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Why do we do the things we do? What drives our behavior? Psychologists have proposed different ways of thinking about motivation, including looking at whether motivation arises from outside (extrinsic) or inside (intrinsic) an individual.

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Researchers have found that each type has a different effect on a person's behavior and pursuit of goals. To better understand the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on human behavior, it will help to learn how each type works.

What Is Extrinsic Motivation?

Extrinsic motivation is when we are motivated to perform a behavior or engage in an activity because we want to earn a reward or avoid punishment.﻿﻿ You will engage in behavior not because you enjoy it or because you find it satisfying, but because you expect to get something in return or avoid something unpleasant.

What Is Intrinsic Motivation?

Intrinsic motivation is when you engage in a behavior because you find it rewarding. You are performing an activity for its own sake rather than from the desire for some external reward. The behavior itself is its own reward.﻿﻿

Extrinsic Motivation

Participating in a sport to win awards

Cleaning your room to avoid being reprimanded by your parents

Competing in a contest to win a scholarship

Studying because you want to get a good grade

Intrinsic Motivation

Participating in a sport because you find the activity enjoyable

Cleaning your room because you like tidying up

Solving a word puzzle because you find the challenge fun and exciting

Studying a subject you find fascinating

Press Play for Advice On Staying Motivated

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how to stay motivated and focused even when you don't want to. Click below to listen now.

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation: Which Is Best?

Extrinsic motivation arises from outside of the individual while intrinsic motivation comes from within. Research has shown that each type has a different effect on human behavior.﻿﻿

Studies have demonstrated that offering excessive external rewards for an already internally rewarding behavior can reduce intrinsic motivation-a phenomenon known as the overjustification effect.

For example, in a 2008 study, children who were rewarded for playing with a toy they had already expressed interest in playing with became less interested in the item after being externally rewarded.﻿﻿

This is not to suggest that extrinsic motivation is a bad thing-it can be beneficial in some situations. For example, extrinsic motivation can be particularly helpful when a person needs to complete a task that they find unpleasant.

Additionally, external rewards can:

Be a source of feedback to let people know when their performance has achieved a standard that is deserving of reinforcement

Induce interest and participation in an activity an individual was not initially interested in

Motivate people to acquire new skills or knowledge (once these early skills have been learned, people might become more intrinsically motivated to pursue an activity)

Extrinsic motivators should be avoided in situations where:

An individual already finds the activity intrinsically rewarding

Offering a reward might make a "play" activity seem more like "work"

When to Use External Rewards

Motivate a person to learn something new

Make a person more interested in an activity that they are not interested in

Provide feedback to people to let them know their performance is worthy of recognition

When Not to Use External Rewards

A person is already interested in the topic, task, or activity

Offering a reward would make the activity feel like "work" instead of "play"

When to Use Extrinsic Motivation

Most people assume that intrinsic motivation is best, but it is not always possible in every situation. Sometimes a person simply has no internal desire to engage in an activity. Offering excessive rewards can be problematic as well.

However, when they are used appropriately, extrinsic motivators can be a useful tool. For example, extrinsic motivation can get people to complete a work task or school assignment that they are not interested in.

Researchers have arrived at three primary conclusions regarding extrinsic rewards and their influence on intrinsic motivation:

1. Intrinsic motivation will decrease when external rewards are given for completing a particular task or only doing minimal work.﻿﻿ If parents heap lavish praise on their child every time they complete a simple task, the child will become less intrinsically motivated to perform that task in the future.

2. Praise can increase internal motivation. Researchers have found that offering positive praise and feedback when people do something better than others can improve intrinsic motivation.﻿﻿

3. Unexpected external rewards do not decrease intrinsic motivation.﻿﻿ If you get a good grade on a test because you enjoy learning about a subject and the teacher decides to reward you with a gift card to your favorite pizza place, your underlying motivation for learning about the subject will not be affected. However, rewarding in this situation needs to be done with caution because people will sometimes come to expect rewards.

How Do Intrinsic Motivation and Extrinsic Motivation Influence Learning?

Both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation play a significant role in learning. Experts have argued that education's traditional emphasis on external rewards (such as grades, report cards, and gold stars) undermines any existing intrinsic motivation that students might have.

Others have suggested that extrinsic motivators help students feel more competent in the classroom, which in turn enhances their intrinsic motivation.﻿﻿

"A person's interest often survives when a reward is used neither to bribe nor to control but to signal a job well done, as in a "most improved player" award. If a reward boosts your feeling of competence after doing good work, your enjoyment of the task may increase.

Rewards, rightly administered, can motivate high performance and creativity. And extrinsic rewards (such as scholarships, admissions, and jobs that often follow good grades) are here to stay."

-David G. Meyers, Psychology: Eighth Edition in Modules

A Word From Verywell

Both extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation drive human behavior. There are several key differences between motivation that comes from external rewards and the kind that is driven by an individual's genuine interest, including the influence of each type on a person's behavior and the situations in which each type will be most effective.

Understanding how each type of motivation works and when it is likely to be useful can help people perform tasks (even when they do not want to) and improve their learning.

Additional Reading

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Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation: What's the Difference?

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Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation can impact behavior in different ways. Learn the differences between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.

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Should you be reading this? Or should you be working right now?

Since you're here, you're probably looking for some motivation. It happens to the best of us. Whether you should be working on a big presentation for work or writing an article, we're here to help.

The thing is, no matter your job, we all struggle to stay motivated sometimes. But, thankfully, we aren't powerless in this situation. Understanding the different types of motivation can help you avoid procrastination and stay focused.

When you know what motivates you , you can leverage it to get back on track when you lose your way. Sometimes it's as simple as reminding yourself why you love your work . Or, if you're a leader, you might need a reward system to keep your team at their best .

Let's break down the types of motivation and how they can help you get more done.

What is motivation?

At its core, motivation is the force that drives you to perform a task or behavior. It's why you get up in the morning, brush your teeth, and go to work.

You probably don't notice your motivation until you feel like it's not there anymore. But, in reality, many things drive you every day - even if you're unaware of them.

In fact, it's the motivations we're unaware of that can have the biggest impact. Bringing them into the light, inspecting them and learning how to work with our different types of motivations helps us sail our boat rather than drift with the wind and current. It is a powerful practice.

So even though you feel apathetic right now, consider this: something motivated you to look up this article. You obviously want to get back in the groove. That counts for something.

The different types of motivation

We can boil things down to two motivational types: intrinsic and extrinsic. Both also have accompanying subtypes.

Intrinsic motivation (or internal motivation) comes from within. It refers to when you do something for its own sake because it aligns with your interests, passions, or personal values.

These motivators come with internal rewards, like the feeling of knowing you're following your life purpose . That means they hold a deeper meaning than other motivators, which can usually keep you focused on a goal for a long time.

Extrinsic motivation (or external motivation) refers to external factors that drive you to do something. For example, you could be motivated by extrinsic rewards or negative consequences.

What you get is based on you accomplishing (or not accomplishing) a task.

Extrinsic motivators are temporary in nature, so they're best used for short to medium-term projects. In fact, studies have shown that people experience a boost in motivation when they're promised an immediate reward.

External motivation can look like students aiming to succeed in school because their grades reflect their performance . On the other hand, students who try to succeed in school because they're genuinely interested in the content are intrinsically motivated.

5 types of intrinsic motivation

Many things can motivate a person from within. Below are some of the common examples. Try to see which ones you relate to. It could be a good reminder about why you do what you do .

1. Learning motivation (or competence motivation)

In this type of motivation, you're driven by the act of learning . What you're trying to achieve is exciting because you've never done it before. You love learning a new skill or improving on an existing one. In this case, the reward upon completing the task is less important than the task itself.

Example: A university professor is driven by the pursuit of knowledge. For them, constant studying and learning motivate them to work every day.

2. Attitude motivation

If you have attitude motivation, you love being positive and spreading positivity. It's about making people feel good, so you seek out activities that allow you to do that.

Example: A gym trainer helps people have fun during their workouts with a great attitude. This motivates them to come to work each day.

3. Achievement motivation

For this type of motivation, you're not necessarily thinking about the reward at the end - you just care about crossing the finish line. There's no greater satisfaction than the feeling of accomplishment .

Example: A professional athlete wants to win, regardless of the prize or title. It's the ultimate goal and makes the season's struggles worth it.

4. Creative motivation

You might find yourself motivated by creativity . If this type of motivation sounds familiar, you value freedom of expression and are happiest when people let you spread your wings.

Example: A graphic designer feels suffocated when they are micromanaged .

As a creative person, they're happiest when they have the freedom to complete a project how they choose.

5. Physiological motivation

Here you're motivated by biological needs like food and water. These motivations exist because years of evolution have made us this way.

Example: Consider Dr. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. He categorized humans' fundamental motivators in order of importance, starting with physical needs. As you meet these needs, you gradually progress toward self-actualization .

So what are your intrinsic motivators? At BetterUp , we can help you get to know yourself and stay productive - even when you're in a slump.

What are the 4 types of external motivation?

There are probably a few external factors driving your behavior, too. These forms of motivation are just as important as intrinsic ones if you can leverage them.

1. Incentive motivation

Incentive motivation is all about external rewards. Just like a mouse motivated by cheese, you're motivated by the outcome of a task - not the task itself.

Example: After a workout , you allow yourself your favorite snack. The snack is more important to you than the exercise and motivates you to get the workout done.

2. Fear motivation

Here you're motivated by the fear of an undesirable outcome. You don't want to do the task, but you have to if you want to avoid a bad thing.

Example: You save a part of your paycheck for fear of an emergency when you would rather buy a TV. Fear motivation isn't necessarily bad because it can help you achieve financial wellness , like in this example.

3. Power motivation

It's normal to want control over your own life. But some people take it one step further: they want to control other people. There are many types of power , and they can be used for nefarious or altruistic reasons.

Example: A politician runs for president because they believe their ideas are good for the world - they just need the power to implement them.

4. Social motivation

Social motivation describes the desire to be accepted by your social group . Here you're motivated by what others think of you.

Example: You spend time learning social skills, like active listening , so that you can build stronger friendships. You want new friends to like you.

How to use the types of motivation to your advantage

Motivations mean nothing if you can't convert that drive into action . Here are some examples of how you can implement these types of motivation into your everyday life.

1. Goal-setting. Focusing on concrete goals is a great method for people motivated by achievement.

2. Tell people about your goals. For the socially motivated among you, telling people about your goals will keep you accountable.

3. Create a reward system. This is a perfect technique if you need an external incentive. In fact, you should always reward yourself for your wins.

4. Write about who you helped. If you're attitude-motivated, take time to reflect on who you made smile at the end of the day. Keep a journal as a record of happy moments.

5. Track your progress on a task. Doing so will remind you how well you're doing.

6. Stay active. Exercise and taking care of your physical well-being are essential to your physiological needs. Achieving this goal will help you stay on top of the others.

7. Eat healthy food. Similar to exercise, your body needs good fuel to function at its best. Meet this need, and you will improve your performance.

8. Use a tracking app. Many apps will "gamify" tasks and goals. They'll provide a virtual reward to extrinsically motivate you.

Best types of motivation for different scenarios

The types of motivation are at their best when you use them in the right context. You should adapt, mix and match, and adjust based on your needs. Here are some examples:

1. If you're a teacher, you can use the motivators as types of learning motivations. For example, if a student doesn't like learning for the sake of it, use an extrinsic method to encourage studying. Also, remember that some students will be intrinsically motivated and work hard without prompting. This could socially motivate other students.

2. You can also use each type of motivation at work. If you're a team leader or manager, set clear goals and track them where everyone can see their progress. This can spark the team's sense of achievement and boost morale . Your team will likely internalize their desire to succeed and meet these goals .

3. If an employee is underperforming, find out what their intrinsic motivators are. You can try to assign them projects based on what moves them.

Can motivation be negative?

As you create a motivation strategy for yourself or others, remember that incentives can either be positive or negative.

Negative incentives will only hurt motivation in the long run. Exploiting an employee's fear of failure is negative because it is linked to a stressful emotion (fear) and avoidance of a negative outcome (failure). In the long-term, you're placing a burden on their shoulders and hurting their problem-solving skills . Plus, you could risk burning them out .

Instead, listen for your team's intrinsic motivators. If a member loves to learn, leaning into that desire is a positive incentive. You're challenging them to do work they enjoy, which keeps them interested and motivated. Promotions and praise are also great examples of positive motivating factors.

Looking forward

Different motivators work for different people. Knowing what drives you will help you "trick" your brain into being productive. You can set up a reward system to build new habits , boost employee motivation, or find work that is more meaningful to you.

Once you're equipped with the right types of motivation, you can do it too. If you need extra support, BetterUp can help you get started . Together we can find out what motivates you, so you can rekindle the flame of inspiration.

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How the Types of Motivation Help You Hit Your Goals

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Should you be reading this? Or should you be working right now? Since you're here, you're probably looking for some motivation. It happens to the best of us. Whether you should be working on a big presentation for work or writing an article, we're here to help.

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Everyone goes through it from time to time: the struggle to find the energy to get stuff donewhen you'd rather stay in bed or do literally anything other than those things on your to-do list.

Overcoming procrastination requires setting yourself up for success by starting small and being consistent. Whether you're looking to stick with a new workout routine or finally hone your cooking skills, these tips can help you find your inner drive.

While it's tough getting started, finding ways to give yourself a push when you need it can help you achieve your goals, whether they involve training for a big event or blowing off some steam with mindful movement.

Just be sure to listen to your body - everyone needs rest days and occasional comfort food.

Make it a game

To build up motivation, high performance coach Shefali Raina suggests reframing the task in the context of a game and connecting your actions to rewards or penalties.

For example, "if you want to feel motivated to exercise, you could commit to a game structure where if you exercise three times a week you get to treat yourself to something you enjoy," she explains.

"But if you exercise less than three times, maybe you give up something you value." Just make sure you're still leaving yourself space to take days off as your mind and body needs.

Make your goals easier to achieve

Clinical psychologist Steve Levinson, PhD, suggests making it as easy as possible to do the specific things you know you should do.

If your goal is to unwind with some light stretching when you get home from work, keep your mat somewhere that's highly visible and easy to access. Take things a step further and lay out your comfy stretching clothes before you head out in the morning.

Call on a goal buddy

"We all need someone who believes in us," says educational psychologist Elisa Robyn, PhD. Having a goal buddy keeps you accountable to your goals because they can offer you encouragement for staying motivated.

Consider enlisting a friend with similar goals to team up with you on exercise or even just to encourage each other.

Studying can be a pain, especially if you aren't particularly interested in the topic. Below are some techniques to make the process smoother.

Make a to-do list

When starting out on a large project or preparing for an exam, write everything you need to get down on a to-do list. By breaking everything down into manageable tasks, you'll feel less overwhelmed and have a greater sense of accomplishment when you cross each one off.

Build small rewards into the process

It's important to build small rewards or celebrations into the process. "It can be difficult to stay motivated, but setting small goals makes the journey a bit easier," says Robyn.

Keep track of your progress

A key part of staying motivated is acknowledging how far you've come. If you're having a hard time completing a project, keeping track of how much you've accomplished can give you the energy to push you through to the end.

After each study session or work period, jot down how much you've advanced as a reminder for the next time you feel stuck.

Build in regular pauses

Sometimes, finding the motivation to work through a long study session involves taking short breaks to refresh your mind.

Try to give yourself 15 to 20 minutes for every hour you work. Use that time to get up and walk around, watch a YouTube video, or get a snack. Relaxing and recharging will give you an added boost for the next round of studying.

Having a clean, tidy space sure feels nice. Getting to that point is another story.

Make a housecleaning playlist

There's nothing like fun, lively music to make the hours go faster. Try setting up a playlist you might use for working out or dancing to help when you're washing the dishes or doing laundry.

Create a routine

Organizing your time for doing chores each day can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.

To create a routine, commit to squeezing in one task at certain times each day. For example, get in the habit of taking out the trash when you leave for work in the morning or dusting during commercial breaks.

Set a timer for cleaning

The beauty of racing against time is that it gives you a sense of accomplishment.

For quick motivation, set your timer for 15 minutes to clean up a specific room or tackle larger projects like a storage unit. If you feel energized after, you can set it for another 15. If you're wiped, do another 15-minute power sesh tomorrow.

Declutter

Getting rid of excess items can have a huge impact on your living space. It can also be a huge undertaking.

If you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure of where to start, prioritize rooms that are frequently seen by visitors, such as your living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Go through each room and organize items to recycle or set aside in donation boxes.

Even small tasks may feel like a Herculean effort when you're in a motivational slump. Finding ways to re-energize yourself can make all the difference.

Create mini-sprints to activate motivation

Sometimes, we're unmotivated by a task because it feels too long, too overwhelming, or too tedious and boring, says Raina. In those cases, it's helpful to break down the task into mini-sprints or short-term blocks of time.

"Our brains are wired to focus on the short term versus the long term, so mini-sprints help us get focused, energetic, and motivated to complete shorter term tasks and feel good afterwards," adds Raina.

Try breaking up your day into 30-minute mini-sprints. You can adjust the amount of time you allow for each sprint as needed, just make sure to take a break in between.

Remove distractions

There's no way around it: Eliminating distractions, such as incessant phone notifications or noisy chatter, is essential for deep focus.

Prepare your workplace by decluttering your desk, putting on noise-canceling headphones, and hiding your phone in a drawer for a designated amount of time.

Prioritize your 3 most important tasks of the day

If you find your to-do list keeps growing by the hour, write down your top three most critical things you have to do each day. Focus on those first, then move on to the others.

Create an emotional connection

Whatever the task, ask yourself how you'll feel when it's done, advises Raina. Will you be relieved? Happy? Satisfied?

Asking these questions and building emotional connection with the reward you are seeking helps you activate motivation to achieve any goal you set.

You'd love to experiment and cook more at home but can't seem to summon the motivation. These strategies can help you get over the hump (and save you some serious cash).

Hone your culinary skills

Cooking can be a relaxing and liberating activity that helps you tap into your innate creativity. It can also be stressful and time-consuming when you're unsure what you're doing.

Create a meal plan

Half the burden of cooking is simply planning what to make and getting the ingredients. Meal planning can help you streamline this aspect and even make it a bit more enjoyable.

Set aside some time each week to figure out what you'll make for the week and make a master shopping list.
Check out our beginner's guide to meal prepping.
Keep a meal journal for simple recipes

If you're running low on time and energy, having a go-to journal of easy recipes can be a lifesaver.

Save your favorites to a folder on your computer or phone that you can easily check when you're not feeling up for creating an elaborate meal.

Be strategic with leftovers

Got taco fillings but no tortillas? Salad greens but no dressing? Think outside the box when it comes to leftovers and about-to-expire foods.

Fill up tacos with leftover hamburger meat or spice up your breakfast with leftover veggies that can be folded into an omelet. Being smart with yesterday's scraps can help you stay motivated to experiment and save more by eating at home.

No matter what your goals are, these tips can help you get past the finish line (or at least a little closer to it).

Surround yourself with a tribe of doers

Raina recommends surrounding yourself with people who have a bias for action, which is fancy talk for making quick decisions and getting stuff done.

"Being around high energy people who take action helps us also stay on our A game and keeps us motivated," she adds.

Look deep

If you're having a hard time finding your motivation, try to take a look at why.

Robyn suggests looking at your relationships as a good starting point. Are they restrictive or judgmental? Do you have a pattern of opting for choices that don't align with your goals?

Consciously noticing these challenges can help you evaluate what needs improving.

Know how to let go

At the end of the day, life can and will get in the way sometimes. After all, you can't control everything.

Robyn adds, "if you have to stay late at work or change your schedule due to a sick family member, do not blame yourself for not exercising. Do not blame yourself. You will be back on track soon."
Cindy Lamothe is a freelance journalist based in Guatemala. She writes often about the intersections between health, wellness, and the science of human behavior. She's written for The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Teen Vogue, Quartz, The Washington Post, and many more. Find her at cindylamothe.com.

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How to Get Motivated: 22 Tips for Working Out, Cleaning, More

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Everyone goes through it from time to time: the struggle to find the energy to get stuff donewhen you'd rather stay in bed or do literally anything other than those things on your to-do list. Overcoming procrastination requires setting yourself up for success by starting small and being consistent.

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Which morning sounds better to you-a calm, peaceful morning where you feel inspired to get your day started and work on your goals, or a frantic morning rush where you're dreading the thought of doing any work at all? There's a pretty obvious choice, right? Luckily, there are easy ways to generate the positive momentum you need to kickstart your day each morning. And all you need is a simple motivation app you can easily download onto your phone to make it happen.

Transform your morning routine with an inspiration and motivation app. Below are ten motivation apps designed to spark your morning for success and make sure you feel completely in control of your life.

Whether it's to rev up your "go-get-em" attitude or bring calm energy to your morning routine, you're certain to find something that creates the perfect atmosphere for your daily success. And once that happens, don't be surprised when you find your entire day going smoothly as well.

So, take a peak, choose a motivation app, and see how you can create an amazing morning for yourself.

Affirmation Apps

1. Unique Daily Affirmations

Rather than starting your day groggy and unmotivated, flip the script with some affirmations designed to get your mindset prioritized for success. Each morning, you'll get a fresh affirmation to guide you forward. So, you'll always have something new to focus on to get your gears moving for positivity and good mood.

Plus, you can even record your own affirmations if you get inspired to add personal insight. So, make sure to check this out for a simple way to motivate your mornings.

2. ThinkUp

If you're looking for affirmations to get your day going strong, even Hal Elrod (the author of "The Miracle Morning") has his own affirmation added to this motivation app for you to use.

Additionally, ThinkUp has a tracking method to see which affirmations you've listened to. And the idea is to get in as many affirmations as possible to load your head with positivity and completely change your way of thinking. So, this up-and-coming app has a lot going for it when it comes to not only improving your mornings but also staying motivated throughout your entire day as well.

Motivational Quotes and Speeches Apps

3. Motivate: Daily Motivation

How much more motivated can you start your day than with a motivational speech itself?

With thousands of speeches on success, fitness, productivity, and more, jam-packed together into a single easy-to-use app, you can expect your mornings to be FAR more inspirational than ever before. In particular, the daily videos are short, to the point, and designed to quickly get your motivation raring to go.
Available on iOS.
4. Motivation - Daily Quotes

What makes this app special is both the combination of literally thousands of motivational quotes and the non-garden-variety of quotes you've likely never seen before. So, you'll see more than just the usual "You miss 100% of all the shots you don't take."

And here's why that's good-it's easy to become numb to the same repetitive messages all the time (no matter how inspirational), but this app avoids that problem completely by giving you brand new quotes for motivation and positivity every morning.

Vision Board Motivation Apps

5. iWish Bucket List

Visual reminders of your goals can be a very powerful way of driving up your motivation each morning. All it takes is a glance at your vision board to remind you "why" you're getting up and working each morning. Even better-you'll instantly have more drive to get your day going because of it.

iWish is particularly impressive because not only does it let you add images to represent your goals, but it also lets you track them and keeps a running history of your completed goals as well. And this combination of seeing your past success and future goals is definitely a strong way to get you going.
Available on iOS.
6. Visuapp

What I like about Visuapp is that it focuses on creating balance with your goals. And it does this with what it calls the "feng shui" board. Basically, it breaks up your life into 9 parts: money, fame, relationship, family, health, creativity, knowledge, career, and travel. And you simply pop a picture directly into each one, and with a quick peek, you instantly know what you need to work on to create the ideal life you want. Definitely simple and easy for anyone to use.

Mindfulness Apps

7. Smiling Mind

Australia is known for its dangerous wildlife and now, for its mindfulness app as well it seems.

Used happily by over 5 million people, Smiling Mind will help you get in tune with your body and mind each morning and help you regain a sense of control. And the best part is that the app says you only need 10 minutes of your morning to make it happen.

Check out the app that millions of people are already benefitting from every day, and soon enough, you may even start to look forward to getting your mornings going.

8. Mindfulness Coach

This app was designed to reduce stress in even military vets, so it's safe to say that it's a powerful way to instill a sense of calm and relaxation in your mornings as well. There's even a neat little feature where your progress is visualized as a tree that's growing. And this makes it easy to see just how far along you are in creating a stress-free life through the exercises it shares.

It goes without saying: if you can get your morning to start in a relaxing manner, the rest of your day is likely to follow suit as well.
Available on iOS.
Meditation Apps

9. Omvana

If your mornings are hectic rushes, then you probably need a way to slow things down. That way, you can actually take things in and make sure you're working on goal-oriented tasks the rest of the day, instead of being swept up in the hustle-and-bustle of your morning rush. That's where Omvana comes in.

Start your day with a simple guided meditation to bring some calm to your mornings. You can even add binaural beats to the mix to induce an "alpha-wave" state, which is supposed to create a "relaxed alertness" in your state of mind. Doesn't that sound much better than a mad dash through your morning routine?

10. Ten Percent Happier Meditation

Straight from the Apple store:

"10% Happier is specifically geared to newcomers and skeptics, like its founder-TV anchor and best-selling author Dan Harris-used to be. It uses straight talk and a sense of humor to help you focus on sleeping better, reducing stress, and boosting focus."

The great thing about this app is that if you upgrade to a paid subscription, you literally have a meditation coach to guide you-and that's pretty amazing (which is why they say on their website, "a daily meditation coach in your pocket").

The reviews for this app are very positive, so I'd suggest you check this out if ever experience stress as part of your morning routine.
Available on iOS.
Don't Wait to Jumpstart Your Perfect Morning!

It really doesn't get any easier than downloading a motivation app to improve your morning routine. Just pick one of these apps that suits your needs most, add it to your phone, and then press a button to use it when you wake up-that's all.

So, make sure to click a few of these apps to learn more about them because it only takes one to have an amazing morning, which can lead to an amazing day, a week, a month, or even a year as well.

More Motivational Tips

Featured photo credit: Jonas Svidras via unsplash.com

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10 Motivational Apps To Help You Jumpstart Your Day - LifeHack

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Which morning sounds better to you-a calm, peaceful morning where you feel inspired to get your day started and work on your goals, or a frantic morning rush where you're dreading the thought of doing any work at all? There's a pretty obvious choice, right?

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"The first and best victory is to conquer self." ~ PLATO

Learning to effectively lead yourself and others all comes down to discipline. Happiness, success, and fulfillment stem from focus and self-control. It may be hard to believe when you're facing an all-you-can-eat buffet, the prospect of making a quick buck, or the lazy lure of sleeping in versus getting on the Peloton, but studies show that people with self-discipline are happier. Why? Because with discipline and self-control we actually accomplish more of the goals we truly care about. Self-discipline is the bridge between goals defined and goals accomplished.

Chapter Eight of my new book - Embrace the Suck: The Navy SEAL Way To An Extraordinary Life - is titled 'Win More Through Discipline And Accountability.' People with a higher degree of self-control spend less time debating whether to indulge in behaviors and activities that don't align with their values or goals. They are more decisive. They don't let impulses or feelings dictate their choices. They are the architects of their own beliefs and the actions they take to achieve a desired outcome. As a result, they aren't as easily distracted by temptation and tend to feel more satisfied with their lives.

"You have power over your mind-not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." ~ MARCUS AURELIUS

There are specific strategies you can execute to learn self-discipline and gain the willpower to live a happier, more fulfilling life. If you are looking to take control of your habits and choices, here are the eight most powerful things you can do to master self-discipline-which is imperative for life beyond your comfort zone-and maybe even redefining "extraordinary."
STEP ONE: Know your strengths and weaknesses.
We all have weaknesses. Whether they're the desire for alcohol, tobacco, unhealthy food, obsession over social media, or the video game Fortnite (what the heck is with this game by the way?!), they have a similar effect on us. Weaknesses don't just come in the form of areas where we lack self-control either. We all have our strong suits and the stuff we kind of stink at. For example, I don't care for having difficult conversations, lengthy paperwork that involves digging up old documents I never saved in the first place, holding my temper when someone is shooting at me, or calling into automated phone systems. And therefore, I used to actively (or purposefully) avoid these activities. Now, I strive to tackle them head-on-or I delegate them to others. (Never forget about the subtle art of delegation!)

Self-awareness is a powerful tool for comfort zone expansion, but it requires constant focus and acknowledging your shortcomings, whatever they may be. I suffered from bad allergies and asthma growing up and had terrible eyesight. Those were some significant weaknesses when considering becoming a Navy SEAL. But so what? I trained hard to improve my lung function and used money I'd saved for LASIK eye surgery. Too often people either try to pretend their vulnerabilities don't exist or they succumb to them with a fixed mindset, throwing their hands up in defeat and saying, "Oh well." Know your strengths, but more importantly, own up to your flaws. You can't overcome them until you do.
STEP TWO: Remove temptations.
"I can resist anything except temptation." ~ OSCAR WILDE

Like the saying goes, "out of sight, out of mind." It may seem silly, but this phrase offers powerful advice. By simply removing the biggest temptations from your environment, you will greatly improve your self-discipline. When I decided I was going to pursue the lofty goal of becoming a SEAL, everything in my life had to change. If you want to eat healthier, toss the junk food in the trash. Want to drink less? Throw out the booze. If you want to enhance your productivity at work, improve the management of your To-Do's, turn off social media notifications and silence your cell phone. Prioritize and execute.

The fewer distractions you have, the more focused you will be on accomplishing your goals. Set yourself up for success by ditching bad influences.
STEP THREE: Set clear goals and have an execution plan.
If you hope to achieve greater degrees of self-discipline, you must have a clear vision of what you hope to accomplish, just like any goal. You must also have an understanding of what success means to you. After all, if you don't know where you are going, it's easy to lose your way or get sidetracked. Remember to prioritize. At TakingPoint Leadership, when we work with our corporate clients on strategic planning, execution, and organizational transformation, we remind them that having ten priorities translates to no priorities.

A clear plan outlines each time-bound step you must take to reach your goals. Create a mantra to keep yourself focused. Successful people use this technique to stay on track, emotionally connect to their mission, and establish a clear finish line.
STEP FOUR: Practice daily diligence.
We aren't born with self-discipline; it's a learned behavior. And just like any other skill you want to master, it requires daily practice and repetition. It must become habitual. But the effort and focus that self-discipline requires can be draining. As time passes, it can become more and more difficult to keep your willpower in check. The bigger the temptation or decision, the more challenging it can feel to tackle other tasks that also require self-control.

So, work on building your self-discipline through daily diligence in a given area associated with a goal. This goes back to step three. In order to practice daily diligence, you must have a plan. Put it on your calendar, your to-do list, tattoo it on the back of your eyelids - whatever works best for you. With practice, anyone can push the boundaries of their comfort zone every day.
STEP FIVE: Create new habits and rituals.
Acquiring self-discipline and working to instill a new habit can feel daunting at first, especially if you focus on the entire task at hand. To avoid feeling intimidated, keep it simple. Break your goal into small, doable steps. Instead of trying to change everything at once, focus on doing one thing consistently and master self-discipline with that goal in mind.

As we say in the SEAL Teams, " Eat the elephant one bite at a time."

If you're trying to get in shape but don't exercise regularly (or ever), start by working out ten or fifteen minutes a day. If you're trying to achieve better sleep habits, start by going to bed thirty minutes earlier each night. If you want to eat healthier, change your grocery shopping habits and prep meals ahead of time. Take baby steps. Eventually, when your mindset and behavior starts to shift, you can add more goals to your list.
STEP SIX: Change your perception about willpower.
If you believe you have a limited amount of willpower, you probably won't surpass those limits. As I mentioned previously, studies show that willpower can deplete over time. But what about changing that perception? The SEAL candidate who believes they probably won't make it through training won't succeed. Why assume our will to win can only take us so far?

When we embrace the mindset of unlimited willpower, we continue to grow, achieve more, and develop mental toughness. It's the same philosophy as setting "stretch" goals. In short, our internal conceptions about willpower and self-control can determine how disciplined we are. If you can remove these subconscious obstacles and truly believe you can do it, then you will give yourself an extra boost of motivation toward making those goals a reality.
STEP SEVEN: Give yourself a backup plan.
In the SEAL Teams, we always have contingency plans. Psychologists use a technique to boost willpower called "implementation intention." That's when you give yourself a plan to deal with a potentially difficult situation you know you will likely face. To be clear, I am not referring to a backup plan under the auspices that you'll probably fail at Plan A.

Let's say you aspire to become a trapeze expert, but tell yourself, "Well, I'm probably not going to excel at this, so chances are I'll be sticking with miniature golf." That's a lame backup plan wrapped in mediocrity. We are talking about contingencies for intentional course correction, not planning for failure. So be bold and keep moving forward. Going in with a plan will help give you the mindset and self-control necessary for the situation. You will also save energy by not having to make a sudden decision based on your emotional state.
STEP EIGHT: Find trusted coaches or mentors.
The development of expertise requires coaches who are capable of giving constructive, even painful, feedback. Real experts are extremely motivated students who seek out such feedback. They're also skilled at understanding when and if a coach or mentor's advice doesn't work for them.

The elite performers I've known and worked with always knew what they were doing right while concentrating on what they were doing wrong. They deliberately picked unsentimental coaches who would challenge them and drive them to higher levels of performance. The best coaches also identify aspects of your performance that will need to be improved at your next level of skill and aid you in preparation.
STEP NINE: Forgive yourself and move forward.
Even with all our best intentions and well laid plans, we sometimes fall short. It happens. You will have ups and downs, great successes and dismal failures. The key is to keep going. A very close SEAL buddy of mine has had a lifelong dream of not just serving in the SEAL Teams but also making it to our tier one special missions unit. He has every qualification this unit could possibly want, but for some reason they didn't select him on his first application attempt. Did he wallow in sorrow? Not for one second. He immediately developed a plan to request even more "schools," train even harder, and he transferred to a different SEAL Team for a better chance to get picked up next time. Easy day.

If you stumble, find the root cause by asking the five WHY's and move on. Don't let yourself get wrapped up in guilt, anger, or frustration, because these emotions will only drag you further down and impede future progress.

Learn from your missteps and forgive yourself. Then get your head back in the game and violently execute. Good luck!

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9 Powerful Ways To Cultivate Extreme Self-Discipline

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"The first and best victory is to conquer self." ~ PLATO Learning to effectively lead yourself and others all comes down to discipline. Happiness, success, and fulfillment stem from focus and self-control.

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We all have different reasons for getting up every morning and doing what we do every day.

So why is it that, on some days, it can feel harder than others to get up when your alarm goes off, do your workout, crush a work or school assignment, or make dinner for your family?

Motivation (or a lack thereof) is usually behind why we do the things that we do.

There are different types of motivation, and as it turns out, understanding why you are motivated to do the things that you do can help you keep yourself motivated -- and can help you motivate others.

In this post, we'll dive into the two types of motivation -- intrinsic and extrinsic -- to learn the differences between the types, the benefits of each, and how to use both types to inspire productivity.

Definitions of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation involves doing something because it's personally rewarding to you. Extrinsic motivation involves doing something because you want to earn a reward or avoid punishment.
What Is Intrinsic Motivation?

When you're intrinsically motivated, your behavior is motivated by your internal desire to do something for its own sake -- for example, your personal enjoyment of an activity, or your desire to learn a skill because you're eager to learn.

Examples of intrinsic motivation could include:

Reading a book because you enjoy the storytelling

Exercising because you want to relieve stress

Cleaning your home because it helps you feel organized

What Is Extrinsic Motivation?

When you're extrinsically motivated, your behavior is motivated by an external factor pushing you to do something in hopes of earning a reward -- or avoiding a less-than-positive outcome.

Examples of extrinsic motivation could include:

Reading a book to prepare for a test

Exercising to lose weight

Cleaning your home to prepare for visitors coming over

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation: What's the Difference?

At first glance, it might seem like it's better to be intrinsically motivated than extrinsically motivated. After all, doesn't it sound like it would be ideal if you didn't need anyone -- or anything -- motivating you to accomplish tasks?

But, alas, we don't live in such a motivation-Utopia, and being extrinsically motivated doesn't mean anything bad -- extrinsic motivation is just the nature of being a human being sometimes.

If you have a job, and you have to complete a project, you're probably extrinsically motivated -- by your manager's praise or a potential raise or commission -- even if you enjoy the project while you're doing it. If you're in school, you're extrinsically motivated to learn a foreign language because you're being graded on it -- even if you enjoy practicing and studying it.

So, intrinsic motivation is good, and extrinsic motivation is good. The key is to figure out why you -- and your team -- are motivated to do things, and encouraging both types of motivation.

When Intrinsic Motivation Is Best

Research has shown that praise can help increase intrinsic motivation. Positive feedback that is "sincere," "promotes autonomy," and "conveys attainable standards" was found to promote intrinsic motivation in children.

But on the other side of that coin, external rewards can decrease intrinsic motivation if they're given too willy-nilly. When children received too much praise for completing minimal work or single tasks, their intrinsic motivation decreased.

The odds are, if you're reading this blog post, you're not a child -- although children are welcome subscribers here on the HubSpot Marketing Blog. But the principles of this study are still sound for adults.

If you're a people manager, be intentional with your praise and positive feedback. Make sure that it's specific, empowering, and helps your direct reports understand your expectations and standards. But make sure you aren't giving too much praise for work that's less meaningful for your team, or they might lose intrinsic motivation.

If you're an individual contributor, tell your manager when their feedback is motivating -- give them positive feedback, too. By providing positive feedback to your manager when they give you praise that keeps you motivated, you, in turn, will extrinsically motivate them to keep managing you successfully. (Meta, huh?)

When Extrinsic Motivation Is Best

Extrinsic rewards don't just involve bribery (although bribery can work). In some cases, people may never be internally motivated to complete a task, and extrinsic motivation can be used to get the job done.

In fact, extrinsic rewards can promote interest in a task or skill a person didn't previously have any interest in. Rewards like praise, commissions, bonuses, or prizes and awards can also motivate people to learn new skills or provide tangible feedback beyond just verbal praise or admonishment.

But tread carefully with extrinsic rewards: Studies have shown that offering too many rewards for behaviors and activities that people are already intrinsically motivated to do can actually decrease that person's intrinsic motivation -- by way of the overjustification effect.

In these cases, offering rewards for activities the person already finds rewarding can make a personally enjoyable activity seem like work -- which could kill their motivation to keep doing it.

If you're a people manager, use extrinsic rewards sparingly to motivate your team to take on new responsibilities or achieve lofty goals. Bonuses, commissions, recognition prizes, and promotions can be an effective way to motivate or reward your team for learning new skills, taking on new challenges, or hitting a quarterly goal. But make sure you're giving your team members the time and resources to explore skills and projects they're already excited about independently -- without making them a part of their regular responsibilities, which could demotivate them.

If you're an individual contributor, work for the rewards you want, but don't over-exhaust yourself in the pursuit of extrinsic prizes. Make sure you're taking time, in your job or in your personal life, to explore activities that you enjoy just for the sake of doing them, to keep yourself balanced.

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Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation: What's the Difference?

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What's the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation? Learn how to distinguish between the two and how to stay motivated, no matter how you feel.