Internal vs External Motivation
that’s runnable
The 31st Edition of your favourite Running Newsletter
A quick read of insightful tips and thoughts to help you with your running.
The difference between running for yourself and running for others lies at the heart of understanding internal versus external motivation. Today, we’re talking about the importance of realising the deeper, long lasting reasons why we run.
Something to Think About 💭
Relying solely on external motivation can leave you empty when the applause fades, but internal motivation builds a lasting connection to the joy and purpose of running.
Something to Ask Yourself ❓
If your reason for running disappeared tomorrow – whether it’s a medal, a finish line photo, or the approval of others- would you still lace up your shoes?
Article of the Week 📄
This week’s article “Internal Motivation Versus External Motivation: Which Is Best and Why?” from Heartmanity explores the distinctions between internal (intrinsic) and external (extrinsic) motivation. It discusses the fact that both play significant roles in shaping our priorities and actions.
It’s a super interesting read that will help you understand the balance between internal and external motivation as crucial for personal development. While external factors can provide initial incentives, cultivating internal motivation leads to more enduring and fulfilling engagement in activities.
Track of the Week 🎶
How is it that we are on week 31 of these newsletters and I haven’t recommended a Khruangbin track? Maybe because it’s so difficult to pick one track.
This week’s Track of the Week, from the album A LA SALA is:
May Ninth by Khruangbin (2024)
Personal Lesson
When I first started running, it was for all the right reasons. I needed an escape, a way to clear my mind and feel in control of something when life felt overwhelming. It was about looking after my health, proving to myself that I could show up each day, and savouring the quiet pride that came with each run. As I improved, though, things began to shift. I started comparing myself to others – their paces, their distances, their accomplishments, and of course their Strava stats. Running became less about what it gave me and more about how I measured up. Instead of celebrating personal milestones, I fixated on external validation, unknowingly stepping into the exhausting and unsustainable cycle of comparison.
Eventually, I realised that the joy I once felt in running had been overshadowed by the pressure to constantly prove myself. It wasn’t until I discovered ultra running that I found my way back to the heart of why I started in the first place. Over the last 5 years, ultras have taught me that running isn’t always about speed or medals; it’s about perseverance, connection, and the personal journey. In the ultra community, I found a space where intrinsic motivation was celebrated and finishing was often a victory in itself.
Today, I’m happy to say I have a much healthier relationship with running and, by extension, myself. I’ve found a balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. While I still catch myself slipping into the comparison trap from time to time, I’ve learned how to reconnect with the deeper reasons why I run.
It’s a practice, not perfection, but one that has transformed running into a lifelong companion rather than a fleeting competition.
Running – Life’s Metaphor
This journey mirrors life because it shows how easily we can lose sight of our true purpose when chasing external validation. Reconnecting with intrinsic motivations reminds us that fulfilment comes not from comparison but from finding meaning and joy in our own journey.
Final Thoughts
In the running world, there’s a dangerous undercurrent of external validation. A focus on pace, medals, and how our accomplishments stack up against others. It’s easy to fall into this trap, measuring your worth by metrics that are fleeting and ultimately hollow. While these external motivators can push you to achieve incredible things, they’re not enough to sustain a lifelong relationship with running. To truly thrive as a runner, you have to find reasons to run that go deeper than impressing others or hitting arbitrary benchmarks.
Running is, at its core, an individual pursuit. To keep it in your life for the long haul, it’s not just your physical body that needs sustainable training; your psychological health needs as much care as well. Comparison and external goals can inspire action, but if they’re all you chase, you risk burnout and disillusionment. When your body inevitably slows down or you can no longer reach the heights you once did, you’ll need a deeper “why” to keep you going.
My advice is to cultivate that now. Nurture the intrinsic joy, the peace, and the pride that running brings you. These are the reasons you’ll still lace up long after the race medals gather dust.
Thanks again for reading and subscribing.
Run the runnable, and keep showing up for yourself!
Tommy 🙂