Psychologist Dr. Josephine Perry explains how sustaining motivation is crucial in cycling, and how it often declines as you progress. Learn how to boost your motivation by understanding intrinsic vs. extrinsic rewards and using the 5 keys of the "Alphabet of Motivation".
Motivation Matters for Cycling Performance
Motivation, your ability to initiate and persist at a task, is a fickle character. Sometimes it seems to appear in bucket loads, fuelling an energy so powerful we have to be held back from our bike and doing too much. Other times we might be fully healthy, working towards a big goal, know it is important we train and yet… nothing. Your body feels like it has been taken over by a CBA monster.
Motivation is the foundation of all sport and exercise. It is the internal energy which determines how we behave and directs the ways we set targets and choose the intensity of our efforts. If you are fully motivated to improve and have a goal you are passionate about, then you’ll put all the necessary time and effort into your preparation and performances.
Motivation is super important in cycling because some days our perception of effort (how our brain perceives how hard, heavy or strenuous a physical task) can be really high (a day in the mountains, a super hard race or busy, inattentive traffic) and it is motivation that keeps you going.
Figuring how to get more motivation for more of the time requires some knowledge about different types of motivation. The type we do not want is amotivation. This is basically mental fatigue. It is a psychobiological state caused by extended periods of demanding cognitive activity and takes us to a point where we can now just no longer find the energy or effort to try.
External motivation is where you train and compete in your sport because you like the accolades from others when you do well, the prize money or trophies you win if you get good at it or the identity that comes from being a cyclist. Intrinsic motivation is where the really good stuff lies. This is where your need to ride your bike is totally self-determined and driven by the enjoyment and sensation you get from doing it.
Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are helpful for high performing riders as without desire or determination to improve in your riding everything else is wasted. Intrinsic motivation gives you the knowledge you will enjoy what you are putting effort in to and extrinsic motivation gives you a tangible goal to aim towards. Having both these in place will ensure you put in the time, physical effort and mental preparation necessary to improve and achieve your goals even when confronted by fatigue, boredom, pain, or simply the desire to do something more enjoyable.
Our motivation is usually pretty strong when we start out cycling. We progress really quickly, are able to ride further, we are learning lots of impressive skills we couldn’t do before and everything feels new and exciting. We see ourselves getting better and better and we are making new friends, feeling fit and strong and getting to buy nice shiny kit that speeds us up. As time goes on however the low-level skills have all been mastered and the next set of skills take much longer to stick so your performances might plateau. You also switch your focus from completing to competing and then outcomes become more important to you. Here you switch from an intrinsic to an extrinsic motivation and this can make life on the bike harder. Not surprisingly the pressure and expectations that all of this causes can start to reduce your love of riding leaving you with lower energy levels, poor discipline and feeling less excited about training. You start to make excuses.
When you get to this point the trick is to have the levers in place to switch the motivation back on. We do this through the alphabet of motivation. The alphabet of motivation stems from one of the most popular theories of motivation called Self Determination Theory [https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/] which says we have three innate needs in life and only when we have all three will we have high levels of intrinsic motivation. I think we also need some fun too and we need an exciting goal to this (as this gives us the extrinsic motivation). This gives you five different areas to take into account and top up to give you the motivational boost you need:
- Autonomy: This is when you have a choice and a voice over what you do and how you do it. Does it feel like what you do in cycling is totally your own choice?
- Belonging: Being in an environment which supports and encourages us. Which groups or clubs do you go to or join in with? Do you have ride buddies? These connections are important.
- Competence: This is being good at what we do and knowing we have the skills to do it well, without embarrassment. Perhaps do a quick strengths audit to remind yourself of what you are great at.
- Direction: This is about having a goal which makes your tummy flip with excitement. Something you really want to achieve. What is on your list?
- Enjoyment: Finding your fun in the movement of riding. When did you last go out with no watch and no goal to just feel the joy at being on your bike?
Have a think through each area and consider how they might relate to your riding. Is there any area you are totally missing? And if so, how can you fill it?
When you have all five elements in place your motivation should be high, feel intrinsic and you will be driven to achieve your goals.
Max out your motivation
Which motivation type are you using most right now....
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Amotivated: You have low energy and often can’t be bothered to train. You might catch yourself saying ‘I have to’ rather than ‘I get to.’ You feel you lack commitment, miss some training and can’t figure out how to change it.
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Extrinsically motivated: You enjoy getting good results because you get lots of praise from others, get to take home trophies and it makes you feel accomplished. You don’t particularly love cycling but you are good at it and the outcomes bring lots of satisfaction. |
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Intrinsically motivated: You can’t get enough of your bike. You feel like a cyclist, know lots of other cyclists, know your way around your bike (or more like bikes!), love riding and have lots of goals, plans and ambitions around how you want to get better. |
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15 questions to cement a move from amotivation towards intrinsic motivation…
Increasing autonomy
I started cycling because…
I have stayed cycling because…
The time I feel most myself on the bike is…
Belonging
The clubs I am a member of are…
The place I feel like I most belong is…
The place where I help other people feel like they belong is…
Competency:
My 3 biggest strengths in cycling are…
The 3 personality traits which helps me perform at my best are…
3 cycling skills I’ve worked really hard to develop are…
Direction:
The realistic goal I have set myself this year is…
A goal that sets my heart on fire is…
A race or event that is really well suited to me is…
Enjoyment:
One thing I could do to feel happier on the bike is…
The last cycling related event that I loved was…
They cycling thing that makes my face break out in a smile is…
