Intrinsic motivation refers to the act of doing something that does not have any obvious external rewards. You do it because it’s enjoyable and interesting to you, not because of any outside incentive or pressures, like rewards or deadlines. In short, intrinsic motivation is performing an activity for its own sake rather than the desire for some external reward or out of some external pressure. Essentially, the behavior itself is its own reward.  

Intrinsic motivation is more about personal growth, a sense of duty, and the recognition of purpose, while extrinsic motivation is more about financial incentives, status, and public recognition. Let’s look at some intrinsic motivation examples: 

Intrinsic Motivation 

Examples 

Playing sports because you enjoy how they make you feel 

Staying longer at work because you believe in your work 

Using positive affirmations because you want to change your mindset positively 

Investing money because you want to become financially independent 

Traveling because you want to explore different cultures 

Working in a team because you enjoy collaboration 

Learning about personal development because you want to improve yourself 

Going to the playground with your children because it makes you happy 

Studying because you are curious about the topics 

Trying to be a good leader because you want to inspire