Picture a cowboy riding a horse across the open plains at dawn. Why’s he riding?
If he’s doing it for the sheer joy of the wind in his hair and the rhythm of the gallop, that’s intrinsic motivation. If he’s doing it because someone promised him a gold star, a paycheck, or a slice of pecan pie at the end of the trail, that’s extrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic Motivation Theory is all about that first cowboy: the one who rides because he loves the ride. And as it turns out, that kind of motivation is one of the most powerful (and satisfying) forces in human behavior.
See for yourself!
Meet the Theory (and Its Creators)
Any cowboy will tell you: if you’re going to tell a story, it’s best to start from the beginning.
Back in the 1970s, psychologist Edward Deci started poking at a weird question: why do people sometimes lose interest in things they used to enjoy when you start paying them for it?
He ran experiments with puzzles. At first, participants happily solved them for fun on day 1 of the experiment.
But when Deci started paying them on day 2, something odd happened: once the money stopped on day 3, their interest plummeted.
It was like the cowboy who just loved riding but was now being told he’d get $5 a mile. Out of nowhere, it suddenly felt like work.
Deci’s conclusion? External rewards can sometimes undermine our natural enjoyment. He called this the overjustification effect, and it became one of the building blocks for what we now call Intrinsic Motivation Theory.
Later, Deci teamed up with Richard Ryan, and together they expanded these ideas into the much bigger framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT).
So, because these sometimes get a bit confusing, you can think of Intrinsic Motivation Theory as the cowboy, and SDT as the whole ranch.
The Big Idea
The heart of Intrinsic Motivation Theory is simple: sometimes we do things not because we have to, not because we’re bribed, but because they’re fun, interesting, or satisfying.
It’s the difference between:
- Extrinsic Cowboy: “I’m riding this horse because my boss told me to.”
- Intrinsic Cowboy: “I’m riding this horse because dang it, I just love the ride.”
Intrinsic motivation is why kids will spend hours building Lego castles without anyone asking, why gamers lose track of time in a dungeon raid, and why some people run marathons even though no one is chasing them.
It’s motivation that comes from the inside out.
The Core Components of Intrinsic Motivation
Researchers have found that intrinsic motivation tends to flourish when a few conditions are met.
These aren’t necessarily strict rules, but you can think of them as the cowboy’s gear. True, you don’t need a good saddle, but it sure helps!
Curiosity
Humans are basically toddlers with better shoes and credit scores. We poke, prod, and Google things just because we want to know.
Curiosity fuels intrinsic motivation by making discovery its own reward.
It’s why you click on one Wikipedia article about horses and suddenly it’s 2 a.m. and you’re reading about the technical nuances of Mongolian saddle design and about to order a ton of equipment on Amazon for your new hobby.
No one paid you. No one threatened you.
You just had to know.
Challenge
Humans are also a little fickle when it comes to what motivates us. We love a good challenge, so long as it’s not impossible.
Too easy and we’re bored; too hard and we’re frustrated. But when it’s just right, we hit what psychologists call flow, that magical zone where time completely disappears and you feel like a cowboy perfectly in sync with his horse.
It’s why you’ll play “just one more round” of a video game or spend hours tweaking a recipe until it’s perfect. The challenge itself becomes addictive.
Control
Intrinsic motivation thrives when you feel like you’re in charge.
If you choose to learn guitar, you’ll happily practice for hours. If someone forces you to, you’ll probably fantasize about smashing the guitar over their head.
Control is the cowboy holding the reins.
If you’re steering your own horse, the ride feels free and exhilarating. If someone else is yanking the reins, it feels like drudgery.
Fantasy & Play
Sometimes intrinsic motivation also comes from imagination and play.
Kids pretend to be superheroes not for a gold star, but because it’s fun.
And adults aren’t immune either, by the way. Why else would we spend hours role-playing in video games or debating whether Batman could beat Iron Man in a fistfight?
Play is the cowboy tipping his hat, singing to the prairie, and enjoying the ride… just because.
Breaking It Down: Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
To really get Intrinsic Motivation Theory, you have to see how it stacks up against its fraternal twin: extrinsic motivation.
They’re both cowboys, but one’s riding for joy and the other’s riding for a paycheck.
Intrinsic Motivation
- Comes from inside you.
- Fueled by curiosity, enjoyment, and personal satisfaction.
- Feels energizing and often leads to deep engagement (i.e, that “flow” state we talked about earlier).
- Example: You learn coding because you love solving puzzles.
Extrinsic Motivation
- Comes from outside you.
- Fueled by rewards, punishments, or social pressure.
- Feels more like “I have to” than “I want to.”
- Example: You learn coding because your boss said you need to.
One of those sounds a lot more fun than the other, right?
But don’t get it twisted, partner. We’re not playing favorites here!
The fact of the matter is that neither of these types of motivation is “bad.”
Extrinsic motivation can be useful for getting started. The most interesting job in the world doesn’t count for much if they’re not paying you. After all, you still have to… you know… live.
But intrinsic motivation matters because it’s usually more sustainable and fulfilling because you’re riding for the love of the ride, not just the carrot dangling in front of your horse.
Maybe you could make better money over at some other job than the one that you currently have and love, but the work is mind-numbingly boring, and you know you will hate every moment of it.
Is it really worth the extra money knowing that you’ll spend every day counting the seconds on the clock?
A Day in the Life
As one more way of illustrating this point, let’s meet Monica, who’s trying to learn Spanish.
- If Monica studies because she loves languages and gets a thrill out of rolling her r’s, that’s intrinsic motivation.
- If she studies because her boss promised a raise, that’s extrinsic motivation.
- And if Monica stares at the textbook and feels absolutely nothing, that’s amotivation (and maybe time for a siesta).
Same activity, three totally different motivational flavors.
Why It Matters
Understanding intrinsic motivation matters because it explains why some activities feel effortless while others feel like pulling teeth.
It’s not just about self-discipline; it’s about whether the activity lights up your curiosity, gives you a sense of challenge, or simply feels fun.
Teachers can use this by designing engaging lessons that spark curiosity in students instead of just dangling grades. Meanwhile, managers can use it by giving employees autonomy and meaningful challenges instead of micromanaging.
And the rest of us can use it by noticing what activities make us lose track of time because those are the ones that feed our intrinsic motivation.
And if you want to go deeper? This is where Self-Determination Theory comes in. SDT is the broader framework that shows why intrinsic motivation works so well by explaining how it connects to our universal needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Check out our Self-Determination Theory article for the full roundup.
Critiques and Limitations
Critics point out that not everything can (or even should) be intrinsically motivating.
Sometimes you just need to do your taxes, and no amount of “finding the joy” will make that fun. You can try tricks like temptation bundling to make it less painful, but the reality is that the IRS doesn’t want to hear that you “just didn’t feel like doing them.”
Others argue that intrinsic motivation can be fragile. As we learned earlier in this article, once you add external rewards, it’s easy to kill the vibe.
Still, research shows that when people are intrinsically motivated, they perform better, stick with tasks longer, and enjoy the process more.
It’s like being the cowboy who rides because he loves the wind in his hair. You can bet that he’ll keep riding long after the paycheck cowboy has gone home.
Tomato Takeaway
Intrinsic Motivation Theory says the best motivation isn’t about carrots or sticks.
More than anything, it’s about doing things just because they’re fun, interesting, or satisfying. Extrinsic motivation can get you moving, but intrinsic motivation is what keeps you going.
So saddle up, cowboy. Ride for the love of the ride.
Just don’t leave without joining the conversation in today’s Tomato Takeaway!
What’s one thing you do purely for the joy of it? I’m talking no rewards, no pressure, no “shoulds”. And what’s one thing you only do because you have to?
Share your answers in the comments below if you intrinsically want to. We promise not to bribe you with gold stars or pecan pie!
Fueled by coffee and curiosity, Jeff is a veteran blogger with an MBA and a lifelong passion for psychology. Currently finishing an MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology (and eyeing that PhD), he’s on a mission to make science-backed psychology fun, clear, and accessible for everyone. When he’s not busting myths or brewing up new articles, you’ll probably find him at the D&D table or hunting for his next great cup of coffee.