Motivation to Change…It’s Intrinsic! A Quick Look at SDT
August 1, 2014
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Meme about motivation to change, stating "don't expect to see a change if you don't make one."Original Photo Credit: Hochspannung

This post provides a brief overview of Self-Determination Theory (SDT):

Often times, when faced with the prospect of making changes in life it can be easy to say, “I just don’t have the motivation.” Everyone knows that a lack of motivation can cause problems when trying to make real and powerful changes, and although they are aspects of the human condition, apathy and laziness are not inherent traits. They are a manifestation of discord between intrinsic inclinations and the extrinsic environment. For instance, when a student does not enjoy his or her subject of study, they are less likely to make an honest, concerted effort in their classes. When you want to move forward in life, you may resist the change because of a lack of belief in your abilities, or fear about the potential challenges of a new environment.

Edward L. Deci, professor in the Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology at the University of Rochester, and Richard M. Ryan, a Clinical Psychologist and Professor at the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at the Australian Catholic University in Sydney, Australia, created Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to study human motivation. SDT offers a new framework for studying motivation through humans’ relationships to their environment, recognizing that intrinsic (i.e., natural) motivation leads to better outcomes. SDT research and applications have gained worldwide popularity since Deci and Ryan published the preeminent book on SDT in 1985, Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior.

SDT has emerged as a key methodology in examining human motivation by highlighting the critical role that that Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness play when it comes to making positive changes.

Autonomy refers to the experience of independence while working toward a goal. Individuals who experience autonomous motivation are driven internally by things like their own curiosity or values.  Control, on the other hand, is in opposition to autonomy.  When individuals experience controlled motivation, they are less likely to make progress toward their goals. If you want to get in shape, you may lose weight if you do a “boot camp” and are made to work vigorously toward a goal. However, if you experience joy in exercising, you are more likely to continue working on your own and experience sustained positive results. Professionals trying to help others reach their goals are more apt to be successful if they support autonomy, rather than exert pressure and control. This approach, embodied in the practice of SDT as well as other intervention models, like Motivational Interviewing, also increases an individual’s sense of competence.

Competence refers to one’s (perceived) ability to accomplish tasks. If you don’t feel like you can accomplish a task, then you won’t be intrinsically motivated. The challenge here is to develop either more confidence in your ability to make progress, or to develop the necessary skills to achieve that sense of competence. Through repeated successful attempts to accomplish tasks, people develop more trust in their abilities. For instance, if you suffer from social anxiety or fear of public speaking you can increase your confidence with continued positive exposure.  Taking small steps is often easier than big ones.  With each small step and with continued practice, you can increase your ability to accomplish new behaviors.

Relatedness refers to individuals’ sense of connection to others. As a human, your need to forge strong bonds with others is paramount to survival. A strong rapport with friends, teachers, coaches, classmates, teammates, therapists, etc. will enhance a sense of belonging. For example, relatedness is essential for team-sport athletes. If a player feels disconnected from his or her coach or teammates, they may not perform to the best of their abilities. On the flip side, when players feel a strong connection to their those around them, then the opposite is true: a tendency to perform at a higher level for the both the team and for themselves.

The goal of Self-Determination Theory is to examine the aforementioned factors that impact motivation. For example, students who choose to become educated (vs. doing it for somebody else); have the aptitude for knowledge (and believe it); and have a good relationship with others in their environment are more likely to be not only motivated, but also to experience a sense of fulfillment.

In summary, people that are seeking progress in their lives must believe that:

1.) They — not other people — are driving their progress toward a goal.
2.) They have the capacity to progress toward their goal (either having the skills already, or believing they can attain them).
3.) They share a connection with the other people involved in their goal process.

It is the goal of the therapist, teacher, or coach to enhance one’s ability to live well, to think well, and to perform well. Increasing one’s sense of autonomy, improving competence, and creating strong relationships are the keys to fostering the motivation needed for positive, healthy change.  With self-determination, individuals’ experience higher self-value and greater intrinsic motivation, all of which lead to more satisfying experiences in life.

For a more in depth talk on the powerful principles behind SDT, see Professor Ed Deci’s TED talk entitled “Promoting Motivation, Health and Excellence.”

About this Contributor: John Carson, M.Ed., received a Bachelor of Arts in the Study of Religion from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Masters of Education in Psychology and Counseling with a concentration in Athletic Counseling from Springfield College. He is currently studying in the PsyD Clinical Psychology program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He has spent the last seven years working as an advisor with student-athletes at various universities. His primary interest is the mind-body relationship, its relationship to human expression, and its impact on the overall well-being of the individual.


  1. AC said on August 6, 2014

    Cool article. Thanks for sharing. Helpful points for when thinking about how to manage and motivate.

    • Your article about Self Determination Theory, examining what exactly is motivation and Laney’s reflections on what hinders and helps motivation (“Lazy is a Four Letter Word: Compassionate Ways to Increase Motivation”) has left me feeling inspired, or shall I say “motivated” 😉 to get up and do something! Both posts have illustrated how cultivating motivation is actually quite a complex task. That explains why so many of us struggle with what may seem to be making even the simplest of changes. Examining one’s own challenges with motivation (negative thinking, fixed mindset, physiological make-up, past successes and failures, etc.) can certainly help with overcoming barriers to working toward a new or seemingly unattainable goal. It is important to know where we get stuck, why we stay stuck, and once we are unstuck, how to stay in motion. Understanding how to cultivate motivation is essential to shaping goals that are growthful and manageable.

      Sir Isaac’s Newton’s laws of motion states that: an object at rest will stay at rest unless an external force acts upon it. Overcoming inertia just doesn’t happen on its own. In my experience, making goals that are attainable is actually something many of us need help with and a skill in and of itself. When we set goals that are too difficult or when we don’t know how to break larger goals down into smaller, more manageable steps, we end up disappointed, frustrated, discouraged and feeling badly about ourselves.

      Let’s use losing weight as an example to illustrate how we set ourselves up for disappointment. A person wanting to lose weight may set a goal of losing ten pounds over the next six months. This is a reasonable goal for anyone, but attaining it is actually highly involved since it involves making significant changes across various areas of one’s lifestyle. (Changes in diet, sleep, negative coping mechanisms, how one spends one’s downtime, etc. are all essential to the weight loss picture.) It is a mistake to only look only at the goal from its face value. So, this individual might decide, okay, I can do this by exercising three times a week for half an hour. S/he decides to start tomorrow but is intimidated by the expectation of having to exercise for 30 min when s/he isn’t currently exercising at all and s/he doesn’t quite know when to fit it into the daily schedule. So, tomorrow comes, exercise doesn’t happen, and s/he gives up on attempting because it’s “too hard” anyway. While 30 min of exercise doesn’t seem like much or like it should feel like too much, this step toward weight loss needed to be built up to. Perhaps, this individual would better overcome inertia by parsing the goal down into even smaller parts and enlisting the support of others to help with achieving autonomy and competence (successfully completing something you say you will and feeling good about it). Day one, put gym shoes on. (and congratulate yourself on it!) Day two: put gym shoes on and stand up and stretch. You’re done. Good work. Day three: gym, shoes, stretch, walk out the door and around the block. Day four: gym shoes, stretch, walk out the door, and around block twice. Day five: repeat with a friend and reward self with new workout gear, etc. Sounds silly, but you get the point. Success happens when one sets SMART goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (Peter Drucker).

      We are also more likely to be motivated to work toward things we value and are a high priority for us. Which leads me to my real point. Find ways to have fun! Life is too serious not to. Making changes and finding motivation doesn’t have to be something we want to avoid. Why not do something you really like and are good at but just more of it? Or, if something is more difficult, start very small and very easy, leaving judgment at the door. Finding an outlet for your creativity or for pure expression creates a freedom within to explore and feel joy. Feeling good and a sense of accomplishment will come as a result and could inspire you to do more, hence, helping to successfully cultivate motivation to “live well”. Tomorrow I’m going to spend the first ten minutes upon waking playing with my toddler and baby (before breakfast and thinking about planning even if that means we’ll be running late) so I can try to see the world through their eyes and lift myself up from the slog of daily parenting.

      An object in motion will not change its velocity unless an external force acts upon it. Understanding that autonomy, competence and relatedness are components of motivation is useful for setting goals that are realistic and attainable, enabling us to turn a desire or wish for growth into action.

      • Lara, I like the idea of inertia as it applies to SDT. I think the most important part of setting goals, goal attainment, etc, is deeply valuing that which you wish to attain. The value, an intrinsic motivator (eg. a way to have fun), is impetus to begin moving in a desired direction.

    • AC, I think SDT is really important when managing and encouraging the best in others. Many successful individuals/geniuses had their autonomy inhibited before breaking free and creating great things.

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