Intrinsic Motivation to Build a Positive Habit

"You can motivate by fear, and you can motivate by reward. But both those methods are only temporary. The only lasting thing is self motivation."  ~Homer Rice

Consider these questions:

• WHY do you do the things you do? 
• WHY do you prioritize or value certain activities and behaviors over others?
• Do your behaviors reflect what is REALLY important to you? 
• Have you ever assessed whether your priorities are really YOURS and come FROM WITHIN?

What is Intrinsic Motivation?

Intrinsic motivation is essentially the deep reason why something is important to you.  A strong connection to your intrinsic motivation will keep you committed and aligned with your values and what’s important to you, moving in the direction of the life you desire.  Intrinsic motivation is a key element needed to build a positive habit of make a change.

According to Verywellmind.com, “Intrinsic motivation refers to behavior that is driven by internal rewards.  In other words, the motivation to engage in a behavior arises from within the individual because it is naturally satisfying to you.  This contrasts with extrinsic motivation which involves engaging in a behavior in order to earn external rewards or avoid punishment.”

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation is the benefit or value a behavior offers you.  For example, an adult cleans her room because she  knows she will enjoy more focus and peace when her room is clean. Whereas a child cleans her room because her parents reward her if she does, and punish her if she doesn't. The child is extrinsically motivated. 

While extrinsic motivation still gets the room cleaned, the child doesn’t connect with the benefit of the action.  And when that extrinsic motivation is no longer offered, will they clean their room? Likely, they will not.

Let’s work through how intrinsic motivation, in comparison to extrinsic motivation, is helpful to build a positive habit of regular meditation. 

Extrinsic motivation first:

• A yoga studio is offering a FREE package of classes to students who complete a meditation challenge. (reward)
• You complete the 7 day challenge, practicing meditation every day for a week.
• You recognize that you feel calm and clear headed after practicing.
• When the challenge is over, you find it difficult to commit consistently to your new meditation practice. Even though you have felt its benefit, you do not stick with this new habit.

Intrinsic motivation, same scenario:

• You sign up for a 7 day meditation challenge because you want to reclaim your ability to focus and extend your attention span.
• At the beginning of the challenge, the instructor asks you to consider WHY you are participating in the challenge. 
• The instructor suggests sitting with your intentions at the start of every practice, as a reminder of the value to you specifically.
• You complete the 7 day challenge, practicing meditation every day for a week, reminding yourself of your intrinsic motivation, your why.
• At the end of each practice, you take note of how steady and clearheaded you feel going into the rest of your day.
• Beyond the challenge, you continue to practice meditation, starting with your intention, finishing with gratitude for the benefits you experienced.
• You have developed a positive habit!

Why do YOU want to build a new positive habit?

Consider your deeper motivations for making a change. Do you want more mental clarity? To focus your attention for longer? To remain calm in the face of chaos and emotional turmoil? 

If you don't yet know how meditation can benefit you, try our FREE 7-day meditation course. You can discover for yourself the BENEFITS of meditation, and how the reward is intrinsic.  No one meditates because they're being bribed. The habit itself is the reward! 

Once you discover your intrinsic motivation and want to continue the habit with a deeper dive into the possibilities of self-rewarding self care, The Mindful Movement's 6-Week Move and Meditate Course is here for you!

Even if you have tried to start a positive habit of consistent movement or meditation and have fallen off track, I invite you to use the knowledge of intrinsic motivation to start a practice today.  

Let me know how I can support you at finding your intrinsic motivation to practice the habits that are good for you!

With love and gratitude,

Sara and Les

The Mindful Movement