Different Types of Motivation for Achieving Your Goals

When you initially start working toward your goals, no one tells you that motivation is the most important factor.

There will be no fuel to start the fire without at least one of the forms of motivation. There would be no motivation to do anything, and no incentive to continue forward. If you’re having trouble achieving your objectives, read about the nine different forms of motivation that may help you realize your ambitions.

You should take the free evaluation before diving into the various forms of motivation. What Kind of Motivator Are You? then choose your own motivational approach. By completing this test, you will learn more about yourself and how to make better decisions.

Motivation can be intrinsic (from within) or extrinsic (from outside yourself). Several factors can contribute to your motivation levels, and they can affect your productivity, dedication, and commitment to work and success.

Understanding the different motivations can help you apply valuable lessons to your personal and professional life. In this article, we will discuss the different types of motivation and give examples of how to use them in your career.

What is motivation?

Motivation is the internal and external factors that contribute to a person’s desire to stay committed or interested in a position, goal, or subject. To excel in your profession, you will need the motivation to continually pursue your career objectives.

For example, you may want to be promoted to a higher position of responsibility in your organization. Having a specific goal will motivate you to deliver top-level performance. This also applies when you are studying to acquire a specialized skill that will enhance your earning power.

Motivation thrives on conscious and unconscious factors, which could include the need to gain something or the potential to earn recognition and praise from others. Your source of motivation could also be the need to earn more money to support your family or to retire by a certain age. 

Now, let’s learn about the motivation types:

The Two Main Types of Motivation

Different types of motivation generally fall into two main categories.

1. Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation is a form of motivation in which a person is motivated by internal wants and is fulfilled when they are rewarded inwardly.

Let’s assume Bob has set a goal for himself to start losing weight and getting healthier. Let’s also assume that Bob’s motivation for pursuing this fitness and wellness route is to improve his general health and self-esteem.

Bob’s motivation is intrinsic since his desire to change originates from the inside.

2. Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is when a person is driven by external goals or incentives.

Let’s pretend Bob was under pressure from his wife to thin down and enhance his body, rather than being driven by a desire to appear better and feel healthier.

This is an example of extrinsic motivation since the pressure comes from the outside.

Minor Forms of Motivation

All forms of motivation fit into one of the two categories listed above. Now that we’ve gone over them and given you some instances, let’s look at some small forms of motivation that may have a huge influence on your life.

3. Reward-Based Motivation or Incentive Motivation

Incentive motivation, often known as reward-based motivation, is a form of motivation in which you or others are aware that they will be rewarded if a certain objective is met[1].

Because there is something to look forward to at the end of a work, people are frequently more motivated to complete it in order to obtain whatever it is that has been promised.

The more the incentive, the greater the motivation!

4. Fear-Based Motivation

The term “fear” has a bad connotation, yet this isn’t always the case when it comes to motivation. Anyone who values goal-setting and accomplishment understands the importance of responsibility in achieving objectives.

When you become accountable to someone you care about or to the wider public, you develop self-motivation that is based on the fear of failing or disappointing others.

This dread aids you in carrying out your vision so that you do not fail in front of people who know what you are aiming for.

Dread-based motivation may be highly effective if the fear is strong enough to keep you from giving up.

5. Achievement-Based Motivation

We place a high value on titles, positions, and responsibilities in our work and other aspects of our life. Achievement-based motivation is common among those who are continually pushed to obtain these positions and titles for themselves.

Those who use incentive motivation focus on the benefits that follow achieving a goal, whereas those who use achievement-based motivation focus on the achievement itself and the sense of success that comes with it.

Achievement-based motivation is highly beneficial to those who need a boost in their work lives.

6. Power-Based Motivation

Power-based motivation will undoubtedly motivate those who seek satisfaction in becoming more powerful or bringing about significant change.

Power-based motivation is a form of motivation that encourages people to seek more control over their lives, usually via the utilization of positions in the workplace or organizations.

Power motivation, while it may appear to be a terrible thing, is beneficial to people who want to alter the environment around them based on their own personal vision.

If you want to alter anything, power-based motivation could be the way to go.

7. Affiliate Motivation

People frequently argue that our success is determined by who we know rather than what we do. This is unquestionably true for those who are motivated by association.

Those who utilize affiliation motivation to achieve their objectives flourish when they connect with those in greater power positions than themselves [2].

They also flourish when others congratulate them on their accomplishments and the job they perform. As a result, affiliation motivation is a powerful force that may help you achieve your social objectives and advance in life.

8. Competence Motivation

Have you always strived to enhance your abilities and skills? Is one of your ambitions to learn how to do a better job or get better at a hobby? If this is the case, you may require some competency motivation.

Competence motivation is a form of motivation that encourages people to develop their abilities and become more competent in a certain field.

This sort of motivation is very beneficial when it comes to acquiring new abilities and overcoming challenges encountered in many aspects of life.

9. Attitude Motivation

Many of us struggle with issues related to our attitudes, views, and beliefs. It may become an issue in how we live our lives to the point where we lose our enjoyment and miss out on our goals.

For those of you who are missing out on life as a result of your attitude, attitude motivation is one of the most effective ways to recover and move on.

Attitude motivation is a type of motivation that originates from people who have a strong desire to improve their perceptions of the world and of themselves. Attitude motivation will help you achieve goals related to self-awareness and change.

Final Thoughts

If you want to achieve your goals, you must be motivated. If you use the 9 forms of motivation listed above, nothing will be able to stop you from achieving your objectives.

Altogether, the different motivation types that fall under the two major categories are widespread and have their own specific rewards.

Yet, for any intrinsic or extrinsic motivation that becomes a drive, their respective characteristics can be blended to get the best end result.

All that you have to do is understand the goals that need to be achieved, and provide the right motivational boost by using the right types of motivation for the situation.

Remember, you cannot use every type of motivation in every situation. However, you also aren’t limited to just one.

Determine what you want to accomplish in life and which sort of motivation will help you get there.

Reference:

1. Indeed: Incentive Motivation Theory: Everything You Need to Know

2. Indeed: A Guide to Affiliation Motivation

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