Extrinsic vs Intrinsic Motivation
Motivation is often categorised into two forms: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is when an individual is propelled to perform a behaviour due to its inherently satisfying nature, whereas its extrinsic counterpart relies on external rewards (Ryan & Deci, 2000). For example, spending time engaging in one’s hobbies such as painting and sightseeing can be intrinsically motivating due to their relaxing nature. Working a job that is far from pleasant but pays the bills would be considered extrinsic motivation.
Having a combination of both motivation types can be useful! Reliance on intrinsic motivation alone is impractical and can pose a disadvantage; a balance is optimal (see Stockkamp et al., 2022). Although intrinsic motivation is often viewed as better of the two due to its self-driven nature and perceived control, its extrinsic counterpart also plays an undeniable role, especially for mundane but necessary tasks (Bontempi, 2025). These two motivation types also share a fundamental principle: they aim to minimise unpleasant consequences and maximise goal attainment (Morris et al., 2022). Drawing on the earlier example of work, doing meaningful work and wanting your superiors’ approval and recognition of your efforts illustrate how both motivation forms can coexist healthily. Interestingly, extrinsic motivation can be considered necessary in a business context; relying solely on intrinsic motivation and thereby reducing external motivators may prevent employees from meeting their key performance indicators (Muhammad, n.d.). One of the most common workplace implementations is the performance-based bonus system, which respects employees’ autonomy in managing their projects (Harris, 2024). It is then ideal to leverage both motivation types to support personal fulfilment and achieve quantifiable outcomes (Burkus, 2025).
Written by: Adalee Loh
01/2026
References
Bontempi, E. (2025, October 23). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: Implications in school, work, and psychological wellbeing. Excelsior. https://www.excelsior.edu/article/types-of-motivation/
Burkus, D. (2025, October 29). Extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation at work. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/creative-leadership/202004/extrinsic-vs-intrinsic-motivation-at-work
Harris, A. (2024, May 11). Balancing intrinsic and extrinsic motivators for long-term employee engagement. Medium. https://medium.com/career-focus/balancing-intrinsic-and-extrinsic-motivators-for-long-term-employee-engagement-2b130935a683
Morris, L. S., Grehl, M. M., Rutter, S. B., Mehta, M., & Westwater, M. L. (2022, July 7). On what motivates us: a detailed review of intrinsic v. extrinsic motivation. Psychological Medicine, 52(10), 1801-1816. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291722001611
Muhammad, A. (n.d.). Intrinsic motivation advantages and disadvantages for organisations. Bravo. https://getbravo.io/intrinsic-motivation-advantages-and-disadvantages/
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54-67. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1020
Stockkamp, M., Kuonath, A., Kühnel, J., Kennecke, S., & Frey, D. (2022, September 29). Intrinsic motivation as a double‐edged sword: Investigating effects on well‐being and the role of flex place practices as moderator to buffer adverse effects. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being, 15(2), 611-628. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12399
ozil-goalai.com makes a fair point that relying on intrinsic motivation alone isn't realistic, and that balance argument stuck with me. The painting and sightseeing example is a good one, since those are things I'd never need a reward to keep doing. But the job that's far from pleasant and just pays the bills is probably where most of us actually live.
AI Font Generator gave me a useful frame for this piece, especially the point from Stockkamp et al. (2022) that a balance of both types is optimal rather than relying on intrinsic motivation alone. The painting and sightseeing example makes the intrinsic side feel obvious, and the job that just pays the bills is one plenty of people will
"Extrinsic vs Intrinsic Motivation" was a great read, and the practical angle stood out right away. The part around take home pay calculator really stood out to me. Looking forward to reading more like this.
AI BG Remover This was a helpful breakdown. I've always thought of intrinsic motivation as the 'ideal' kind, so it's a good reality check that a balance with extrinsic factors is actually more practical. The example about a job you don't like but need for the bills really makes that point clear.
I appreciate the clear distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. It reminds me that even when a task feels externally driven, breaking it into smaller visual pieces can make it more engaging. For instance, splitting a large image into a grid for a puzzle layout can turn a routine task into a creative challenge, which might tap into intrinsic motivation. If you're looking for a tool to experiment with this, the Image Splitter is a simple option to try.