3. Giving up the old way of behaving and deciding how to accomplish your goals, a process that requires self-discipline, scheduling, practice, and positive reinforcement or reward.

So go ahead and muster your energy, stop rationalizing and take steps today to reach your goals. If you find yourself flagging, don’t worry — it happens to all of us! The important thing is to keep going, and hopefully these thoughts about motivation will help you stay on track and achieve your ambition.

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