Beyond Surface-Level Motivation

When I was young, I fell in love with snowboarding. But there was a five-year gap when I barely rode. Ironically, during that time, I was on the snow most days as a ski and snowboard coach. Yet, I didn’t pick up my board when my shift was over.

The same could be said for this blog. As a consultant, I tried to generate interest through writing but struggled to find my rhythm, leaving many half-written posts on the shelf. Now, I have no problem.

This is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from within, like my love of snowboarding. Extrinsic motivation arises from external factors, like a paycheck.

What’s interesting is the pursuit of intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is easy: offering someone a gift card or a discount in exchange for a desired action. But the moment you remove these incentives, all interest is lost. Intrinsic motivation gets people through the hard parts and can be sustained with little to no additional help. Yet, tapping into intrinsic motivation is difficult.

You must look below the surface of the activity, which takes time and a relationship that brands or organizations rarely have. But investing in this level of understanding can make all the difference.