💠What actually keeps us going every day?
According to this theory, 3 things in particular drive a person’s motivation high.
Most people probably agree that it is more difficult to be consistent at something than to start doing it at all. When we have a new idea, it feels fresh and exciting and we’re ready to put our all into it. Now, 3 weeks into executing said idea, we might find obstacles and feel discouraged or even stuck to go on with the goal.
Not rarely do we see people give up, but there are also a handful who persevere, no matter the challenge. This is where Self-Determination Theory comes in and helps us climb the motivation ladder.
What do we really need to be motivated?
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is a psychological framework in which one possesses the internal desire to do something for its own sake, and not for an external reward. In the theory developed by psychologists Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, psychological growth can be achieved when these 3 needs are present:
Autonomy. The ability to feel independent and be in control of one’s own behaviors and goals.
Competence. The ability to feel effective in what one does by gaining mastery of different tasks and skills.
Relatedness. The ability to feel connected with others, experiencing a sense of belonging and attachment.
Read more on the origin of SDT and what the 3 basic needs look like in real-life settings here.
Where are you in the SDT scale?
In order to enhance our self-determination skills, we first need to understand the bigger picture. Ranging from non self-determined to self-determined, there are different sources and forces that could determine where we stand in the continuum.
Of course, the ideal state of motivation is to be self-determined, with an intrinsic regulation style, an internal source of motivation, and factors like enjoyment and satisfaction regulating our motivation. As most continuums, our level of self-determination could change as we grow and enter different phases in life.
At this stage of your life, where would you put yourself in the scale? Learn more on each element of the continuum here.
How self-regulated are you?
As seen in the above scale, the more self-determined we are, the more instilled our regulatory style gets. Having great self-regulation skills is therefore pertinent to being self-determined. To reflect on the areas of self-regulation you might need to improve, assess yourself with the following questions:
How easy or difficult do you find it to snap yourself out of a bad mood?
How often do you feel you have to apologize for how you respond or things you say?
How easy or difficult do you find it to recognize emotional reactions in other people?
When you feel frustrated, who do you take it out on – yourself, others, or do you find it easy to let things go?
How easy or difficult do you find it to stick to a desired goal?
Your answers could indicate whether you need to practice your self-regulation more. Some of the ways you can implement to improve your self-regulation are by learning the Implementation Intention technique and engaging in routine meditation.
Find more self-regulation assessment questions and ways to up your self-regulation game here.
From a scale of amotivation to intrinsic motivation, how determined are you to tick everything on your to-do list and achieve your goals of the week?
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