This section looks at why people do things, what encourages them to take action, and what helps them continue when something becomes difficult.
This is particularly important in life coaching because having a goal does not automatically mean someone feels motivated to achieve it.
For example, someone might want to return to education but feel anxious about studying, lack confidence or worry about failing.
A coach needs to understand what matters to that person and what might help them move forward.
1. Intrinsic motivation
Intrinsic motivation comes from within the individual.
Someone does something because they find it personally rewarding, interesting or satisfying.
Examples include:
Learning because they enjoy gaining knowledge.
Painting because they enjoy being creative.
Swimming because they enjoy the activity.
Studying psychology because they are curious about human behaviour.
Helping others because they find it meaningful.
Developing a skill because they enjoy seeing their progress.
The reward is the personal satisfaction of doing the activity.
For example, someone might study life coaching because they genuinely want to understand how people develop confidence and achieve their goals.
They may not receive money, a qualification or recognition for every hour they spend studying. Their interest in learning is itself a source of motivation.
2. Extrinsic motivation
Extrinsic motivation comes from external influences.
Someone does something because of a reward, benefit, expectation or pressure.
Examples include:
Studying to gain a qualification.
Working to earn money.
Completing training to obtain promotion.
Receiving recognition for an achievement.
Attending an appointment because someone expects them to.
Completing a task to avoid a penalty.
The motivation is connected to something outside the activity itself.
For example, someone might complete a life coaching course because they want a recognised certificate that could help with employment.
They might enjoy the subject too, but the qualification is an external incentive.
3. Comparing the two types
Intrinsic motivation | Extrinsic motivation |
|---|---|
Comes from within. | Comes from external influences. |
Personal satisfaction. | External reward or consequence. |
Interest and curiosity. | Money, qualifications or recognition. |
Enjoyment of learning. | Completing training for promotion. |
Personal achievement. | Receiving an award. |
Neither type is automatically better.
People can be motivated by both at the same time.
4. How intrinsic and extrinsic motivation work together
The two types of motivation can overlap.
Imagine someone wants to become a disability awareness trainer.
They might have several reasons:
Intrinsic reasons | Extrinsic reasons |
|---|---|
They enjoy helping people learn. | They want a recognised qualification. |
They are interested in disability awareness. | They want to improve employment opportunities. |
They find training personally rewarding. | They want professional recognition. |
They want to develop their knowledge. | They may want to earn an income. |
Both sets of reasons can encourage the person to work towards the same goal.
Can external rewards reduce internal motivation?
Sometimes, but not always.
For example, someone who enjoys painting might begin to feel pressured if they are constantly told they must sell their paintings or win competitions.
The activity could become more about external expectations than personal enjoyment.
However, external encouragement can also be positive.
A certificate, supportive feedback or recognition can help someone feel proud of their progress.
The important difference is whether the external influence supports the person's choices or makes them feel controlled.
5. Another important psychological theory: Self-Determination Theory
One useful theory for understanding motivation is Self-Determination Theory.
It identifies three important psychological needs that can support motivation.
1. Autonomy
Having choice and some control over your own decisions.
Example: A client chooses which personal goal they want to work towards.
2. Competence
Feeling capable of developing skills and making progress.
Example: A client learns a new skill through manageable activities and recognises their improvement.
3. Relatedness
Feeling connected to other people and experiencing a sense of belonging.
Example: A client feels respected, listened to and supported by their coach.
These three needs are particularly relevant to inclusive coaching.
A client may struggle to stay motivated if:
Other people make all their decisions.
They are repeatedly told what they cannot do.
They feel they do not belong.
Their achievements are overlooked.
They do not receive the adjustments they need.
A coach can help by supporting choice, recognising progress and building a respectful relationship.
6. Motivation and disability awareness
There is an important distinction between not feeling motivated and experiencing barriers that make something difficult to achieve.
For example, imagine a disabled person wants to find employment.
They may be genuinely motivated, but face:
Inaccessible application forms.
Limited transport options.
Discrimination or low expectations.
A lack of suitable workplace adjustments.
Complicated benefits or employment information.
Limited support with job searching.
It would be unfair to assume that the person lacks motivation simply because they have not found employment.
The coach should explore the barriers as well as the person's wishes.
This links with the social model of disability: sometimes the environment or system creates obstacles that prevent participation.
Motivation is not the same as ability or opportunity
A person can:
Want to achieve something but not know how to start.
Have the skills but lack confidence.
Have motivation but lack practical support.
Have a goal but need more time.
Need to reconsider a goal because their circumstances have changed.
A good coach explores these differences rather than simply telling someone to try harder.
7. Applying motivation to coaching questions
A coach can use questions to discover what motivates an individual.
Coaching question | What it explores |
|---|---|
What makes this goal important to you? | Personal values and intrinsic motivation. |
What would achieving this goal mean to you? | Personal satisfaction and purpose. |
What would encourage you to keep going? | Sources of motivation. |
What might make this goal difficult? | Barriers and challenges. |
What support would help you continue? | Practical and emotional support. |
How would you like to recognise your progress? | Personal achievement and rewards. |
The coach should not assume that the same reward motivates everyone.
One person may value money, another may value recognition, and someone else may simply enjoy learning something new.
8. Practical example: Returning to education
Imagine a client wants to return to college.
The client's reasons
They enjoy learning about a particular subject.
They want to improve their confidence.
They would like to gain a qualification.
They hope the qualification will improve their employment opportunities.
Possible intrinsic motivation
Enjoying learning, developing knowledge and gaining personal satisfaction.
Possible extrinsic motivation
Gaining a qualification, improving employment opportunities and receiving recognition.
What the coach explores
What does the client enjoy learning?
What qualification would they like?
What might prevent them from attending?
Would accessible learning materials help?
What adjustments or support might be available?
What first step would they like to take?
The coach helps the client connect their personal reasons for learning with practical opportunities.
The client remains in control of their decision.
9. Knowledge check
1. Someone paints because they enjoy being creative. What type of motivation is this?
2. Someone completes a course to gain a qualification for employment. What type of motivation is involved?
3. What are the three psychological needs in Self-Determination Theory?
Main learning points
Intrinsic motivation: Doing something because it is personally rewarding or interesting.
Extrinsic motivation: Doing something because of an external reward, benefit or pressure.
Both can work together: People often have several reasons for pursuing a goal.
Autonomy, competence and relatedness: Choice, capability and connection can support motivation.
Inclusive coaching: Explore barriers and support needs rather than assuming someone is simply unmotivated.
One particularly important point for your mentoring and coaching studies is that encouragement cannot remove every barrier. Sometimes people need accessible information, practical assistance, reasonable adjustments or changes to the environment before they can act on their motivation.
That is an important distinction between motivating someone and actually enabling them to participate.
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