Internal versus External

trejon

Motivation is a set of internal and external influences that initiate various behaviors and dictate what those behaviors will look like, their direction, intensity and length. Any particular motivation results from various types of interaction between individual (internal) and environmental (external) characteristics that will ultimately spark the actions that people take. Individual characteristics consist of an individual’s personality traits, personal needs, perceptual makeup, and cognitive development (ways of thinking). External factors include things like rules, job requirements, social norms, government regulations and laws.

Which one of these two motivators would you give the most credit for your desire to change your eating behavior and why?

Mine would be EXTERNAL! I loved myself healthy (175lbs) and unhealthy (208lbs) and did not feel the need nor desire to change. However once I started watching my father's decrease in kidney function and loss of sight, my aunt lose a leg to diabetes, and my mother having to swallow a hand full of pills daily I had to make a change! So my wakeup call came from the outside and it took some time for the internal to understand and jump on board. However now both are on the same page and I feel really good inside and outside:flowerforyou: .