Sports Psych 101: Motivation

Motivation is the engine that drives us forward, helping us to push our limits, conquer challenges, and strive for progress. As we explore the fundamentals of sports psychology, understanding the intricacies of your own motivations is a key step to unlocking your full athletic potential and achieving your cycling goals.

What is Motivation?

Motivation is the force that compels us to act, guiding our behavior and decisions; it helps fuel those long rides in lousy weather, and it narrows a rider’s focus as they push through hard intervals. This drive to ride harder, longer, and faster is powered by a combination of internal and external motivators — let’s explore the difference.

Internal Athletic Motivation:

Internal motivation springs from within athletes, often from several sources. Internal motivation manifests as the drive and focus to push ourselves through challenges in pursuit of personal progress and satisfaction.

Internal athletic motivation is fueled by:

  • Passion: A genuine love for cycling that ignites the soul and fuels the desire to ride, explore, and test one's limits.

  • Intrinsic Rewards: The satisfaction and fulfillment derived from achieving personal goals, building fitness, mastering new skills, and experiencing the sheer joy of riding.

  • Self-Determination: The urge to take ownership of one's cycling journey, set meaningful goals, and embrace the process of training.

External Athletic Motivation:

External motivation, on the other hand, arises from sources like rewards, recognition, or social approval. Race results, upgrade points and the desire to race for a particular team are external motivators. Encouragement from others (in real life or via social media) is another powerful external motivator for many athletes.

External athletic motivation is fueled by:

  • Extrinsic Rewards: Tangible incentives such as podium places, medals, or monetary prizes that serve as external markers of success and achievement.

  • Social Influence: The desire to gain approval, admiration, or validation from peers, coaches, or spectators, driving athletes to perform at their best in the pursuit of recognition.

  • Performance Feedback: Constructive feedback, encouragement, and support from coaches, teammates, or competitors, which can bolster confidence and persistence.

Harnessing the Power of Motivation:

Cultivating a balance between internal and external motivation is essential for sustained athletic success and fulfillment. While internal motivation provides the slow-burning fuel powering a cyclist’s drive for personal growth, external motivators can serve as reinforcing catalysts and rewards.


The next time you’re zoning-out on a long ride, give some thought to what motivates you. What internal feelings and desires can you draw upon when the going gets tough? What external motivators seem to give you an immediate boost and invisible tailwind?

In a future article, we’ll explore the role of confidence as related to sports psychology and performance on the bike. Until then, keep pedaling, and spend some time exploring the combination of factors that motivate you.


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