Motivation
"I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."
- Michael Jordan, NBA Hall of Famer
Motivation is an internal energy force that determines all aspects of our behavior. It is our desire to strive for success. Motivation impacts how we think, feel and interact with others. In sports, high motivation is essential in getting athletes to fulfill their potential. It also directly influences our competitiveness. Where does motivation come from? When you hop out of bed without a problem, it’s because there is something that day that you want to do. On the days you dread, it’s because you have to do something that you’d rather not. The difference between these circumstances is the core of the types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. This applies to life and to sports.
Intrinsic Motivation
When you are motivated to do something just because you want to get better at it, you are intrinsically motivated. When you challenge yourself to improve your speed, jump higher, raise your bowling score, or get better at any other task, you are doing so for a personal
sense of pride in your accomplishments. No one tells you to do it and no one is watching. You are doing something because you choose to do it. Intrinsic motivation influences you to develop, persist and compete against yourself. You challenge yourself to get better with no apparent reward, which, in turn, boosts ability and confidence. Usually, however, this level of engagement does not occur until you are motivated by an outside source, in other words, motivated extrinsically.
Extrinsic Motivation
When a task assigned to you is not freely chosen, it is extrinsically motivated. When your coach tells you that your defensive skills have to improve, or your parents make you go to your room to study, that is extrinsic. An important goal for you is to transform this extrinsic motivation into a self-regulated, intrinsic determination. This is a three-step process.
External Regulation
Your behavior is directly controlled by others.
Introjected Regulation
You control your own behavior to gain approval of
Indentified Regulation
You control your behavior because you wan to achieve self-initiated goals.
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic
Athletes who are intrinsically motivated spend more time working at their sport and feel a greater sense of satisfaction in what they are doing. That is why it is important to get to this level. Research has shown that extrinsic motivation can lead to anxiety and low self- esteem unless you accept and share in the goals.
Amotivation
Amotivation is a lack of intention to engage in a behavior. It is accompanied by feelings of incompetence and a lack of connection between your behavior and the expected outcome. It could lead to indifference and even apathy. For example, an amotivated athlete might be heard saying, “I can’t see the point in training anymore; it just tires me out.”
IN ACTION
“Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger grew up dreaming of playing football at the University of Notre Dame. While achieving some success with his local high school football team, Ruettiger lacks the grades and money to attend Notre Dame, and at 5'6", lacked the physical size to play for the Fighting Irish. Through perseverance, Rudy earned a spot on the team. Rudy dressed for the final game and was given a chance to play in the game’s final moments. On the last play of the game, Rudy sacked the opposing quarterback and was carried off the field by his teammates.
Something to Think About
The greatest athletes in the world find motivation from within. Think back to the start of this season. Where did you get your motivation? What sorts of motivational tools did you use?
THE BOTTOM LINE
There are plenty of ways to get motivated, but the best way is when your motivation comes from within – when you want it because you want it.
How Do You Get Motivated?
When it comes to motivation, there are two types of people – high achievers and low achievers. Take this quiz below to determine your category.
YES | NO | |
|---|---|---|
1) I am very motivated when I see a chance to succeed. | Cell | Cell |
2) I am very motivated when I feel like I might fail. | Cell | Cell |
3) I am drawn to difficult, attainable challenges. | Cell | Cell |
4) I would rather compete against someone I know I can beat. | Cell | Cell |
5) I enjoy competing against others whose abilities are equal to mine. | Cell | Cell |
6) I prefer situations where I am guaranteed success. | Cell | Cell |
7) I focus on the pride that comes with success. | Cell | Cell |
8) I focus on the shame that may come from defeat. | Cell | Cell |
9) I perform better when I am being evaluated. | Cell | Cell |
10) I perform worse when I am being evaluated. | Cell | Cell |
If you checked “Yes” for all the odd numbered questions and “No” for the even numbered questions, you are a high achiever. This is the proper mindset for motivation.
The
Tools To
Improve
Proven methods to raise your level of motivation. Trust us. They work.
Talk to Yourself. (Really, It’s Okay.)
Objective: Use the power of positive self-talk.Positive self-talk makes use of your powerful inner voice to reinforce your self-esteem or important aspects of your performance. With appropriate repetition, self-talk can positively alter your belief system.
There are three types of positive self-talk.
1. Task-relevant self-talk: serves to focus your attention on the task at hand.
Example: A cue word that snaps you back to thinking positively in the present moment.
2. Mood-related self-talk: impacts how you feel.
Example: Feelings of “butterflies” in your stomach before a big game.
3. Positive self-affirmation statement: Verbalizing an extreme level of confidence.
Example: Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali proclaiming, “I am the greatest in the world!”
Groovy, Baby.
Objective: Motivate yourself through music. Collect a song or two from each teammate that pumps him up for games. Play the music before your games. This creates team bonding and gets you ready to go! Also helps: Focus & Concentration
FINAL THOUGHTS.
When you were younger, why did you play sports? How much have you changed since then? Why do you play sports now? Where do you find the motivation? If you don’t have an answer to these questions, you’re going to find yourself in trouble. You will get distracted. Your competition will outwork you. Ultimately, you will find yourself way behind. Understand what motivates you and you will gain an understanding of your goals.