
School counselors should deliver curriculum activities that guide them through the process of understanding their motivators and learning strategies for increasing the positive while reducing the negative influences on their learning and lives. Students can be taught to identify their intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and how these motivators affect their learning. In these areas they will need to learn to apply self-motivational strategies to direct and sustain their learning behavior. It is likewise important that all students identify the tasks that they must master that are not intrinsically interesting. Areas of intrinsic interest reflect appropriate career directions and academic specializations. It is important that all students understand what things they find to be intrinsically interesting and cultivate and develop their intrinsic interests. Intrinsic motivation has been linked to increased interest in learning, accomplishing goals and achieving at higher levels. School counselors can help students understand what their interests are that excite them, that they do because they derive enjoyment from them. School counselors help student distinguish between these two types of motivations and how to more effectively manage both to maximize their learning potential. It is important for students to be able to identify and distinguish between their intrinsic and extrinsic motivators.

Although the origin of intrinsic motivation can sometimes start with extrinsic motivators, these terms generally denote what is internal vs. Extrinsic motivation is influenced by others and by situations in which we find ourselves. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, causes a person to act in order to get something in return for the behavior (e.g., a reward or praise) or to avoid punishment.

The decision to act in this way is not dependent on external influences. Individuals act or behave purely for the sake of doing it, for the enjoyment it brings. Intrinsic motivation reflects an individual’s interests. It is important to be able to recognize whether students are motivated due to internal and/or external factors and how their motivations affect their ability to stay engaged in the learning process and achieve. Definition of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
