External motivation
Extrinsic motivation is action driven by reward, punishment, evaluation, pressure or expectations from the environment.
Definition
External motivation is not bad in itself. It may help you get started, maintain structure, or accomplish a task that is not naturally appealing. The problem arises when it completely displaces autonomy, meaning and inner commitment.
Key ideas
- Rewards and consequences
- Peer pressure
- Risk of weakening autonomy
Practice and life
For an external task, add an element of personal meaning: what it teaches me, who it serves and what choice remains on my side.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to base the entire system of action on penalties and rewards. The second mistake is to dismiss all external motivation as "inauthentic."
> An extrinsic reward may trigger traffic, but it won't build commitment, so extrinsic motivation is fine as long as it's not the only one there.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What externally drives me?
- Do I have any choice in this?
- How to combine duty with value?