The Psychology of Motivation: Why It Comes and Goes
Motivation is one of the strongest forces behind human behavior. It helps people get out of bed, face challenges, work toward their goals, and grow as individuals. However, motivation does not stay the same every day. Some days, energy and focus feel high, and everything seems easy to do. Other days, well, even small tasks feel very hard. In this blog, I will tell you the psychology of motivation because understanding why motivation comes and goes is important as it helps people build simple ways to stay focused, strong, and keep moving forward in life.
What Is Motivation?
Motivation is the inner or outer push that makes a person do something. It affects small daily tasks as well as big goals, such as studying for a degree, running a business, or doing creative work. The psychology of motivation shows that motivation is not only about strong willpower. It is also connected to how the brain works, our habits, and the place and people around us.
When motivation becomes low, people often delay their work and feel guilty or frustrated. This is why motivation comes and goes for many people. However, understanding how motivation works can help stop this cycle and make it easier to stay consistent and keep moving forward.
The Science Behind Motivation
Motivation is influenced by two main factors: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic Motivation comes from inside a person. It is driven by curiosity, interest, or personal happiness. For example, reading a book because you enjoy it or painting because it makes you feel good shows intrinsic motivation. This kind of motivation usually lasts longer because it is connected to personal values and true interests.
Extrinsic Motivation comes from outside a person. It includes rewards, praise, or the fear of negative results. For example, people may work to get a bonus, study to achieve good grades, or exercise to receive appreciation. This type of motivation works well for a short time. However, it may not last long if personal interest is missing.
Why Motivation Fluctuates
Motivation is rarely constant, and because of several psychological factors, it can fluctuate:
Lack of Clear Goals: Complicated or overwhelming goals make it difficult to act. For example, “I should exercise more” is less motivating than “I will run three times a week for 30 minutes.” Clear, measurable goals provide direction and help maintain momentum.
Fear of Failure: Anxiety about not succeeding can lead to avoidance. The brain sometimes avoids effort altogether to protect against disappointment, creating a cycle of procrastination.
Instant Gratification: The human brain prefers immediate rewards over delayed outcomes. Scrolling social media gives an instant dopamine boost, while studying or exercising may offer rewards only after some effort.
Burnout: Extended periods of stress, overwork, or lack of rest drain physical and mental energy. When exhausted, the brain prioritizes survival over motivation to take on new challenges.
Low Dopamine Levels: Factors such as poor sleep, stress, and unhealthy nutrition can reduce dopamine, making even simple tasks feel burdensome.
Types of Motivation
Motivation is what makes us do things, and it can happen in different ways:
Introjected Motivation: This happens when you do something because you feel you have to, like out of guilt or pressure, not because you really want to. It can push you to act, but it often makes you stressed or tired.
Identified Motivation: This is when you do something because it matches your personal goals or values. It makes you feel more connected and gives you a sense of purpose.
Amotivation: This is when you feel no motivation at all. Tasks feel useless, and you have little energy or interest in doing them.
The Role of Psychological Theories
Psychologists have created ideas to explain why people are motivated:
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow said people are motivated by different needs, from basic to advanced.
Physiological Needs: These are the most basic needs for survival, like food, water, sleep, warmth, and shelter.
Safety Needs: After basic survival, people want security and protection, such as personal safety, health, money stability, and feeling safe.
Love and Belonging: People need to connect with others. This includes friendship, family, relationships, and feeling part of a group.
Esteem Needs: We want to feel respected and confident. This includes self-respect, achievements, recognition, independence, and status.
Self-Actualization: The highest level is about reaching your full potential. It means personal growth, learning, creativity, and experiencing your best self.
Self-Determination Theory (SDT)
This theory says we are most motivated when three things happen:
Autonomy: Feeling in control of what we do.
Competence: Feeling able to succeed.
Relatedness: Feeling connected to others.
When these three needs are satisfied, we feel motivated by both our own interests and rewards or recognition.
Expectancy Theory
Victor Vroom explained motivation using three ideas:
Valence: How much we care about the outcome.
Instrumentality: Belief that our effort will lead to results.
Expectancy: Confidence that our actions will achieve the goal.
Basically, people act when they care about the result and believe they can make it happen.
Motivation in Everyday Life
Motivation plays a big role in our daily lives. It can change our habits, routines, and how we grow as people.
Career Goals: Motivation helps people move forward in their careers. It pushes them to learn new skills, work harder, and take initiative. Without motivation, growth can slow down, and good opportunities may be missed.
Health and Fitness: Motivation decides whether someone exercises, eats healthy food, or chooses a better lifestyle. Small and regular efforts, like daily walks or better food choices, can improve health over time.
Creative Pursuits: Motivation is very important for hobbies, creative work, or starting something new. When motivation comes from within, people stay committed even when things don’t go as planned.
Motivation also changes with time. What motivates someone in their 20s may not be the same as what motivates someone in their 40s or later. Big life changes, like finishing studies, getting promoted, or achieving personal goals, often make people rethink their goals and what truly motivates them.
How to Stay Motivated
Motivation goes up and down, but it can be rebuilt. These simple steps can help you stay focused and motivated:
Set Clear and Simple Goals: Goals should be clear and realistic. When you know exactly what you want and when you want it, it becomes easier to stay motivated and move forward.
Break Tasks into Small Steps: Big tasks can feel scary. Breaking them into small actions makes them easier to start. Even a few minutes of effort can create progress and build momentum.
Find a Deeper Meaning: Try to connect your goals to something important to you, not just rewards. For example, exercising to feel strong and healthy often keeps motivation alive longer than doing it only to look good.
Celebrate Small Wins: Notice and celebrate your progress. Simple things like taking a break, listening to music, getting enough sleep, or spending time outside can naturally boost your mood and motivation.
Change How You See Failure: Failure is not the end. It is a chance to learn and improve. Seeing mistakes as feedback helps you stay strong and keep going.
Build Systems, Not Just Willpower: Relying only on self-control can be tiring. Creating routines, habits, and reminders makes it easier to stay consistent without feeling exhausted.
Create a Supportive Environment: Being around supportive people helps a lot. Friends, family, mentors, or communities can encourage you, keep you accountable, and help you stay focused.
Common Barriers to Motivation
Even when we try our best, some things can reduce motivation and make progress difficult:
Perfectionism: Wanting everything to be perfect can stop you from starting. The fear of making mistakes may feel overwhelming, and even small errors can feel like big failures.
Lack of Purpose: When tasks have no clear meaning, they feel tiring and boring. Connecting your goals to what truly matters to you can make them more engaging.
Stressful Environment: Noise, mess, or negative people can drain your energy. A lack of support can also make it harder to stay motivated.
Recognizing these barriers is important. Once you understand what is holding you back, it becomes easier to make changes, stay consistent, and reach your goals.
FAQs
Motivation is affected by your brain, energy level, and surroundings. Things like stress, lack of sleep, or a noisy environment can naturally make motivation go up and down.
Yes. Motivation can be built over time by setting clear goals, creating routines, forming habits, and doing things that match your personal values.
Intrinsic motivation comes from inside, like interest or enjoyment. Extrinsic motivation comes from outside, like rewards, praise, or pressure. Using both together often gives the best results.
Failure or burnout can temporarily lower motivation, especially when goals are unclear or pressure is high. Motivation can return by learning from mistakes, adjusting goals, and resting when needed.
Conclusion
Motivation is not fixed. It changes over time, with energy, and with life situations. It affects how we act, make decisions, and reach our goals. Motivation comes from both inside us, like interest and values, and outside factors, like rewards and support. When we understand how motivation works, it becomes easier to spot problems, use better strategies, and build habits that keep us going.
Motivation is not luck. It is something that can be learned, improved, and maintained. By applying the idea discussed in this blog, people can move past procrastination, stay focused on their goals, and achieve growth in both personal and professional life. If you want personal guidance, then you can click here to book a session. As a health coach, I can help you stay motivated and achieve your goals.
With Love,
Pempi 💖
Hi, I'm Pempi…
I am a Certified Health Coach, and I help women develop walking habits that feel natural and sustainable - the kind that last years, not weeks.
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Health Coach Pempi
I'm a certified health coach who combines the psychology of habit formation with practical, anti-gym strategies for busy women who want to feel energized, not exhausted, by their health routine.
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