What is motivation? Motivation is an important concept in psychology. It is important to define motivation. There are a number of theories of motivation. Below is one definition of motivation:
Motivation Definition:
Motivation is an internal process that directs and maintains behavior. Motivation is an internal process that can cause someone to move towards a certain goal.
Motivation Examples:
There may be many good examples of motivation. Below are five motivation examples:
A person who is motivated by the desire for achievement or status may spend many hours studying, apply to graduate school, and wish to become a college professor.
A person who is motivated by money may desire to work more hours for higher pay, or accept a job as a salesperson in which the pay is based on the number of products sold.
A person who is motivated by the desire for self-expression may decide to become a writer may spend many hours writing stories.
A person who is motivated by the desire to help others may become a volunteer for a nonprofit and donate a significant amount of money to nonprofits.
A person who is motivated by the need to find meaning in life may prefer to have a job that is higher in meaning and lower in pay than a job that is higher in pay and lower in meaning. (1)
Notes
1. My book, Finding Meaning, has ideas about finding meaning in life, work, and adversity.