Intrinsic motivation is a very powerful force that can make a normal human being superhuman.

Take people like Thomas Elva Edison or Einstein they have a profound intrinsic motivation that comes out from their inside not some motivation video.

So let’s understand what intrinsic motivation actually is? . What is the sense of it? and how it is different from external motivation.

Then in the final stage, we will see some methods to ignite that fire inside you too.

Let’s begin with the understanding of internal motivation or intrinsic motivation.

What is intrinsic motivation actually?

The word intrinsic means belonging to something or part of itself. So intrinsic motivation means the energy you derive from the depth of self is intrinsic motivation.

In this state of mind, your only focus is to achieve the goal no matter how you feel or if you get success or not, that energy will not let you sleep until you have achieved that.

I take the example of Thomas Edison repeatedly because he was living proof of intrinsic motivation, external motivation could not help you withstand that many failures before he invented the light bulb.

What is the source of internal motivation that pushes people beyond success and failure?

To put it bluntly a strong reason with an emotional connection is the ultimate source of intrinsic motivational energy.

You can take any successful people and you will find a strong reason that is connected emotionally to them is the driving force that made them push through success and failures in order to reach their goal.

Take bill gates his intrinsic motivation was to provide computers to every human being at an affordable price, which made him work without any external motivation, that person does not need any external factor to push him beyond his comfort zone daily.

And when this burning desire is mixed with pain, opposite situations and the people push in the right direction nobody can stop him there are people like Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Nelson Mandela who swam against the stream and never gave up.

They take on every humiliation and fall, but they keep going until they made changes in the world. That is true intrinsic motivation.

Why external motivation does not work?

External motivation is like a whip to a horse’s ass, it will run out sooner or later.

It’s like borrowed motivation no wonder it runs out a few hours after listening to a speech or seminar.

Actually, these outside motivations were created to make people complete a task that they won’t do normally, it’s for the workers and slaves, not inventors and entrepreneurs where failure is part of the game.

No matter how strong these motivations charge you, they will get dissipated when even some small hurdle comes your way.

Finding a hard reason makes you like  Okiagari-koboshi (doll that gets back up when pushed).

What makes human beings special?

It may sound unrelated to our topic of blog but it is very much linked to the very root of intrinsic motivation.

The ability of humans to get past every hurdle and getting better at every challenge they face is the reason we are sitting in a beautiful house and the internet.

But you may wonder where this power gets lost in us right, why many people are suffering from depression and the inability to face the situation?

The answer lies in our mindset and willpower to face the situation rather than running away from it.

Because facing the situation is a painful process that will break you and if you stay with it, give your whole energy to get over it. In the process, you will become a different person which earlier you didn’t think is possible.

We will discuss ways to build a warrior mindset that gives bounce-back ability, no matter what you face.

Methods that can help you find your strong reason?

So until now, we have understood what is intrinsic motivation, its source, and why external motivation does not work.

Let’s see some methods that I have also used when I was unmotivated and lost in my life.

Step 1 ) Facing current problems that you are struggling with.

This step is the hardest and most essential for finding your true reason. Acknowledging the problem is the first step to intrinsic motivation.

Most people do not want to confront their problems and find an escape in form of alcohol, drugs, football, etc . Not saying these are all bad things but right now it is preventing you from knowing the actual issue.

It’s a bit painful process but believe in yourself, your mind will find solutions to problems if you let it do its job.

Conclusion :

• Facing your problem without escaping it.
• It can be painful but it is necessary for growth.
• The mind has a lot of potential if you let it do its job.

Step 2 ) Focusing on solving the problem.

Mainly Our focus is on the cause of the problem and we blame others for the situation we are facing.

But actually, situations are neither in hands of your own nor people’s most of the time and even if they are there is no good in playing the blame game.

Channeling your focus to finding a solution is the next step.

So let’s take for example if I say don’t think about pink elephants, what is the first picture that goes through your mind? Pink elephant right?

That’s how our mind works, you will only see what you focus on.

Conclusion :

• Changing your focus
• The mind only sees what it focuses on.
• A blame game is good for finding your reason.

Step 3 ) Mindset.

Two different people can not have the same response to the same situation. You have seen people that pushes too hard when a problem comes and some people give up on the first day itself. 

What is the reason for this vast change in behavior although they face pain and frustration? But one grows from it and one is defeated and dishearted.

The reason lies in mindset, which means the way he manages his mind.

We all have a supercomputer-like mind but unfortunately, it does not come with instructions. So either you control your mind or it will start controlling you.

The mind is like a crazy monkey who runs all day along from one thought to another, it makes excuses when important work is given to him.

So you need to give the job to the monkey mind otherwise it will run you ashtray.

Conclusion :

• Mindset is how you manage your mind.
• Dont listen to the excuses that the mind gives it is a crazy monkey.
• work on your response to the situation. 

Takeaway

Use this depth understanding of intrinsic motivation and methods you have learned today in your life.

Just like gold needs to be heated to purify it, the same is how our personality improves. The more challenges you face more your personality grows.