The 7 Types of Motivation:
What Motivates You?
1. Achievement motivation: This internal motivation is led by the rewarding feeling of accomplishment from completing the task. Achievement motivation can be a helpful work motivation.
2. Affiliation motivation: Also known as social motivation, this type of external motivation is driven by social groups. In social motivation, the desire to belong drives action. For example, if you want to establish a social relationship with team members, you might be driven to collaborate on projects and spend time with them inside and outside of your work environment.
3. Attitude motivation: In attitude motivation, you are driven by changing the way people think and feel, which can affect how you think and feel. For instance, you may be driven to volunteer in a soup kitchen, because helping people makes you feel good.
4. Competence motivation: This type of internal motivation pushes people to learn and become proficient in a skill. For instance, a surgeon who spent years honing their skills will experience immense job satisfaction and positive validation from knowing they perform their work with competence.
5. Fear motivation: This is a negative motivator because fear and the avoidance of negative consequences are sources of motivation. For example, the fear of getting fired can be a motivator to take on new projects at work. Fear motivation can be bad in the long term because it causes emotional stress.
6. Incentive motivation: Incentive motivation encourages people to complete a task for an external reward. For example, an incentive of a raise or promotion is a powerful type of employee motivation.
7. Power motivation: This type of motivation comes from needing a sense of autonomy and control over your own life, basic needs, and well-being. Power motivation can have adverse effects if you exert control over the lives of others.