The Ingredients to Motivation
If you take two athletes…
where one is genetically gifted, and the other is an average Joe, it’s easy to predict who will likely become the better athlete. But, if you add the factor of motivation, where the gifted athlete has little motivation and the average Joe has a burning desire to work hard every day…things get more complicated.
Motivation is a fickle trait that has a dire impact on mood and performance.
In practice, motivation is important to maintain discipline and effectively prepare for competitions so you feel confident and perform near your potential. In games, motivation can be the difference between a win and a loss as every second or inch counts.
This article will go through 3 essential components that make up the foundation of motivation based on the highly regarded research by Ryan and Deci (2000).
First off, competence. This is essentially how skilled someone perceives themselves in a certain skill. Competence is similar to confidence. Confidence is more of an all-encompassing feeling about a situation, not a specific skill. It stands, then, that higher competence across multiple dimensions of one’s sport leads to more confidence, and who doesn’t love confidence? As it stands with motivation, though, it is easy to imagine why an athlete feels a dip in it if they don’t perceive themselves as competent. If a soccer player, for example, struggles passing and shooting, they may feel frustrated and dread going to practices and games. Finding ways to gain more competence as a result of effective practices as well as change your self-talk to facilitate a higher perception of competence will do wonders for motivation.
Secondly, control also impacts motivation. If a player feels exceptionally competent in their sport but has little or no say on decisions like the position they play, what plays they can make, how they practice, or where they will go for school to play, motivation declines. Humans enjoy a sense of control. We get beaten down a bit when we feel like we have no control. By sapping athletes of control throughout the ways they practice and play their sport will lead to declines in motivation. Giving them some choice and say, like what drills to add or change in practice, can go a long way in maintaining motivation.
Lastly, connection cannot be overlooked when considering motivation. This connection refers to one’s social connection with teammates, coaches, and their general community in the sport. If the star athlete on a team feels alienated and doesn’t have any friends, it won’t push them to be their best and fight hard for their team. Conversely, if an athlete feels inspired and understood by their coach or thoroughly enjoys their time with teammates, motivation is bound to increase. It’s not wonder why so many teams spend time on team-bonding activities in the beginning and throughout seasons - better connections with teammates facilitates motivation.
Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or parent, you can look at these 3 ingredients to motivation and consider what can be improved. Athletes ought to change their ways to perceive themselves as competent or make changes in their methods to become competent. They can also advocate for themselves to enjoy more control over their sporting career. Initiating conversations and going the extra mile to connect with teammates, even when it feels uncomfortable, is oftentimes worth it in the end. Coaches and parents can also make an impact based on these ingredients, like facilitating connection or relinquishing control when appropriate.
References
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68 –78.
