SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY

The three pillars: Autonomy, Competence and Relatedness.

To understand sustainable motivation in sport, it is essential to go beyond basic behaviorist "reward and punishment" models.

Self-determination theory posits that high-quality human motivation is underpinned by three basic psychological needs.

The first is autonomy, which refers to the athlete's need to feel that he or she has control over his or her own actions and decisions, rather than being a passive cog driven by a coach.

For example, instead of imposing a strict regimen without consultation, a swim coach might allow his swimmers to choose between two equivalent sets of exercises to end the session, giving them a say in their preparation.

The second need is competence, which involves feeling effective and capable of mastering challenging tasks within the sport environment.

This is achieved when the challenge is balanced with skill; if it is too easy it bores, and if it is impossible it generates anxiety.

The third is relatedness or belonging, which is the need to feel connected to and valued by the group.

An environment where a rugby player feels supported by his teammates after a mistake fosters much more resilient motivation than one where isolation reigns.

Transitioning from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation

Historically, external rewards (extrinsic motivation) were believed to be the best way to drive performance.

However, it has been shown that relying solely on external factors, such as trophies or money, can be counterproductive in the long run.

The goal of the sport psychologist is to facilitate the internalization of motivation, moving the athlete toward intrinsic motivation, where the activity is performed for the pleasure and satisfaction inherent in the activity.

When an athlete performs intrinsically driven, he or she shows greater persistence and well-being.

Imagine a long-distance runner who, instead of training just to win a college scholarship (extrinsic), does so because she enjoys the sense of accomplishment and mental clarity that running each morning brings her.

This type of motivation is more stable in the face of adversity, as it does not depend on external validation, but on the enjoyment of the process and mastery of the skill.

Summary

To sustain motivation, the basic reward and punishment model must be overcome. Self-determination theory states that quality human motivation is underpinned by three essential psychological needs.

Autonomy gives the athlete control over his or her decisions, while competence involves feeling capable in the face of balanced challenges. Finally, relatedness seeks connection and appreciation within the sporting group.

The professional goal is to facilitate the transition to intrinsic motivation. When the athlete acts for the pleasure inherent in the activity and not for external rewards, he/she shows greater persistence and well-being.