External vs. internal motivation

Question

Justin Parker · Accepted Answer

The difference between external and internal motivation is that external motivation refers to the incentives, rewards, or recognition that come from external sources, such as an employer, teacher, or friend, while internal motivation refers to an individual's ambition to complete a task or reach a goal.

External motivation refers to the incentives, rewards, or recognition from external sources, such as an employer, teacher, or friend.

For example, an employee may be motivated to work hard because they want to earn a promotion or a raise, or a student may study hard to obtain a degree to get the type of job they want.

Internal motivation refers to the ambition and drive within an individual. This might apply to personal gratification, curiosity, or a sense of purpose in achieving a specific goal.

For example, an individual may be motivated to learn a new skill s because they find it fascinating and want to challenge themselves. Internal motivation is based on an individual's feelings, thoughts, and ambitions.

Both external and internal motivations play a role in shaping behavior and can be powerful in producing ambition and turning that into action. However, internal motivation tends to be more sustainable in the long run, while external motivation may fade when the incentives or rewards are no longer present or available.