Regarding fitness, it can take much work to stay motivated. If you're lucky, you've got a friend or family member who is exercising and working with you. But if not, how do you keep yourself motivated? Well, one way is by using intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in fitness. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are two very different types of motivation that can help people achieve their fitness goals, but they also have pros and cons.
Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation is the desire to do something because it is interesting or enjoyable. It is a natural desire to do something from within the individual. Intrinsic motivation does not depend on rewards or external factors; rather, it comes from within an individual's interests and desires.
In contrast with intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation drives people to perform tasks by offering them external incentives such as money or grades (which are external factors). Extrinsic rewards can also be negative punishment, such as fines for bad behavior or being grounded by parents when you don't clean your room!
Extrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic motivation is the term for being motivated by external factors, such as rewards and punishments. Extrinsic motivation can come from other people, like your boss or your gym instructor; it can also come from feelings of obligation (you feel guilty if you don't go to the gym), fear (you know that going to the gym will keep you healthy), or even pain (you hate running so much that not running would be worse).
Intrinsic motivation comes from within--it's what drives us to do things because they are interesting or exciting or challenging rather than because we have been told they're good for us. Intrinsic motivation often involves learning something new and taking control of our lives. For example: If I'm curious about how many calories I burn when I work out at my local fitness center, I might go there just because I want answers! Or my friend invited me over for dinner tonight but said she'd cook if I went on a run beforehand--that would motivate me too!
Pros & Cons of Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
The pros and cons of intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation for fitness:
- Intrinsic motivation is a natural desire to do something because it's interesting or enjoyable. This is more powerful than extrinsic motivation, which relies on rewards and punishments to get you going.
- Intrinsically motivated people tend to stick with their goals longer because they're doing them for themselves--not because someone else told them they had to do it. The downside? You may need help getting started if your intrinsic motivation needs to be higher (e.g. when starting). In this case, extrinsic motivators such as money or prizes can be helpful until your internal drive catches up! Please don't rely on them too much; otherwise, there's no reason not to use them as tools rather than crutches over time!
Understanding these two types of motivation can help you achieve your fitness goals.
Intrinsic motivation is internal and comes from within. It's the desire to do something because it brings you pleasure or satisfaction. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is external and comes from outside of you. It's the desire to complete a task to gain some reward or avoid punishment.
Regarding long-term goals like losing weight or getting fit, intrinsic motivation tends to be more effective than extrinsic motivation because there aren't immediate rewards associated with achieving these goals (like getting a new outfit). However, if your goal is related more closely with short-term results (like going into an upcoming race), extrinsic methods may work better for motivating yourself through difficult times when self-doubt threatens your progress.
Why it can be good to be motivated by extrinsic factors
While intrinsic motivation is the most effective and long-lasting way to stay fit, it's also important to understand that extrinsic factors can be used to get started and stay focused.
When trying to get fit, start by setting yourself up with something you want as an incentive. For example, if your goal is to lose weight before summer ends so that you can wear shorts without feeling self-conscious about how much of your legs are showing when they rub together in public places like parks or beaches (or even walks around town), then maybe finding some nice new shorts would help motivate you enough so that working out becomes more appealing than watching Netflix all day long! Or perhaps this summer marks the first time since high school that someone important has asked out one of their friends with whom they've always had mutual feelings but never acted upon them because they were too afraid due to not having any confidence whatsoever when talking face-to-face...and now here comes June 20th--the day where they finally ask out said, friend! This could be viewed as an external motivator for hitting those weights hard every morning before class starts at 9 am sharp."
When and how to use extrinsic motivation in fitness
- Extrinsic motivation is good for beginners. If you're starting a new activity, extrinsic rewards can help motivate you to keep going.
- Extrinsic motivation works well in the short term--but it's not sustainable over time. Once an extrinsic reward loses its appeal (for example, a friend who promised to run with you for one week), the motivation will also fade away.
- Extrinsic rewards are great when used alongside intrinsic ones: they can help provide structure and consistency during difficult times or when life gets busy; they provide extra encouragement when things aren't going so well; they give us something tangible and measurable by which we can gauge our progress toward our goals (and feel good about it). But if an extrinsic reward becomes all there is--if someone only cares about losing weight because she wants abs instead of because being healthy matters most--then there won't be anything left once her goal has been reached or abandoned altogether after a failure happens again and again over time.
How to motivate yourself with intrinsic motivation
Intrinsic motivation is when you have a personal desire to achieve a goal. It is driven by the enjoyment of the activity itself rather than external rewards or praise. This type of motivation helps you focus on the action itself, which can be beneficial because it allows you to enjoy yourself while doing it.
For example: If someone tells me they want to run faster to win races and get sponsorships, then this person has extrinsic motivation. However, if someone tells me they want to run faster because they enjoy running and feel good when they train every day (which leads them towards winning races), that person has intrinsic motivation!
You can use intrinsic and extrinsic motivation methods to achieve your fitness goals.
Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation help you achieve your fitness goals. You can use intrinsic and extrinsic motivation methods to achieve your fitness goals, but it's important to understand how each type works so that you can use them most effectively.
Intrinsic Motivation: Intrinsic motivation refers to the natural desire that drives people toward an activity or goal because they enjoy doing it for its own sake--not for external rewards or praise from others. Examples include exercise because it makes you feel good about yourself and improves your health; eating a healthy diet because it makes you feel better physically; learning new skills like cooking healthy meals or lifting weights at home so that when friends come over, they will see how much progress has been made since last time they visited; developing discipline through practice rather than relying solely on willpower alone (which tends not work very well!).
Extrinsic Motivation: Extrinsic rewards include tangible things like money or prizes given by someone else and intangible ones such as feeling proud about oneself after completing something difficult like running 5 miles without stopping!
Conclusion
The best way to achieve your fitness goals is by using intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. You can find the inherent reason by setting specific goals that align with your values while incorporating extrinsic motivators into your life through rewards or incentives. If you struggle with either type of motivation, try switching things up!
