Now that we're getting towards the nitty gritty of motivation, it might be time to define the concept so we can put it into context. Easier said than done.

We've talked about some different kinds of motivation – where it comes from, and how to encourage and discourage it. Now, what about looking at different definitions of motivation.

Ask someone to define it. And it's like asking someone to define irony – people aren't very good at it.

In ‘Motivation to Learn: an overview', W. Huitt lists three definitions:

• Internal state or condition that activates behaviour and gives it direction;
• Desire or want that energises and directs goal-oriented behaviour;
• Influence of needs and desires on the intensity and direction of behaviour

Which means what?

Motivation is something that affects our behaviour; it drives us towards an outcome. Say I am a university student working part-time to save for a holiday overseas. That holiday is my desired outcome. I pick up extra shifts for a few months to save money for my plane ticket, motivated by the desire to reach the sandy shores of my holiday destination. My behaviour has changed with that outcome in mind.

Needs affect both our motivation and the behaviour that is its manifestation. “Needs,” writes Huitt, “create a condition that is predisposed towards taking action or making a change and moving in a certain direction.”

“Action of overt behaviour may be initiated by either positive or negative incentives or a combination of both,” says Huitt.

Motivation can be looked at in terms of behaviour targeted towards the following needs:

• Behavioural, eg to obtain desired consequences or avoid undesired ones
• Social, eg to be part of a group. Social learning theory, Huitt writes, suggests that imitating others and watching the consequences of others' behaviour are important motivators of behaviour
• Biological, eg to increase/decrease stimulation or to activate the senses
• Cognitive, eg to develop meaning or understanding. Major factors in motivation are self-efficacy and self-regulation (establishing goals, plans to achieve those goals and commitment to those plans)
• Affective, eg to increase feeling good/decrease feeling bad
• Conative, eg to obtain a personal dream
• Spiritual, eg to understand the purpose of one's life

When it comes to needs that relate to the workplace, motivation might be fuelled by the desire to:

• Earn an income
• Feel satisfaction and fulfilment
• Feel needed; people who know that their job is integral to the functioning of their workplace and that it makes if a difference if they show up or not, are more inclined to be motivated at work
• Feel wanted at the workplace; different to feeling needed, feeling that you are also liked and that your presence is not begrudged by colleagues or management. Linked to the desire to feel part of community
• Feel challenged
• Contribute
• Use skills

It's difficult to give a neatly wrapped up definition of motivation. It works in a variety of ways to different effects, and is fuelled by different behaviours and desired outcomes. We will continue to bring you articles that look at the contexts and characteristics of motivation appropriate to return to work, and, as we explore the ideas further, we'll look for tips about how to increase and encourage motivation in others.