Am I Extrinsically Motivated?

Are your momentum and productivity inconsistent?

Do you value quantity over quality when it comes to friends?

Do you care too much about what others think of you and does your benchmark of success depends on what others say about you?

Do you believe that happiness is not a choice?

Are things like deadlines and negative consequences motivating to you?

Do you need other people to make you happy?

Are you often unclear about what you want in life?

Are you on a regular basis motivated by one or more of the following emotions: revenge, anxiety, fear, anger, terror, rage, and/or dread?

Based on your answers, it’s unlikely that you are extrinsically motivated. This means that you, in general, may be more intrinsically motivated. Being extrinsically motivated is about behavior that is driven by external rewards, which can be money, grades, praise and fame. This motivation comes from outside the person, as opposed to intrinsic motivation that arises inside of the person. Extrinsic motivation can be important when someone needs to complete a task they find difficult or uninteresting. When you are intrinsically motivated, you act in a way because you find the activity fun and satisfying, not in order to obtain a reward.

Based on your answers, you are displaying some signs of an extrinsically motivated person. Extrinsic motivation is the tendency to engage in activities in order to gain an external reward, such as money, a grade or praise. Extrinsic motivation can be important when someone needs to complete a task they find difficult or uninteresting. Thus, external rewards can be a powerful tool, but it has its limitations. When you are too extrinsically motivated, you are giving away control over your measure success and your self-worth to others. It’s important to take the control and let nobody dictate how you feel about yourself.

Based on your answers, you are displaying the signs typically seen among individuals who are extrinsically motivated. Being extrinsically motivated is not necessarily a bad thing. External rewards can actually be useful and effective for getting people to stay motivated on a specific task. This can be essential when someone need to complete a task they find difficult or uninteresting. However, offering excessive rewards can actually decrease intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation, therefore, has its limits. When you are too extrinsically motivated, you are giving away control over your measure success and your self-worth to others.