The Science of Motivation
How your brain generates drive and persistence
1. Two Types of Motivation
Fig 1: The motivation spectrum (Deci & Ryan, 2000)
Intrinsic
- Internal satisfaction
- Curiosity-driven
- Long-lasting
Extrinsic
- External rewards
- Money/grades
- Short-term boost
2. The Dopamine Reward System
Fig 2: Dopamine pathways in motivation
Key Findings:
- Dopamine spikes before achieving rewards (anticipation)
- 50% higher activity in nucleus accumbens for motivated individuals
- Prefrontal cortex regulates motivational drive
3. The Science of Effective Goal Setting
Fig 3: SMART goal framework (Locke & Latham, 2002)
📈 Progress Principle
Small wins boost motivation by 2.5× (Amabile & Kramer, 2011)
🎯 Challenge Balance
Goals should be 4% beyond current ability (Neuroscience, 2018)
🔑 Motivation Essentials
- Intrinsic motivation yields deeper engagement
- Dopamine drives goal pursuit (not just rewards)
- SMART goals increase success rates by 76%
- Progress tracking is the #1 motivator