Self-Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan) distinguishes two sources of motivation, neither one absolutely better:
- Intrinsic: interest in or enjoyment of the task itself.
- Extrinsic: rewards, recognition, or external consequences.
This test uses 15 statements (about 3 minutes) to see which type dominates in how you work.
All possible results
Intrinsic motivation
You're driven by interest and meaning in the task itself, more than by external reward. When something matters to you, you keep going even when nobody's noticing.
Read more about Intrinsic motivation
“Intrinsic motivation doesn't need a prize at the end: the activity itself is already the reward.”
What's behind it
Edward Deci and Richard Ryan's Self-Determination Theory places intrinsic motivation as the more sustainable of the two, tied to three basic psychological needs: autonomy (feeling like you decide), competence (noticing you're progressing), and relatedness (feeling connected to what you do or who you share it with).
How it shows up
- You keep refining something even when no one's evaluating you on it anymore.
- You prioritize how interesting a task is over its financial reward.
- Boredom demotivates you more than the lack of an external incentive.
- You look for jobs or projects that feel meaningful to you, not just ones that pay well.
Your challenge
This style performs worse on routine tasks with no possible intrinsic interest: in those cases, sustaining effort requires finding some connected purpose, even an indirect one.
A clarification
It isn't incompatible with also enjoying external recognition: most people combine both types in different proportions.
Extrinsic motivation
You perform better when there's a clear reward or recognition involved: goals, incentives, or external validation give you the push you need.
Read more about Extrinsic motivation
“Extrinsic motivation isn't a flaw: it simply responds to external rewards and consequences, not just interest in the task itself.”
What's behind it
Deci and Ryan don't present this type of motivation as inferior but as a point on the same continuum: even extrinsic motivation can be more or less internalized (from complying just to avoid punishment, to pursuing an external goal because it fits your own values).
How it shows up
- A deadline, an incentive, or clear recognition activates you noticeably.
- You find it harder to sustain effort on tasks with no visible consequence.
- Comparing your progress to others' serves you as a motivating reference point.
- Concrete, measurable goals work better for you than vague ones.
Your challenge
Relying only on external stimuli can make motivation fade as soon as the incentive disappears, even on tasks that deep down interested you.
What can help
Finding what part of a task is interesting on its own, however small, is something Deci and Ryan (2000), from Self-Determination Theory, link to making motivation less dependent on external factors.
Mixed motivation
You're sustained by both genuine interest and external recognition. This is, in fact, the most common pattern: almost nobody runs on a single type of motivation.
Read more about Mixed motivation
“Mixed motivation combines interest in the task with the value of external reward, without fully depending on either one.”
What's behind it
Self-Determination Theory itself describes a continuum, not a closed dichotomy: most behaviors combine internal and external motives in proportions that shift with the task and the moment in life.
How it shows up
- Some tasks motivate you through the challenge itself, others through what you get in return.
- A good external incentive can reignite your interest in something that had stopped motivating you.
- You need some recognition, but also need to feel that what you do is meaningful.
- Your motivation varies from one stage to another without that feeling contradictory to you.
Your advantage
This balance tends to be more resilient than relying on a single type of motivation: if an external incentive disappears, interest in the task can carry the effort, and vice versa.
A clarification
This isn't an indecisive middle ground: it's, according to the research itself, the most common and adaptive pattern.
Frequently asked questions
What are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation?
Intrinsic motivation comes from interest in or enjoyment of the task itself; extrinsic motivation comes from external rewards or consequences like money or recognition.
Is one better than the other?
Not in absolute terms. Intrinsic motivation tends to be more sustainable long term, but extrinsic motivation is useful and necessary for plenty of tasks that don't generate interest on their own.
Can you have both at once?
Yes, in fact that's the most common pattern: most people combine both types in different proportions depending on the task and the moment.
Does this test measure whether I'm a good professional?
No. It measures the type of motivation that dominates in you, not your performance or ability.
Does it replace a professional development assessment?
No. It's an orientation-only, informational approximation inspired by Self-Determination Theory, not a certified organizational assessment.
How long does the test take? How many questions does it have?
It has 15 questions, and takes about 3-4 minutes to complete.
Is it free?
Yes, it's completely free: no sign-up or payment needed to take the test and see your result.