Intrinsic or Extrinsic............which are you?

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  • redcat17
    redcat17 Posts: 267 Member
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    I would say I am more intrinsic, almost to fault, because if I don't enjoy doing something I find it hard to do. For getting fit and healthy my motivation is decidedly intrinsic. If fits in to a bigger picture for me, about being healthy ( and in turn, happier) for the rest of my life. I also might add that I look forward to my work outs because I have a high-stress job and I find it alleviates most, if not all of the stress.
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
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    I would say a big majority of my motivation is extrinsic. I want to look good, and be desirable. The other part is enjoying being healthier as well.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,566 Member
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    Intrinsically motivated people are found to be more happy with themselves according to studies. Makes sense. Try working toward being more intrinsically motivated than extrinsically motivated.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    fantastic post. I started Extrinsic, but I quickly became Intrinsic :-)

    same happened to me. Now its almost all intrinsic.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    Thank you for posting this. It has helped me today.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    A little of both. My main motivation is to be healthy. I also want to look good. Not for anything specific..
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
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    My intrinsic clients did it for health, to be more active and to feel better and stronger. Consequently they are still achieving.

    Just a thought regarding the above...doing it to feel stronger etc - could that still be classed as extrinsic - in that they may not enjoy doing the exercise itself, but enjoy the benefits it provides? To be truly intrinsic should it be that they enjoy the feeling that bench pressing gives them and would do it whether they got stronger or not?

    Not an argument - a genuine question...
  • littlelaura
    littlelaura Posts: 1,028 Member
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    Intrinsic 100%, pretty much all my life, I would never be able to be motivated by money or material rewards, status or what others think , its all about me and at the end of the day, when everyone else is gone and you sit all alone with yourself, your own thoughts, feelings, you reflect, and if you are okay with the person you see in the mirror, that you lived life witih all you got. For me my rewards come from things such as I like to give of myself to others, I never feel I need to be acknowledged for it and would even feel awkward being acknowledged. I kind of like doing good deeds in stealth mode. I think life is entirely about the experience and how collecting tons of them not tons of things impacts who we are and shapes how we change and grow spiritually. The more good memories of family, friends, events in our lives, things I've achieved as personal triumphs over road blocks in my life, and gained inner personal strength are the gifts I gave to myself , they truly are the best gift in life. There is nothing on earth money could buy that could be a greater gift than the gift Ive given to myself of renewed health and in return for that a quiet self confidence and peace that I am where I am supose to be and happy in life, I will continue to learn, become even more than I am today and enjoy the ride of life.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
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    Intrinsic

    I have always - since I started in September of 2010 - just wanted to work on getting fit and healthy because I want to live a fit and healthy lifestyle.

    Additionally, I love participating in challenges and races and things like that but never care if I win or even finish in the top half - I just like the challenge of pushing my own limits.

    :)
  • johnwhitent
    johnwhitent Posts: 648 Member
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    The older I get the more intrinsic I become with exercise. I love feeling stronger and faster, more so than the number on the scale. I feel silly when I think about how important that used to be to me. However, I will admit that having two sisters induces a bit of extrinsic motivation to working out. We all want to be the strongest/fastest; I think its still proactive though.
    It's interesting that you brought that up because I have noticed that my "older" clients goals aren't that of "physique" goals, but that of health and something that they can do daily, where my "younger" clients specifically are trying to reach goals like lower body fat %, getting rid of the muffin top, getting six pack abs, etc.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    This is me! At 59 I am sooo intrinsic. I don't need a pat on the back, an "atta boy," or a "wtg," and I am not trying to look good for others. I am singularly focused on better health and fitness. It's not that I'm a great guy, I just figure I have only so many years left and I want them to be good ones. I cycle, run, and strength train but I do almost all of my exercise alone and I have never participated in a race or other event. Come to think of it, I am just fear motivated - fear of getting old! Is that even intrinsic?
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
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    To actually answer the question - I would say mine is a bit of both.

    There are days when I could easily not bother going, when I'm feeling low on energy and feel like I'm going to pass out as I'm working out. Then there are others where I'm craving all day to get in the gym after work.

    Regardless of how I feel about working out - I always have the extrinsic motivation in that I am looking progressively better.

    Compare that to football (soccer), I play that even though it actively detriments my muscle gaining. I don't really see much benefit from it, but that is totally not the point for me. I just love playing.
  • TinaCleg_cancel
    TinaCleg_cancel Posts: 276
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    Definitely extrinsic. I have not found the love of excercise. I am doing it to change the way I look and feel. I hope to someday workout because I really love it
  • m60kaf
    m60kaf Posts: 421 Member
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    Well I don't think that information is much use A bit like asking are you a tired person or full of energy

    'You know your quite confident but I can tell u are a little bit insecure'

    I just like to experiment wid 'tings but I could live wiv abs
  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
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    Aren't most people a mixture of both? I would find it very hard to say that I am one or the other exclusively in all areas of my life.
  • bbygrl5
    bbygrl5 Posts: 964 Member
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    Absolutely both types of motivation throughout every facet of my life, but I do feel my motivation shifting more and more toward the intrinsic when it comes to fitness.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
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    I'm mostly intrinsic. I do a majority of the things I do because I simply enjoy doing them. Like exercise. I like looking fit and healthy, of course, but for me, I'm more fulfilled when my body performs well and allows me to do things I enjoy. I love having legs that can runs miles and miles through the woods, and I love having arms that are strong enough to handle doctoring cows. I love feeling healthy and able to handle things that come my way. I don't particularly care how my body looks as a result, I just care that it performs its given functions, and that it does them well.

    I'm also that way with education. I go to school and do well in classes because I enjoy learning, and love being able to grasp concepts. I like getting good grades, of course, but that is just because good grades will allow me into the program I want. I don't need good grades to feel like school is worthwhile.
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
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    Just took a meyers briggs test lol
    I'm VERY intrinsic.
    Interesting information thanks for sharing!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,566 Member
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    Just took a meyers briggs test lol
    I'm VERY intrinsic.
    Interesting information thanks for sharing!
    Post the test for others to take.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,566 Member
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    BUMP

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