So what is your type of motivation? Are you a “reward”, a “connector” or an “completion”? Or do you prefer labels like ENTP or Intj (Myers-Briggs), or perhaps calling you a “passionate” or a “loyalist”, one of the types of enneagram? Regardless of the label, these terms suggest having a favorite motivation style. Many people use these labels to understand their behavior and make decisions about how and where they can prosper. However, this approach can be misleading.
Labeling yourself or the others on the basis of the quiz results is similar to relying on stereotypes. Often these labels are inaccurate because the motivation is contextual and changes frequently. More importantly, labeling does not think how your brain works or what it takes to optimize your learning, productivityand motivation.
The false dichotomy of motivation
For decades, research in psychology has taught us that there are two types of motivation: intrinsic (do something because it is intrinsically pleasant) and extrinsic (do something for external rewards) (Deci & Ryan, 2000). We demonstrate a high intrinsic motivation when we express passion and enthusiasm towards an objective. Vice versa, Extrinsic motivation is motivated by external forces, generally looking for a gain or incentive. Although intrinsic motivation can increase performance, this explanation is often over-type and too generalized. Neuroscience The breakthroughs question these longtime beliefs.
The distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation dominated the productivity councils and the workplace management Strategies. We were told that intrinsic motivation is higher and that external rewards can undermine our natural enthusiasm. However, in reality, in certain circumstances, the awards obtain better results than strong internal motivation and passion (Cerasoli et al., 2014). Recent neurological results suggest that dichotomy is largely theoretical. What seems ambiguous on the surface can be explained quite succinctly when examining the nuances of the treatment of rewards, noted Luria et al. (2021), who noted that the type of motivation had little impact on the effectiveness of the reward. Instead, what matters is the way our brain deals with the reward itself.
What your brain really cares
Neurosciences have revealed that intrinsic and extrinsic awards activate many of the same brain regions in the neuronal reward system (Lee, 2016). This shared neural activation model suggests that your brain does not fundamentally make the difference between the sources of reward – it’s all about the release of neurotransmitters as dopamine This increases the desire to pursue a goal. When the brain perceives an activity or an objective as potentially beneficial, more dopamine is released, and you engage more in the achievement of your desired result. As Schultz (2015) said it: “Rewards are not defined by their physical properties but by the behavioral reactions they induce.”
The real key to motivation: perceived control
Since the two types of awards activate similar neural routes, what really matters to motivation? The answer: autonomy. When you feel in control of your choices, your brain reward response is intensifying, resulting in increased activity in brain awards (Wang and Delgado, 2019).
The effect is so strong that the same brain areas activated by monetary rewards are also activated when you feel in control. People appreciate the control so strongly that they are even ready to pay a “control bonus” to maintain autonomy on the results – with a study noting that the perceived control of the inflated reward value of 30% (Owens et al., 2014).
Apply this knowledge to increase your productivity
Rather than obsess yourself if your motivation is “passionate” (intrinsic) or “manipulated” (extrinsic), neurologically support strategies can improve learning and performance. First, maximize your feeling of autonomy. When you feel in control of your goals and how you reach them, the reward system of your brain activates more strongly. Autonomy improves motivation, learning and performance (Reeve and Cheon, 2021).
Then personalize the external rewards. External incentives do not intrinsically demotivate. When extrinsic motivation is important to you, the awards are not perceived as controlling. Third, balance the short and long -term awards. Develop a reward system which ensures both an immediate gratuity (to immediately activate a strong explosion of dopamine) while progressing towards long -term objectives; This will help maintain a constant flow of slow liberation dopamine for long -term satisfaction.
Motivation essential readings
Finally, crop the perception of your effort. Intrinsic motivation activities feel less effective because they are pleasant. Try to crop difficult tasks by connecting them to your personal values and interests.
The bottom line
Neurological evidence suggests that the traditional distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is simplified to excess. As Bromberg-Martin and his colleagues noted it, the motivation value can be similar regardless of the nature of the award (2010). Your brain does not care about theoretical motivation sources – it cares to maximize the rewards both psychologically and physiologically. When you prioritize your sense of autonomy from which rewards come, you can improve both motivation and productivity. This approach aligns with the real neuronal functioning of your brain, rather than simply following traditional psychological theories on motivation.
Remember that the labels belong cansnot people. These rigid motivation categories fail to capture the nuanced reality of the functioning of our brain. Your brain does not check if a reward fits perfectly into a theoretical box or another before deciding to be motivated. By understanding and embracing this neurological reality, you can free yourself from the motivation dogma and design a personalized approach that truly energizes your work and your life. After all, your brain does not care about what we call – he just wants to feel rewarded according to his own conditions.
