Many people enthusiastically start a fitness / CrossFit journey with a group lesson or personal trainer in Breda , but many also drop out in the end. What makes some people achieve their goals and others not? The answer often lies in the motivation that drives them. Research, such as this one as an example , shows that the type of motivation has a major influence on whether or not you achieve success in fitness. In this article, we explore the different types of motivation and provide practical steps to transform your motivation for lasting success.
The Different Types of Motivation
Motivation is a complex phenomenon that can be experienced in different ways. According to the self-determination theory (SDT), there are different forms of motivation, each of which influences our behavior and our perseverance in their own way.
1. Externally Regulated Motivation
This form of motivation comes from external incentives, such as rewards or avoiding punishments. For example: you go to the gym to look good for others, or because someone else encouraged you.
2. Introjective Regulation
This is where motivation comes from internal pressures, such as guilt or fear of rejection. For example, people exercise to avoid feeling guilty if they don’t go. It is more focused on Avoiding negative emotions than on achieving positive goals.
3. Identified Regulation
This is a slightly more autonomous form of motivation. You do not exercise because someone else expects you to, but because you yourself see the importance of a healthy lifestyle. For example: you exercise because you understand that it is good for your health, even though you do not always enjoy it.
4. Intrinsic Motivation
This is the most natural form of motivation. Here you exercise purely because you enjoy it and get satisfaction from it. For example: you like running because you experience the feeling of freedom, or you enjoy strength training because you find it challenging. With intrinsic motivation, no external factor or pressure is needed to get you moving; the pleasure in the activity itself is enough.
5. Integrated Regulation
This is the most sustainable form of motivation. Fitness is fully integrated into your identity and lifestyle. It is not something you do because you “have to,” but because it is a fundamental part of who you are. For example, you see yourself as someone who is active and fit, and working out feels like a natural part of your daily life.
Why Introjective and External Motivation Often Fail
Many people start with a personal trainer or group class for external or introjective motivation. For example, this could be because they want to lose weight for a wedding, or because they are afraid of health problems. While this type of motivation can be effective at first, it is often not strong enough to sustain in the long run. When obstacles such as lack of time, fatigue or boredom arise, people with external or introjective motivation often lose their drive and give up.
A wide range of studies have shown that introjective motivation tends to have a negative relationship with sports. People feel pressured, guilty, or even anxious, which results in a greater likelihood of giving up and feeling like failure. This type of motivation is often tied to short-term goals, such as rapid weight loss, rather than sustainable lifestyle changes.
The Importance of Integrated and Intrinsic Motivation
People who successfully achieve or reach their fitness or CrossFit goals often have intrinsic or integrated motivation. They exercise because they enjoy it, it is important, it is interesting, or because it fits their identity. This makes them consistent, even when things get tough.
Benefits of Intrinsic and Integrated Motivation
Long-term Perseverance – People with intrinsic or integrated motivation continue to exercise, even when (major) obstacles come their way.
Positive Experience – Exercising does not feel like an obligation, but like a positive experience that you look forward to.
Healthy Relationship With Exercise – You exercise because you like it and it suits you, not because you force yourself. This leads to a better balance and more satisfaction.
What is interesting to take away is that an (important) activity such as sports does not (always) have to be fun to keep it up for a long time.
In the next section we will provide you with practical tools that you can use to change internal motivation into a more sustainable form of motivation.
