Motivation concerns what moves you towards an activity or choice, including interest, need, reward, pressure and the wish to avoid a cost.
You can want the same outcome for several reasons. Some may be easy to announce. Others may be less convenient to admit.
"I want to write a book" can contain several wishes.
To spend time with an idea. To contribute. To be taken seriously. To prove that someone underestimated you.
You don’t need to pretend that only one is present. You do need to notice which motive gets to make the decisions when the work becomes difficult.
The Creative Hero’s Journey explores this in I Was Born for More, the guided immersion connected with the realm Possibility. You look at the activity, the imagined rewards and the expectations gathered around them.
Sometimes motivation needs clearer purpose. Sometimes it needs food, time, a smaller task or practical help. Not every stalled afternoon requires a new identity.
Intrinsic motivation considers enjoyment in the activity. Extrinsic motivation considers rewards beyond it. Both can be part of a meaningful choice.
The Center for Self-Determination Theory’s introduction to Self-Determination Theory explains different forms of motivation and the importance of autonomy, competence and relatedness. It offers more than a division between feeling inspired and not trying hard enough.