How to: Teenagers & Motivation

You may often wonder how to motivate your teens to be productive. They have the intellect and capability, if only they would “apply themselves.” Or, as illustrated in the education documentary film, “Race to Nowhere, “ you may have a teen that is stressed about grades and getting a top-notch SAT score. He or she may be getting sick from anxiety and staying up until 3am to finish homework. However, have you ever asked them what is really driving them to perform?

One of the first steps to understanding motivation is to know the difference between Conditional and Intrinsic Motivation. Conditional Motivation is being motivated to do something for the sake of a reward or external benefit. There is a conditional sentence involved, an if-then clause. “If I study all night, then I will get an A.”

Intrinsic Motivation is being motivated to do something because the action itself is the reward. It is when the process of doing something is as valued and enjoyed as the result. “I want to do it because it’s fun.”  “I enjoy a good challenge.” Thinking about Intrinsic Motivation is important because it sheds light on what we find meaningful in our lives. It gives us purpose.

  The key is for teenagers to find balance between Conditional and Intrinsic Motivation.  Schools function through the Conditional Motivation basis: “If you study hard, then you will get good grades. If you get good grades, then you will get into a ‘good’ college.” Although that is very important, there needs to be more Intrinsic Motivation. Are we giving our students the opportunity to enjoy learning? Are our teens thinking about why they are pushing themselves so hard? Are we allowing our teenagers to learn about themselves through critical thinking and creatively solving problems, or are we just training them to be excellent test takers?

Having teens become aware of these motivation styles and discovering their own way of shifting from Conditional to Intrinsic Motivation is the first step to forming a positive habit that will serve them well now, and into the future.

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Email: hayden.lee@academiclifecoaching.com