Is there such a thing as a ‘highly motivated person’, or is motivation something that can be cultivated by our social surroundings? In this episode, we discuss some of the key motivators that drive us to engage in health behaviour, perform in the workplace, and achieve academically. We also discuss some science-backed standards for defining your goals by considering both their content (what is it you want to achieve?) and framing (what is the intention behind your goal?)

📊 Key research studies we discussed:

• Interventions that increase autonomy support improve physical and psychological health due to increases in self-determination: A meta-analysis of self-determination theory-informed intervention studies in the health domain (Health Psychology Review, 2021)
• Meta-analysis identifying the job-design characteristics associated with the satisfaction of psychological needs and positive work outcomes: Integrating motivational, social, and contextual work design features (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2007)
• Facilitation of psychological needs via teaching practice is essential to the achievement of student learning outcomes: Autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the classroom (Theory and Research in Education, 2009)
• In 90% of studies, specific and challenging goals lead to higher performance than easy or 'do your best' goals: Goal setting and task performance: 1969–1980 (Psychological Bulletin, 1981)
• Intrinsic and extrinsic life goals are associated with separable outcomes: Further examining the American dream (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 1996)
• Critical review of use of the SMART mnemonic for setting physical activity goals: The (over)use of SMART goals for physical activity promotion (Health Psychology Review, 2023)

📚 Books and other resources:

• Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior (Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, 1985)
• A Theory of Goal Setting & Task Performance (Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, 1990)
• There’s a S.M.A.R.T way to write management’s goals and objectives (George Doran, 1981)

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We thank the South West Doctoral Training Partnership for supporting this podcast and Rhannan Lacey for audiography, videography, and production.