Motives vs. Motivation: What Really Drives You as a Leader?

Have you ever caught yourself wondering—what’s really fueling the way you lead? Is it motivation or motives? I know it sounds like we’re splitting hairs, but there is a difference, and it can impact how you lead, how you approach your role, and the results you get.

What’s the Difference?

Motivation gets you moving. Motives are why you’re moving in the first place.

Motivation is the adrenaline hit. It’s the playlist that kicks your brain into gear. The all-hands meeting that sparks new ideas. That fleeting jolt of "let’s go."

My motivation comes from teamwork, creating partnerships, and sharing ideas until the best one rises to the surface. It gives me the spark to talk through challenges, ideate on outcomes, and co-create something better than any one of us could have come up with alone.

Motives are the foundation. They’re baked into your wiring. They shape how you think and lead when the spotlight’s off. They’re the quiet reasons—the personal values, the long-game vision—that guide your decisions.

For me, without a doubt, it’s about transformation. I love turning chaos into clarity. Helping people, businesses, and systems evolve. That’s what lights me up—and it goes way deeper than a motivational high. Even in my personal life, I’ve always loved home projects—changing my space to better reflect how I want to live.

But here’s the deal: when your motivation and your motives aren’t aligned, it shows. The energy’s off. The outcomes get weird. People feel it—even if they can’t explain it.

The Psychology Behind It

Motivation, in psychological terms, is the internal process that kicks off, guides, and sustains behavior. It’s why you get up early to train. It’s why you stay up late chasing a big idea.

But motivation comes in flavors:

🧠 Intrinsic Motivation

• Comes from inside you.

• You do it because it matters to you.

• Think: learning for the joy of it, solving a problem just because you can.

💰 Extrinsic Motivation

• Comes from outside—rewards, recognition, fear, pressure.

• Think: promotions, applause, avoiding criticism.

Research by Edward Deci (Self-Determination Theory) video here shows that intrinsic motivation is more sustainable. It’s the slow burn that keeps you in the game. Extrinsic motivation? Great for kickstarting us, but not for keeping us going.

Why Motivation Matters at Work

When my motivation has been low, it’s almost always traced back to something deeper—a disconnect with leadership, a company whose actions didn’t match its values, or a time when I couldn’t see the point anymore.

That kind of misalignment doesn’t just affect your output—it chips away at trust, morale, and momentum.

Here’s the reality: when your motives and motivation are synced up, it’s like tapping into an energy source. You find flow, you persevere, you show up with purpose, and you create something amazing.

Dopamine gets released not just when you hit the goal—but on the way there. Progress becomes its own reward.

The Other Side of the Coin

When it’s all about extrinsic motivation:

• You risk burnout.

• Your self-worth becomes praise-dependent.

• You crave feedback.

• You lose sight of what really matters.

A great example is a salesperson chasing commission so hard, they start stretching the truth. They forget the customer’s needs and ignore the impact on the company. They win the deal but lose the client—and the team’s trust.

Worse still? When you overdo incentives, you can kill someone’s internal drive. (It’s called the Overjustification Effect. Yes, it’s a real thing.)

Let Me Tell You a Story...

Have you ever worked with someone who just had it? Smart, sharp, inclusive. Always had time for people. You respected them. Loved collaborating with them.

Then they got promoted. And things changed.

They started closing doors behind them. Their attention shifted to senior execs. They became motivated by status—and stopped investing in the people who helped them get there.

The reputation they built started to feel hollow. The relationships fractured. And suddenly, you realized they were using people to climb—and once they made it, they didn’t look back.

Motivation became the boss. Motives got benched.

On the Flip Side...

Take Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia’s founder. The guy literally gave his company away to fight climate change. That’s not branding. That’s motive.

Sure, he’s motivated—but it’s his why that earns trust and respect. That’s what makes people follow.

What About You?

No judgment here. Just an honest gut check:

• What motivates you?

• Are you chasing a feeling—or honoring your values?

• Would you still show up if no one clapped?

• Are you leading to be seen... or to serve?

When your motives and motivation align, work doesn’t just get done—it matters. When they’re not, it’s like running on fumes with a broken GPS.

Look at Business Today...

This year, with layoffs, pivots, and performative "purpose statements" flying around, we’re seeing what leaders are really made of. Some companies have eliminated DEI programs to align with political pressure (Target, Meta). Others (Apple, Costco, Kroger) have doubled down on their commitment.

The message is clear: Your motives are showing.

In this climate, leadership isn’t about following. It’s about leading. It’s not about being the loudest. It’s about being the clearest about why you do what you do.

What’s really driving you?