Discover the six types of motivation, find out which one applies to you and learn to steer your choices better

What matters most to you? Having autonomy and flexibility over your own time, or working on challenging projects? Do you feel those preferences are in line with the way you live today?

A BBC study, led by psychologist Ian MacRae and science writer David Robson, starts from the idea that there are six types of motivation. Knowing what they are, and recognising which ones have been shaping your preferences, is a way to steer your choices and improve your quality of life. In today's post, we'll introduce all six and point you to the quiz, so you can use this knowledge to your advantage.

Every day, dozens of people go to the same gym for different reasons

Some enjoy pushing their strength to its limits. Others are there to build a sculpted physique. Some value the sense of control that counting sets and reps provides, while others want to build lean muscle for better physical health.

Exercise is a simple, everyday example of how the same activity can be driven by entirely different factors. Habits tend to stick when people feel the choice is worth it. When the payoff isn't immediate, building a new one is harder.

This is also why people who value a sense of belonging tend to stick with group classes more than solo training sessions, why those who prioritise autonomy may prefer to run in parks, and why those who value recognition may be more drawn to competitive events.

According to Robson, people who understand their preferences are better placed to identify strategies that feed their motivation.

Knowing you should do something isn't enough

Have you ever noticed how much harder it is to motivate yourself when the only argument is that something has to be done? Take eating, for example: knowing that certain foods are healthier does not, on its own, make people eat better.

It's not laziness or a lack of willpower. It's simply that your wish to eat better isn't stronger than your craving for chips. Research suggests that motivation driven by obligation, the famous "I should" or "I need to", tends to deliver less than "I want to".

In 2015, a study of 344 university students, led by Carleton University (Canada) psychology professor Marina Milyavskaya and colleagues, found that people who pursued goals of their own accord faced fewer obstacles to progress, without needing to put in extra effort. By contrast, those who acted out of obligation found it harder and had to work harder to get there.

So perhaps you simply need to reframe your motivation.

The six types of motivation

Now that we've seen that everyone is motivated in their own way, and why it matters to recognise your own priorities in order to build and keep habits, it's time to look at each type of motivation.

The six categories come from a study published in 2021 by psychologist Ian MacRae, Adrian Furnham, a professor of psychology at University College London, and Jessica Tetchner, a senior technician in human sciences at the University of Greenwich.

In the study, they asked more than 750 professionals to rate the importance of 44 features of work, and found that participants' values fell into six categories, split evenly between two groups: intrinsic and extrinsic.

The three intrinsic motivations are linked to "I want to do it", in other words, what comes from within. The three extrinsic motivations are linked to "I need to do it", because they relate to external rewards and to things that make life easier.

Meet the intrinsic motivations, the ones that come from within:

Autonomy: activities that allow independence and provide stimulation, self-expression and personal development.

Recognition: the visible signs of success, such as power, status and other publicly recognised achievements.

Affiliation: the need to feel close to, and part of, the group of people around you.

The extrinsic motivations, the factors that come from outside, are as follows:

Compensation: material rewards, such as money, bonuses or benefits.

Conditions: a comfortable environment that gives a person a better quality of life.

Security: routine, predictability and regularity, without major risks, whether physical or psychological.

by Maria Elisa Nascimento

Each of us has our own particular preferences and, according to the researchers, they tend to fall into one of these categories. But we are not static, and our circumstances don't stay the same throughout our lives. For that reason, the weight each motivator carries in our choices can change as we move through different stages of life.

According to the BBC, younger people tend to be more drawn to extrinsic motivations, such as rewards, while older people report a greater interest in intrinsic gains, such as autonomy. But it all depends on context. When income is taken into account, for example, that difference fades. After all, when money is tight, a higher salary can improve life enormously; with more financial breathing room, there is space to pursue other rewards, such as self-expression.

That is why self-knowledge is an ongoing process. The BBC itself encourages readers to check in with themselves from time to time, so they can recognise their own behavioural tendencies and use them to their advantage.

At Systematic Mind, what motivates us is helping our clients build a more comfortable, secure life, reducing excess to create space for what really matters. And you?

You can read the BBC's full article here, and take the quiz here to reflect on what carries the most weight in your decisions. The questionnaire is anonymous and is part of a study whose results the BBC will publish later this year.

And if you need help turning your plans into reality and better balancing your personal and professional goals, get in touch.

thesystematicmind@gmail.com
+353 083 398 4754

Dublin, Ireland

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