MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE IN SPORTS

Abstract

Without motivation, it would be difficult to get yourself to participate and perform well in sports. Motivation is the set of internal processes and environmental factors that elicit and guide conduct. The common consensus is that our physiological and psychological needs are our two primary motivations, both of which must be satisfied. Each performer is driven to engage for a variety of reasons that can be divided into two categories: A person may opt to learn how to play squash as a sort of recreation, to improve their fitness levels, and to see if they can master the game. Intrinsic motivation is the desire to challenge oneself, to feel good about one's accomplishments, or to simply enjoy participating. Receiving either material or intangible benefits is a key component of extrinsic motivation. The former may include accolades from a coach, family, peer group, or the media, as well as glory, social approval, or achievement records, whereas the latter may include medals, cups, certificates, or money. Many of the latter examples can be used to reinforce learning, but they should be used with caution because an excessive reliance on extrinsic rewards can erode the intrinsic motivations required for sustained engagement. For instance, a novice swimmer may be encouraged to learn to swim for a variety of reasons, including the safety, enjoyment, and social and health advantages that are gained. Awards and badges, however, may be utilized to keep their attention, but caution must be exercised to prevent the swimmer from simply continuing because of the next reward; otherwise, what happens after the final award? To maximize learning, a performer should ideally be driven by both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.