We're currently learning about motivation in my Business class, and one of the topics we covered is Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators. Extrinsic motivators are motivating factors from outside the self. For example, if you do the work just to cash the paycheck or to be told you did a good job, that's an extrinsic motivation. However, if you're doing the work because you want to, you enjoy it, or you find personal satisfaction in seeing to it that the job gets done, that's an intrinsic motivation, a motivation that comes from inside the self.
So far, religiously, I've been seeking extrinsic motivation. I've been in it for the blessings, for God's approval, and for the finish line at the end. But extrinsic motivations aren't always the strongest or the most sustaining. Lately, I've been finding intrinsic motivations, like personal satisfaction and inner peace (plus a little bit of extrinsic validation from others). I'm a lot happier this way. I don't have to feel cheated if God's blessings are "blessings in disguise" or IOUs for future blessings, when I'm really just making good choices for personal reasons, and any blessings I get out of it are icing on the cake. Granted, some approval and validation from others are nice, but what really matters is whether I approve of myself. If I'm satisfied with my decisions, then I'm satisfied, and I don't need extrinsic blessings to help me sustain my motivation.
When I relied on blessings to motivate me, I would sometimes get upset if those blessings didn't come in the form or at the time I wanted them to, but now that I'm relying on my personal motivations, it no longer matters to me how, when, or even if those blessings come. Extrinsic blessings are nice, and I'll take them, so long as God's offering, but my intrinsic motivations have proven to be more effective at keeping me going.
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