Definition of Motivation

The definition of motivation contains many elements. We can gain an understanding of this word by looking at the different ways it is defined. I hope these various definitions will help you understand and fire up your own motivation.

Webster’s dictionary:“The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action; the reason for the action; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives".

Britannica Encyclopedia:“Forces acting either on or within a person to initiate behavior. The word is derived from the Latin term motivus (“a moving cause”), which suggests the activating properties of the processes involved in psychological motivation. Psychologists study motivational forces to help explain observed changes in behavior that occur in an individual.”

WordReference.com“the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives"

The Westmont College Department of Psychology:

Popular definition--the cause of or reason why behavior occurs

Psychological definition--factors that energize and direct behavior

One important distinction is made by some in discussing motivation. That is the distinction between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation.Intrinsic motivation includes forces that come from within while extrinsic motivation includes forces that come from outside the person.

The definition of motivation I use is this one:Motivation is a combination of internal and external influences exerted on our thoughts, emotions, and bodies that prompt us to take action and move toward what we believe will be of benefit to us in the short and/or long term.

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