By Jiyu Kim (Y9) & Yena Kim (Y9)
When picturing the concept of success, the majority of people might think of a person who motivates themselves with sheer determination and willpower. However, when they reflect on their own lives, instead of seeing success as inspiration, people tend to view it as an endless list of obligations. They see the things they have to do as tasks they ‘must’ complete and not as something they ‘want’ to do.
Self-determination theory suggests that long-term wellbeing and self-discipline directly rely on how effectively our environment supports our psychological needs, and not on willpower alone. When these needs are satisfied, success becomes a natural outcome rather than the result of constant pressure.
Self-determination theory suggests that human beings are not lazy by nature. It simply argues that motivation depends on three fundamental needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy is the feeling that one has their own choice to decide their action. When there is autonomy, the level of motivation increases and it is more likely to be intrinsic and genuine as opposed to forced. Second, competence is the sense that the individual is gradually demonstrating improvement at their skills which, again, increases the motivation to engage with and stay on the task. Finally, relatedness is the sense of feeling a connection to others within a community.
These three needs can be exemplified in real life. For instance, when a report task is given, a student can be given the opportunity to choose their own topic to research (autonomy), they can receive effective feedback from their supervisor (relatedness) and improve their report based on this feedback (competence). Hence, this student will be more likely to become intrinsically motivated and enjoy the entire process while working on the task compared to another student who might simply force themself to ‘sit down and work.’ This other student will more likely feel the pressure to perform without experiencing the rewarding benefits of intrinsic motivation.
However, when we neglect our psychological needs and treat tasks as an obligation, ego depletion occurs. This concept suggests that our mental capacity works like a battery, eventually draining in power over time. If the environment isn’t conducive to the task – such as studying in a distracting space or working on something that feels meaningless – we end up using excessive energy just to stay focused. Over time, this can lead to burnout and a complete loss of motivation.
Solution? If we want to maintain long-term wellbeing, we must stop trying to “fix” our lack of willpower and start fixing our environment. A supportive environment removes the friction that challenges motivation. If you surround yourself with people who share your goals (relatedness), you don’t have to “force” yourself to be productive; the social energy of the group carries you forward. When our environment satisfies our needs, motivation and discipline become intrinsic. We do the work because it feels right, not because we are afraid of the consequences of failing.
Overall, the essence of a productive, healthy life doesn’t merely require strict habits and obligation; yet, it is most likely exhibited from the appropriate balance between our goals and psychological needs. When our environment provides us with three key factors – autonomy, competence and relatedness – self-discipline comes automatically. Thus, rather than exhausting ourselves with ceaseless obligations, satisfying our psychological needs becomes the first significant milestone towards long-term success.
References
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and
The self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the
Active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252–1265. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1252
