Internal Types of Motivation to Drive Goals

The truth of the matter is that the type of motivation that drives those goals and dreams is the key to achieving them. When we set a goal or envision a dream, our motivating factor in achieving it can be a driving force. If there is no reason, or a why, for us to achieve our goals and wishes, then there will be no genuine motivation to achieve anything. 

In the last post, we discussed intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and how it plays a role in your goals. However, these additional internal types of motivation break intrinsic motivation even further than the inner drive to achieve the goal. While my reason to climb mountains is innate, it often goes deeper than just that factor. Let’s dive deeper into two important types of internal motivation to achieve your dreams and goals further authentically.

The inner drive to learn and grow.

If you have ever wondered what the type of motivation that drives you to achieve knowledge, learn, and gain skills is, then this would be competence motivation. Competence, also known as learning motivation, follows the idea that people are motivated and driven more by the process rather than by the end reward. For example, many people attend college to increase their education and their chances at better job opportunities post-graduation. 

When I initially moved to Utah, I wanted to learn all about the area and especially all the natural landscape had to offer.  The process of learning a new skill, gaining knowledge, or even just exploring a new location can be much more rewarding than the goal of achieving it. It’s almost as if the journey is more fun and stimulating for motivation rather than the destination by itself. 

The intrinsic motivation to achieve

Our achievements often help shape us and our lives. The jobs we hold, our titles, and our roles also shape our direction and purpose for obtaining our goals. Achievement motivation works in two ways. One aspect is that people are consistently motivated and driven towards achieving their goals surrounding specific titles and roles. For instance, an entrepreneur may start a business with the dream of founding a successful company. In comparison, others may feel their achievement-based motivation focuses on reaching goals for the sake of achievement while the feeling of accomplishment that goes with it. 

If you’re driven by achievement as motivation, often this is a sign that you are more self-motivated and process-oriented. Ultimately this means that you value the process of improving more than the result itself. While the achievement of a goal may have an external reward, in all actuality, the motivation you strive for is mainly internal. The reason for this is often valid for people not enamored with the economic potential of the reward but rather the feeling of accomplishment once the goal has been achieved. 

From my perspective, the rewards of being a mom and a mountain climber are a far greater internal reward than external. Also, on this journey of climbing the seven-second summits is so much more than just being a woman who achieves that goal. It’s the goal that, as women, we can achieve more than we realize once we set our minds out towards that achievement. I believe internal motivation toward learning, growing, and achieving is ultimately the most significant driver and designer of our lives than the external recognition or money that could come along with it.