Self Preservation
The desire to endure, survive and thrive in a world filled with risk and uncertainty.Avoidance of Pain | Comfort |
Conservation of Effort | Desire for Certainty |
Emotional Security | Freedom From Fear |
Freedom From Harm | Health |
Safety | Security |
Stability | Well-Being |
Self Development
The will to improve the self. This can be described as a pursuit or desire in the following areas.Ability | Character |
Fitness | Knowledge |
Learning | Mastery |
Maturity | Performance |
Personal Resilience | Self-Control |
Spirituality | Talent |
Experience
A hunger for meaningful experiences. Arguably, this overlaps with self-development as experiences improve our abilities and represent a type of knowledge. For example, play is critical to self-development.Adventure | Bravery |
Curiosity Drive | Discovery |
Embrace of Change | Embrace of Uncertainty |
Exploration | Imagination |
Joy | Play |
Risk Taking | Wonder |
Self-Actualization
Being all that you could be. This is driven by a sense of existential angst, the fear of a meaningless life or wasted potential.Accomplishment | Art for Art's Sake |
Autonomy | Awakening |
Being Productive | Being Useful |
Contributing to Things Greater Than Yourself | Doing Good |
Freedom | Living Up to Values |
Morals | Overcoming Fears |
Overcoming Limitations | Pursuit of Meaning |
Reflection | Self Expression |
Notes
Higher level motivations often conflict with motivations for self-preservation. For example, curiosity drive or play exposes an individual to risk. Those who have mastered the basics of self-preservation move on to build personal resilience whereby they become resistant to stress and highly capable in a range of situations. Existential angst is a root motivation that creates the sense that there is more to life than simply surviving i.e. that a life can have meaning.The separation of intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation doesn't always make sense as they overlap in countless ways. For example, the drive for experience almost always has a social component that is extrinsic.| Overview: Intrinsic Motivation | ||
Type | ||
Definition | A desire to achieve results that are entirely contained within the self. | |
Related Concepts | ||
