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Motivation has been anecdotally referred to as the “secret sauce” for seeing and keeping results in the fitness journey. Influencers, coaches, and athletes alike “make it look so easy” because they seem constantly motivated. By similar logic, lack of motivation is often the scapegoat for stalls in progress.
So what is the science behind motivation? Is it really a prerequisite for sustaining a healthy lifestyle? Let’s dive in.
Starting with the Research
In 2011, a study was conducted on how two different types of motivation influence learning (Murayama & Elliot, 2011). Two groups of participants performed a problem-solving task: one group with the goal of MASTERY, the other with a goal of PERFORMANCE compared to other participants.
- The Performance group showed better memory and cognitive ability initially.
- But when both groups were assessed one week later, participants in the Mastery group showed better long-term memory performance overall.
Let’s come back to that.
What About Reward Systems?
Social psychology suggests that extrinsic rewards can sometimes undermine intrinsic motivation—this is called the undermining effect. In short, extrinsic rewards aren’t always beneficial for learning, especially if someone is genuinely interested in the task.
A 2010 neuroimaging study found less activation in the brain’s reward network when participants were given a monetary reward based on performance (Murayama, Matsumoto, Izuma & Matsumoto, 2010). This and other studies demonstrate nuance in reward systems.
- Rewards are effective when a task does not have intrinsic value.
- Rewards may undermine motivation when a person is already interested in the task.
Applying the Research to Fitness
Let’s sum up what we’ve learned:
- Performance goals help with short-term learning.
- Mastery goals facilitate long-term learning.
- Rewards work best when the task is not inherently enjoyable.
- Rewards are less effective when a person already enjoys the activity.
Example A - Creating Healthy Habits for Someone Who Doesn't Love Exercise
Sally started her fitness journey but doesn’t love exercise. She wants to increase her daily steps but finds walks boring and time-consuming. She also works a desk job.
Sally sets a short-term goal of 7,000 steps daily over the next two weeks. She focuses on:
- Parking farther from work
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Walking in the hallways on breaks
If she achieves her goal, she treats herself to a pedicure.
Outcome: Over time, Sally builds new habits, like taking the stairs regularly, without relying on rewards.
Example B - Improving a Habit for Someone Who Loves to Cook
Simon just began his fitness journey and wants to make healthier meals—but he already loves cooking.
He invests in a 5-Ingredient Healthy Meals Cookbook and picks up new groceries to experiment with. He’s excited to try two new recipes each week.
Outcome: Simon is intrinsically motivated to cook, so he doesn’t need an external reward. He just needs to master healthier recipes, which starts with changing how he shops and cooks.
In Conclusion…
Motivation matters, but we all have different intrinsic motivators. Avoid comparing your own motivation to others and instead try this:
Ask “Why?” 3-5 times:
Why do I want to make healthy life changes?
→ Because I’m tired of feeling tired and I want more energy.
Why do you want that?
→ Because I want to perform better at work and keep up with my kids.
Why is that important?
→ Because I want a promotion and I want my kids to grow up with healthy influences.
Why?
→ Because I want to enhance our quality of life.
Need help optimizing your protocols to reach your health and fitness goals? Let us help by putting an expert in your corner to help you get there faster and maintain that progress for life! Learn more about our online health coaching by clicking here!
References
- Murayama, K., & Elliot, A.J. (2011). Achievement motivation and memory: Achievement goals differentially influence immediate and delayed remember–know recognition memory. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37(10), 1339-1348.
- Murayama, K., Matsumoto, M., Izuma, K., & Matsumoto, K. (2010). Neural basis of the undermining effect of monetary reward on intrinsic motivation. PNAS Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(49), 20911-20916.
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