Extrinsic / Intrinsic Motivation: Who Are You?

Triathlon Forum
21

Doing some running or handball or doing a few laps in the pool - what else can we do. Passes the time well enough, most find?

It’s about time for an update to Waiting for Godot. I can see you in the pool, forearm over the edge, waiting for your masters partner to show up. In Act III you learn your partner is playing pickleball instead.

I had a pickleball moment on Saturday - I meant to share this in the Pickleball thread in LR, but … this might work better (or, I’ll copy it over there, too LOL)

We were at my nieces house for her daughter’s 3rd birthday party. D’Wife & I were sitting at a table with my brother (nieces dad) and a couple we’d known for DECADES and now live in FL

“You play pickleball?” Jimmy, the Florida retiree asked me
“Oh, God no” I answered
“You’re wearing a Selkirk bracelet” he replied, questioning the Selkirk branded rubber bracelet on my wrist
“This?” I answered “it was free. We went to a park for our weekend hike, and there was a pickleball tournament” I explained “they were giving away shit, so I took one”

Jimmy was not impressed with my non-commitment

“Besides” I continued “the red bracelet went well with the black ones”

Jimmy & Robin seemed hurt that they couldn’t talk about pickleball with us, so I threw them a bone

“Since then, however, we’ve become intrigued!”

The couple perked up

“I managed to get us a couple paddles & balls from work, as part of a premium program we have - for free, of course; just to play around, with zero investment” I chuckled at the end “then got another set - again for free - when we joined AARP”

<Yeah, we’re old; but so are Henry Rollins, Ian MacKaye, and Dave Grohl eligible for AARP>

“Then” to continue the thread “Donna bought me a set of four paddles, for Christmas, so we’re well-stocked”

Robin asked “you have EIGHT pickleball paddles, but don’t play?”

“Are you familiar with the phrase ‘Commit to the Bit?’” I could tell by the look in her glassy eyes, that answer was ‘No’

“Let’s say this” I volunteered to wake her back up “we smack the balls around, on a court, but don’t know the rules, and don’t keep score”

“There are plenty of videos on YouTube” she tried to help “you can learn all that in a few minutes”

“That’s not really our thing” I countered, with appreciation " we just like getting outside, having fun, laughing at each other and trash-talking"

Jimmy had been quiet, but interjected “I think they just make up scores anyway”

“Right!!!” I agreed “we haven’t even learned how to cheat yet!!! But …” I added with a sly smile " “first things first”

I don’t think our Florida ex-pats were pleased with they way I dismissed “Wiffle Tennis” but it was fun to jerk them around a little

22

I think the desire to compete physically is intrinsic in humans and likely all other animals. My desire for praise regarding my athletic competition results has varied with age, probably peaking in HS.

23

Extrinsic: posting on Strava, having work colleagues and friends being in awe and expressing support/appreciation for the discipline it takes to do tris

Intrinsic: feeling grateful for what my body can do, focus on the playfulness of the sport, pursuing performance without purpose, loving the process/training regardless of race outcomes, exposing my medals and bibs in my garage
.

24

I love this post and all the replies. I will save this thread because I think about this question a lot.

I train (and race some) because it:

  • keeps me healthy
  • makes me feel good
  • makes me feel alive
  • allows me to experience danger (long open water swims, going downhill fast on a bike, a finishing kick so hard I get light-headed)
  • makes me feel sexy
  • is time & space to be alone & meditate & pray (and I’m an extrovert)
  • is a challenge that keeps things interesting and offers a chance at accomplishment (I podium about 10% of races)
  • is fun (pain & pleasure are so intertwined)
  • gives me fellowship with pros I followed (like Craig Alexander, Ben Kanute, Paul Chelimo, Mary Kitani, etc)
  • makes a little afraid and a little sad at the thought of stopping. But all earthly things end and I’m at peace with that.
25

I think the desire to compete physically is intrinsic in humans and likely all other animals.

“I don’t need to be faster than the Lion; I just to be faster than you”

Conversely

“The Runner enjoys running when They need not flee the Lion”

26

I posted an answer to this question - or some flavor of it, anyway - a couple years ago, so please allow me to self-plagiarize myself

I read a quote once - I can’t remember by whom, but it was probably from Runner’s World’s “Inspirational Quote of the Day” or some bullshit like that

“Running is essentially private and - if you like - selfish … and all the more precious for being so”

I could go on …

“Learning about what you’re made of is always time well spent.” - Henry Rollins
“When I’m running I don’t have to talk to anybody and don’t have to listen to anybody. This is a part of my day I can’t do without.” - Murakami

Am I making the Great Big World a better place by training? Maybe not visibly, but I’m making my* part *of it better, which makes other people’s parts better, and that ripples around the World — one would Hope

I could go on & on, because I get that same ‘guilt’ about both my Running, and my Art , but if I didn’t do these things, I’d be a mess and a complete asshole - vs. only a partial asshole LOL**

now is this intrinsic or external motivation… ie do it for the people around you or yourself

27

Fair point but you are logic chopping

I go do some work out so I don’t have to sit at a computer and do my job - makes me sleepy and chilled out so the tedium is not so great
.

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Update = 30 days

Yeah, they add to more than 100, I know

29

The answer is “to see if I can do it”. Generally I set my bar or what I want to try for, irrelevant of what others are doing. I wanted to see how many days I could run in a row, and went to 31, then 50 and then I figured I would go to 100 (from that the 100/100 started). Once I learned to do the 4 strokes in swimming, I wanted to try doing the 400IM. Then I heard of some swimmers doing 10x400IM in training, so eventually I did it, but once I got to ten I thought what would it take to do 25x400IM (in the long course pool). It was just to see if I could do it. These days I go to triathlons and my running (like yours) is a far cry from where it was. But I set pace goals for myself and see if I can nail them they are slow as molasses and it would not motivate most “real runners”, but I am the runner I am now, not the runner from 1993.

What others do around me can provide motivation and inspiration, but that’s about it.

I am in my 40th season since starting tris. I don’t think you stay in the game with the intrinsic “can I do it” mindset.