Intrinsic motivation and how your “why” powers change

Your “why” in health coaching is very important. It’s your reason for wanting to change and is the motivating force behind what you do and how you do it. It’s important because it keeps you moving forward throughout the process of change, especially when things become challenging, and can be a determinant in your success or failure.

What drives your why?

Extrinsic motivation is an external force outside of yourself. It can be rooted in approval from others (praise and acknowledgement), in receiving some kind of external reward (like getting a raise at work), or in avoiding punishment (like a child getting in trouble if they don’t clean their room).

You might not even really want to do a certain task, but you do it for the sake of the reward. This is okay if it’s a once-off task or something of short duration. It might even lead to intrinsic motivation over time as the task or activity “grows” on you. Sometimes a little jumpstart is needed to get going!

In health coaching, an external reward can be a handy tool to use at the beginning of making changes. It can provide the inspiration needed to continue a behavior or task until it becomes a habit. Small incentives are powerful motivational tools until intrinsic motivation forms.

Unfortunately, the opposite can also happen. Over time, and depending on the task, how difficult it is, or what you value, the reward may lose its appeal and no longer be a motivating force. Additionally, constant external rewards can actually keep internal motivation from developing. And, if there is no internal motivation to continue, it’s all too easy to find excuses for not doing the task.

While extrinsic motivation is an outside force, intrinsic motivation is an internal force.

It’s motivation coming from the inside. You choose to do a task because you want to; because you desire it, you know that the efforts you make will matter, and know you will gain satisfaction by doing it. Just the act of doing whatever the activity is brings enjoyment or excitement. The results aren’t what matters; just making the effort is a reward in itself.

Whether extrinsic or intrinsic, willpower is an ingredient in both.

The dictionary definition of willpower is “the ability to control one’s own actions, emotions, or urges” and “strong determination that allows one to do something difficult.”

To make a choice or a change, you have to exercise your will. Even if you are internally motivated to do something, you still have to choose to take action steps to follow through. Some of the action steps are not easy! They require effort on your part, determination, perseverance, strength of character, and firmness of purpose.

This is where faith and your personal relationship with God come in.

As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have a source of power within you: Holy Spirit. Instead of relying only on your own strength, you can tap into that divine power, which is there to help you facilitate change from within.

He becomes your why! He becomes your reason and motivation, and when that happens, change happens!

It’s no longer about fitting into clothes, watching the numbers on the scale, or being concerned about how you look—all external things.

It’s about deepening your relationship with the One who created you and knows you best. The One who loves you immensely and beyond measure. And as you come to know that truth and begin to walk in that truth, change happens as a natural consequence of divine internal motivation.

Acts 17:28 is a perfect affirmation of how He is your why: “It is through Him that we are able to live, to do what we do, and to be who we are” (ERV).

You are because Jesus is!

He is the reason for your existence; the substance of your being. When you come to that realization, your why becomes to live for Him, through Him, and by Him. A spark is ignited, and suddenly, and sometimes unexpectedly, you realize that something you’ve been doing is not right anymore. There is some way that you are that you don’t want to be any longer.

It’s the intrinsic motivation of Holy Spirit. His role is to help you change your life to become more like Jesus every day and to bring Him glory in all you do.

In my life, I’ve experienced His internal coaching so many times.

There is something that either I don’t want to do or change or only have a slight interest in. Or maybe I’m interested but don’t think I can do it, or I know I should, but I’m not quite ready to give up whatever it is yet. It’s like a child with their blankie. While I can feel the gentle nudging of Holy Spirit, I don’t want to let go of the safety and the known status quo.

As I devote time to talking and being with Him, He brings scriptures to mind that have to do with the subject so that I can see God’s perspective. Sometimes even then I’m still not on board, digging my heels in like a stubborn mule. He just patiently waits til one day, the power of His love melts away the resistance and hardness of my heart.

As I’ve walked with Him over the years, building relationship, I’ve learned to trust Him.

I rely on Him to bring to my attention things that need to be worked out of me and things that need to be worked into me. I frequently pray and ask Him to reveal His truth to me and change my heart and way of thinking so that I may know how to do that which is good and pleasing to Him and, in the process, become what He created and purposed me to be.

I’ve had experiences where one night, I’ve went to bed totally against something and woke up the next morning totally for it! Because He is spirit, it’s not uncommon for Him to work with our spirits while we sleep, providing internal motivation while we (our intellect, emotions, and flesh) are out of the way.

Holy Spirit is the dunamis power of God—He powers change!

The word often used in the Bible for power is dunamis, which is where the word dynamite comes from. Just like a stick of lit dynamite thrown into a room has the power to transform that room, so Holy Spirit has the power to transform our inner landscape when we yield to Him. Transformation begins on the inside and works its way to the outside as a natural consequence.

God has plans for you—plans to bless and prosper you. If you’ve been struggling in your life or health, make Him your why today!

If you are interested in Biblical health coaching, contact me for a free discovery session! You can learn more about me here.

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