Why are some things boring to do? Let's talk about this intrinsic motivation!

When you look at your daily routine, you do some things with great pleasure, don't you? But you do other things with the expectation of something else, like a paycheck or praise. Imagine, if you do most of the work you do without expecting any external reward, but simply because you love it, that means you are driven by what is called Intrinsic Motivation . Psychologists say that this is the best quality of motivation that helps you succeed in life.

What exactly is intrinsic motivation?

We say, 'I have no motivation to do this' when we can't figure out why we want to do it. That's what motivation is. It's the reason we have to behave in a certain way for a certain goal.

Simply put, intrinsic motivation is the drive to do something that comes from within you. It starts with a genuine interest in a task or a subject. Look at a little baby. He keeps trying to chew, grab, crush, and throw things he can get his hands on, doesn't he? No one has told him anything about it. It comes from within.

As an adult, you get this experience because of the joy of doing something, when you do something to seek out new challenges , experience something new, learn something, expand your capabilities. We go on vacation, garden, play board games, watch movies, read novels because of this kind of intrinsic motivation.

What is the science behind this?

The concept of intrinsic motivation first emerged in a 1985 study by psychologists Richard Ryan and Edward Deci. They developed a theory called Self-Determination Theory (SDT) . The prevailing view at the time was that people performed best when they were promised something external, such as a reward or praise. But this new theory completely contradicted that view.

Ryan and Deci said that intrinsic motivation comes from the innate desire that people have to improve and become better. This inner drive can help you maximize not only the results of your work, but also the experience you have while doing it.

According to this self-determination theory (SDT), humans have three innate psychological needs. These are what motivate us from within.

1. Autonomy: This is the feeling that you have control over what you do. We all like to have the opportunity to decide how and when to do something.

2. Competence: This is the ability to perform tasks that are appropriate to one's abilities, knowledge, and experience . That is, we like to do things that we feel are "I can do this well."

3. Relatedness: The connection and meaning you get from a task. When what we do serves a greater purpose, when we feel like we are an important part of society, we are more motivated to do it.

A person's intrinsic motivation is maximized when all three of these factors come together.

The difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation is when you do something for an external benefit. For example, social acceptance, making more money. Among students, getting good grades, standing out among friends, and avoiding punishment are the most common extrinsic motivations.

Imagine, some children study not because they love the subject, but because they are afraid of being punished by their parents. Research shows that when children work only for external reasons, they gradually lose interest.

Although these two concepts are two different things, sometimes they can coexist. That is, you may do something for the pleasure you get from it, as well as for the external benefit it brings. For example, you may learn Japanese because you are interested in learning about Japan, and you may also think that it will help you get a promotion at the office.

But remember, sometimes intrinsic motivation is much more powerful than extrinsic motivation. The reason is that intrinsic motivation is like an engine that runs on its own without fuel. But sometimes external motivation is essential. Imagine, you have a task to complete at the office, but you have no interest. At that time, the fear of 'if you don't do this, you will lose your job' (extrinsic motivation) is what motivates you to complete that task.

How do we develop this intrinsic motivation?

Here are some ways to increase this inner motivation.

• Make your work fun: Try to add a little fun to your work. This will help you focus more on it.
• Challenge yourself: Set small, achievable goals. Don't look for an external reward, but rather see it as an opportunity to learn something new.
• Find meaning in your work: Think about what value others will get from what I do, and what larger purpose it will fulfill.
• When you don't feel like it, do what you love: When you don't feel like it, do something you love and have always wanted to do.
• Help others: You can get a lot of mental satisfaction from helping a friend or volunteering. This builds your intrinsic motivation.

If this lack of interest and boredom you're feeling has been going on for a long time, and it's significantly affecting your daily life, it's important to talk to your doctor about it, because sometimes it can be a symptom of another mental condition.

Intrinsic Motivation, Mental Health, Success, Goals, Extrinsic Motivation, Self-Determination Theory