In leadership, few questions are as powerful, or as overlooked,as this: What motivates you?
It’s a question that sits at the center of sustainable success. Whether you're guiding a team through challenges, building a vision from scratch, or striving for personal growth, your core motivators shape how you lead, decide, and persist. And yet, most leaders haven’t taken the time to define their inner drive.
In this post, we’ll break down the science of motivation, examine intrinsic and extrinsic drivers, and offer tools to help you uncover what truly moves you forward. You’ll walk away not just with clarity, but with strategies to lead yourself and others with lasting energy and intention.
What Motivates You: The Science Behind Sustainable Drive
Motivation is more than a fleeting feeling. It’s the internal engine that powers action and persistence.
Research in behavioral psychology shows that motivation stems from a combination of biological needs, personal goals, and emotional satisfaction. When leaders understand what’s truly driving them, they make better decisions, stay more resilient under pressure, and model intentionality for those they lead.
This ties directly into the heart of impactful leadership, as explored in What Is True Leadership? Discover the Essence of Impactful Leadership. Great leaders don’t just inspire others—they know what inspires themselves.
What Motivates You More: Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic Motivation: The Inner Spark
Intrinsic motivation comes from within. It’s the satisfaction of solving a problem, completing a project, or making a meaningful difference. Leaders who are intrinsically motivated often:
- Feel energized by the work itself
- Align their actions with core values
- Experience deeper fulfillment
Extrinsic Motivation: The Outer Incentive
Extrinsic motivation comes from external rewards: paychecks, recognition, promotions, or avoiding negative consequences. While effective for driving performance in the short term, extrinsic motivators often wear off unless paired with internal alignment.
To lead with consistency and clarity, you need to know which of these is at the root of your behavior. Ask yourself: What motivates you to keep going when no one is watching?
Practical Ways to Discover What Motivates You
1. Reflect on Flow Moments
When do you lose track of time? What activities give you energy rather than drain it? These moments often reveal your intrinsic drivers.
2. Track Emotional Patterns
Keep a simple journal for one week. Note:
- What gave you energy
- What drained you
- What you looked forward to
Patterns will emerge,and they’re clues to your deepest motivations.
3. Ask Better Questions
Instead of “What do I want to achieve?” ask:
- “What excites me about that goal?”
- “What values does this connect to?”
- “Would I still do it if no one noticed?”
These questions uncover why you’re truly pursuing what you are.
4. Use the 5 Whys Technique
Ask yourself "Why?" five times in a row when thinking about a specific goal. By the fifth answer, you often reach the core reason behind your actions.
What Motivates You in Leadership: The Difference Between Energy and Inspiration
Many leaders make the mistake of assuming that inspiration = motivation. But motivation is more than a moment of clarity, it’s a system.
To build lasting momentum, leaders must:
- Create rituals that reinforce their values
- Set up systems that reduce resistance
- Eliminate distractions that pull them away from purpose
Motivated leaders don’t chase sparks. They build fires that keep burning.
How to Sustain Motivation Through Challenges
The real test of motivation isn’t when things are going well—it’s when they’re not. To sustain your drive:
- Anchor your actions to a larger purpose
- Celebrate small wins along the way
- Surround yourself with energy-givers, not energy-drainers
- Revisit your why regularly
- Practice gratitude to reinforce your internal reward system
Leadership is demanding, and your inner drive must be durable. Motivation without reflection is fleeting. But motivation with meaning? That becomes resilience.
Self-Motivation as a Tool for Influence
Once you understand what motivates you, you’re better equipped to motivate others. Why? Because leadership is a transfer of energy.
People don’t follow titles. They follow clarity, consistency, and conviction. When your actions reflect internal alignment, others take notice,and feel safe to pursue their own purpose, too.
Motivation vs. Burnout: The Warning Signs
If you feel like you’ve lost motivation:
- Examine whether your current goals align with your values
- Identify any hidden sources of stress or overload
- Consider whether you’re chasing recognition instead of fulfillment
Burnout often masks itself as laziness or procrastination, but it’s usually a sign that what once motivated you no longer does.
Final Thought: What Motivates You Is What Moves You Forward
If you want to lead better, start by leading yourself. Understanding what motivates you isn't just a personal development exercise, it's a leadership imperative.
When you uncover your core drivers, you:
- Make clearer decisions
- Stay grounded in chaos
- Connect more deeply with others
- Build a life and career fueled by purpose, not pressure
And if you’re ready to master your leadership mindset, habits, and inner drive, Matthew Mathison’s Leadership Orbit offers a powerful roadmap.
Get your copy of Leadership Orbit and learn how to lead yourself with clarity, so you can lead others with impact.
Because when you know what motivates you, everything else becomes possible.
