External Motivation

Hey blog, how are we doing? Today, I am going to talk about external motivation, a concept I did not fully understand until I got further into my collegiate athletic career. When people think of the word motivation, the first thing that comes to mind is usually the internal "why". What pushes someone to do something, whether it's passion or love for the sport they play. While these aspects are important, there is no denying that external motivation is just as significant as internal motivation. External motivation can come from countless sources, such as friends, family, coaches, scholarships, and, especially in today's climate, social media. I always viewed external motivation as the weaker of the two, but my view has changed drastically. External motivation is not inherently negative; it truly just depends on how you utilize it. 

Having the privilege to play collegiate football and rugby has helped me to realize just how important external motivation is in shaping performance. When you are competing at a high level, such as in collegiate sports, you very rarely do so in isolation. There are always expectations that follow. Oftentimes, these expectations can serve as motivators and push an athlete forward, and at other times, they can derail an athlete and cause insurmountable stress. Learning to create a balance between the two has helped my overall development as an athlete. 

How External Motivation Shows Up In College Sports

Whether a collegiate athlete likes it or not, external motivation is part of athletics. Coaches expect their players to perform and to perform at an incredibly high level. Teammates rely on you to perform as well. Scholarships are dependent on an athlete's consistency, and this is not to mention the expectations from fans, family, and social media. Even playing time can be a form of motivation. The need to increase your role, and not just increase it, but hold on to it. 

Football is a sport that has this environment. Players are consistently under a microscope. Every movement, every mistake is being analyzed. Practice reps are meaningful, as is film review. Physical metrics are also significant. There is no longer just playing a game because you love it. No, it is about meeting expectations. Rugby also brought expectations, but in a different culture. There is accountability to the team, but there is also a strong emphasis on collective effort and resilience. 

Early in my career, I thought external pressures meant I had to be constantly motivated. I have learned that this is not realistic. There will be times when external motivation can provide energy, and other times it can be draining. Understanding the difference helped me avoid judging myself harshly when motivation faltered. 

When External Motivation Helped Me Perform Better

I can definitely recall times where external motivation pushed me to perform better than I originally believed I could. I wanted to earn my teammates' respect, make my coaches proud and meet their expectations, and prove that I deserved to play at the college level. These external factors helped me to build something that athletes spend their whole career chasing. Discipline. 

I have seen the same thing happen with high-performance athletes. Countless elite athletes have come forward to speak about external motivators. Professional rugby players often discuss representing their country in interviews and how it motivates them to play to the best of their ability. NFL players also mention wanting to continue their family's legacy as an external motivator. External motivation can help to create a sense of urgency, especially when internal motivation decreases. 

For me, external motivation showed up most when doubt crept in. External validation helps to bridge the gap until internal confidence catches back up. This is not something that I used to be willing to admit, but it is entirely real.

When External Motivation Became Pressure

At the same time, external motivation can very quickly turn into pressure. The desire to meet an expectation can turn into a fear of not meeting it. This shift can be subtle, but powerful nonetheless. I have had games where, instead of playing freely and up to my potential, I was worried about how my performance would be perceived, which 9 times out of 10 hurt my performance. 

Social media only adds to the pressure. Highlight reels, comparisons, and comments can all immensely amplify motivation in ways that previous athletes did not experience. Sometimes it can inspire, and other times it can be a distraction. Learning to know when to filter out the noise has been vital to my success and mindset. 

Watching high-performance athletes also helped in this context. The best athletes acknowledge expectations but do not let them control their entire mindset. They focus on aspects such as preparation and process rather than external reactions. This is a skill that I am still working to obtain. 

Balancing External and Internal Motivation 

One major emphasis of sports psychology is striking a balance between external and internal motivation. An overload of external motivation, combined with substantial internal passion, can cause an athlete to experience burnout. Vice versa, internal motivation without accountability can then lead to complacency. 

Football and rugby have both taught me this balance. Internal motivation helps you to hold on to your love of the game, while external motivation holds you accountable. Combining these two aspects leads to consistency. 

A prime example is that there were days when I loved football and rugby, while other days I only trained because I knew the team depended on me to do so. Both of these reasons were significant and contributed heavily to my development. 

High-performance athletes often discuss the balance between external and internal motivation. They love the sport they play with their whole hearts, but they also respect the demands of competition at such a high level. 

External Motivation and Confidence

External feedback can significantly shape confidence. Positive feedback lays the foundation for belief, while constructive criticism aids improvement. Relying on external validation alone makes confidence fragile. I have had experience with both. 

Early in my college athletic career, praise from external sources boosted my confidence almost instantly. However, criticism could destroy that confidence just as quickly as it was developed. Over time, I have learned to treat feedback as useful information rather than harsh judgment. This shift has helped stabilize my confidence. 

Elite athletes often develop this skill as well. They utilize feedback and listen to it, but they never let it define them. This is obviously easier said than done, but that is what separates the good from the elite. 

External Motivation Beyond Sport 

External motivation reaches far beyond athletics. Academics, future careers, and personal relationships all revolve around external motivation. Being a student-athlete helped to amplify this reality for me. Balancing classes along with athletics introduced external motivators such as professors, future career goals, and other personal responsibilities. Learning how to manage these motivations without becoming overwhelmed has been a process to tell the truth. Time management, perspective, and self-awareness are all works in progress, but progress nonetheless. 

How My Perspective Has Changed 

If I could travel back in time and talk to my younger self, I would tell him that external motivation is not something to avoid. It is something that requires understanding. Coaches' expectations, teammates relying on you, and the support of your family are not burdens, but part of the process and environment. 

I would also emphasize the importance of not letting external motivation entirely replace internal motivation. The love for the process is still significant. Otherwise, performance becomes increasingly mechanical, and burnout is far more likely. 

Where I Am With External Motivation Now 

At this point in my athletic career, I do not view external motivation as inherently positive or negative. I honestly view it more as a tool to be used. When external motivation is used correctly, it can contribute to the building of discipline, accountability, and growth. It can help to push you even when you are exhausted, help to remain focused when distractions are all around you, and push you to keep moving forward, even when the results are not presenting themselves immediately. When external motivation is misunderstood or relied on far too heavily, it can quickly turn into pressure, distraction, and even burnout. In my career, I have experienced both sides. 

Earlier in my football and rugby careers, I believe I let external motivation take control of me more than I should have. I constantly worried about meeting the expectations of those around me, earning playing time from my coach, and proving that I deserved to be on the team. This mindset made me work harder, but it also made performance feel much heavier than it needed to be. Instead of playing my own game, I felt like I was simply trying to justify my place. Over the years, I have come to realize that external motivation works the best when it complements your goals, and not when it completely defines them. 

Currently, I try to use external motivation as fuel for the fire rather than letting it control me. This means listening to feedback from coaches, respecting the expectations they place on me, and being grateful for the opportunities I have been given, while still preparing, practicing good habits, and upholding my personal standards. I now focus on what I can personally control, like my consistency, recovery, and effort, instead of worrying about how my performance is going to be viewed. This balance has not been perfected yet, but it is moving forward, and this shift has made me feel mentally healthier in competition. 

One thing that I have begun to pay closer attention to is how external motivation changes based on your placement in your personal athletic journey. Early on in an athletic career, it feels like you have to prove yourself and earn the trust of everyone around you, especially coaches and teammates. However, as time goes on and experiences are gained, it shifts towards maintaining standards and becoming a mentor to younger athletes. I have noticed this dynamic in both football and rugby, where motivation blends with leadership. This shift makes external motivation far less stressful and gives it even more purpose. 

I have also begun to realize how external motivation does not always revolve around pressure or expectation. It can come from team culture, community goals, and a desire to be part of something bigger than yourself. The moments when team energy and chemistry are high, when everyone is working towards a common goal, are where motivation takes a completely new form. It becomes less about fearing failure and more about one's pride and responsibility to the goal. High-performance athletes are exceptionally good at channeling this type of external motivation into consistent performance without letting it take over completely. 

Final Thoughts

External motivation plays a vital role in each athlete's career. Performance is constantly being influenced by external factors such as coaches, teammates, scholarships, and playing time. Playing collegiate football and rugby has helped me realize just how important these influences can truly be. There is no competing for just yourself, but for the name on the front of the jersey. 

At the same time, I have learned that external motivation can not fully replace an internal drive; it must supplement it. Athletes who usually strive for the long-term possess both. They care not just about their sport and growth, but also about what is expected of them every time they step out onto the field. This combination helps create a sense of consistency rather than burnout. 

I am still attempting to figure out how to find this balance. On some days, external expectations feel motivating, while on others, they feel like a boulder is placed on my shoulders. I, however, have gotten better at realizing the difference and restructuring my mindset. I am currently learning to use external motivation as a growth contributor rather than a constant source of pressure. This shift has made a noticeable difference in my life, not only in how I approach training but also in how I approach competition and my personal life. It has made the whole process feel more sustainable, and it is ultimately what keeps progress moving forward. 

"Keep Moving Forward"- Walt Disney