7 Types of Motivation: How to Recognize What Motivates You

Motivation is the internal or external stimuli that influence certain behaviors. Motivation can support goal-setting, completion of a task, and commitment to a plan. A high level of motivation can encourage positive mental health, well-being, and self-esteem. A lack of motivation can lead to procrastination and feelings of depression.

In psychology, there are various theories of motivation for human beings. Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud’s motivation theory posits that unconscious desires drive human motivation. American psychologist Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory of motivation which states that five categories of human needs dictate an individual’s behavior. Those needs are physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs.

The two main forms of motivation are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation:

1. 1. Intrinsic motivation: Intrinsic motivation refers to internal factors that motivate you to achieve something. This enables people to self-motivate based on internal motives and goals, such as self-improvement or learning a new skill.
   
2. 2. Extrinsic motivation: Extrinsic motivation includes external factors that motivate you to achieve something. Positive motivating factors, such as praise or external rewards, or negative ones, like fear and social pressure, are extrinsic motivators.

There are various types of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, including:

1. 1. Achievement motivation: This internal motivation is led by the rewarding feeling of accomplishment from completing the task. Achievement motivation can be a helpful work motivation.
2. 2. Affiliation motivation: Also known as social motivation, this type of external motivation is driven by social groups. In social motivation, the desire to belong drives action. For example, if you want to establish a social relationship with team members, you might be driven to collaborate on projects and spend time with them inside and outside of your work environment.
3. 3. Attitude motivation: In attitude motivation, you are driven by changing the way people think and feel, which can affect how you think and feel. For instance, you may be driven to volunteer in a soup kitchen, because helping people makes you feel good.
4. 4. Competence motivation: This type of internal motivation pushes people to learn and become proficient in a skill. For instance, a surgeon who spent years honing their skills will experience immense job satisfaction and positive validation from knowing they perform their work with competence.
5. 5. Fear motivation: This is a negative motivator because fear and the avoidance of negative consequences are sources of motivation. For example, the fear of getting fired can be a motivator to take on new projects at work. Fear motivation can be bad in the long term because it causes emotional stress.
6. 6. Incentive motivation: Incentive motivation encourages people to complete a task for an external reward. For example, an incentive of a raise or promotion is a powerful type of employee motivation.
7. 7. Power motivation: This type of motivation comes from needing a sense of autonomy and control over your own life, basic needs, and well-being. Power motivation can have adverse effects if you exert control over the lives of others.

Figuring out what you want to do next and how to get there? Learn how to embrace your passions with a MasterClass Annual Membership and find the grit to take control of your life with exclusive access to video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Robin Arzón, Elaine Welteroth, Hillary Rodham Clinton, RuPaul, and more.