The Necessity for Intrinsic Motivation
How do individuals cope with disappointment? How does one develop the drive to continue notwithstanding the consequences? To answer each of these questions, one must rely on intrinsic motivation as a key ingredient to withstand the odds. Motivation consists of two distinct sorts intrinsic or extrinsic. Therefore, as students, you must grasp an understanding in the working of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to fuel your resilience to continue despite the consequences.
Recently, I received a phone call from a concerned parent wanting a resolution for her child’s disappointment. The disappointment centers on her failing to receive an acceptance letter for the RN program. Of course, the easiest answer that I provided to her indicated that I am unable to disclose any information because of the FERPA regulation, which states that the disclosure of students’ information violates the privacy of her child. Yet, this person wanted someone to hear her disappointment so I consented with a listening ear while replicating my past experience of disappointments.
Remember, disappointment will always occur in one’s life but how you bounce back or your resilience becomes paramount in building character as you become older.
Therefore, resilience depends on motivation to determine how quickly you bounce back from disappointments. In other words, one must realize that outside contention cannot affect your intrinsic motivation because intrinsic motivation occurs within while fueling your drive. Comparably, outside contention causes you to experience horrible feelings because of your dependence on extrinsic motivation. For instance, when you receive the latest iPhone as a gift from a loved one, it definitely brings happiness at that moment just because the iPhone has all the latest features. However, when that iPhone needs upgrading the happiness subsides. Mainly, your motivation depends on that external significance in receiving that original iPhone. To alter such feelings, one must rely on intrinsic motivation. You must realize that your cheerful feeling originated from the action of the loved one instead of the actual iPhone.
If you focus on that intangible action, despite the life expectancy of the iPhone your resilience will increase while allowing you to bounce back when that tangible iPhone becomes useless. The more you reflect on the intrinsic motivation, the lesser you depend on extrinsic motivation. The intrinsic motivation fuels your resilience allowing you to bounce back quickly. So I challenge you to use your autonomy to nourish the intrinsic motivation as you focus on intangible rewards. The less dependency on external rewards allows a quicker bouncing back from your disappointment. This new found resilience results in less time for negative feelings to linger. Therefore, your autonomy allows you to think differently while reducing your need for extrinsic motivation. Thus, your resilience relies imminently from within as you focus on intrinsic motivation instead of tangible, extrinsic motivation.
Now stay focus on getting that Tassel at Wallace Community College.
