Status:: #🌱 Tags:: Links:: Units:: ___ # The four types of motivation - [[Intrinsic motivation]]: motivation to do something that emanates from the self. For example, playing videos games. - [[Extrinsic motivation]]: motivation to do something because of a outside the self reward or punishment. For example, dong an assignment so as to not miss the deadline. - Introjected motivation: motivation to do something out of shame or guilt for not doing the thing. For example, pursuing a major because you don't want to make your parents feel bad for not doing so. - Identified motivation: motivation to do something because you have integrated the importance of doing that thing within yourself. Out of all of these motivations, identified motivation is arguably the most healthy and sustainable motivation over the long term. Discipline, willpower, shame, and extrinsic incentives can work in the short term, but over the long term they could lead to an unhealthy relationship with motivation. So how can you develop identified motivation: 1. Integrate the activity you want to be motivated to do as a part of yourself. For example, if you want to read more, integrate into your identity that you are a reader. 2. Set identity based goals rather than outcome based goals. For example, you go to the gym not to get six pack abs but because you are the type of person that cares about your health. 3. Try and associate reward of an activity with the challenge of the activity itself. For example, in the most challenging parts of writing, associate reward with the difficulty of the writing in itself.