Becoming a triathlete (1-1-2)
In many cases, they were invited by their friends to join their triathlon group and thinking it fun, they started it just casually. "Wow! They look so happy! Why not join them? You'll be as happy as they are!" Let us call this kind of motive the ‘horizontal motivation’, which applies in most cases to female athletes.
On the other hand, in the cases of male athletes, many of them were influenced by triathletes appearing in the media such as the TV or magazines. They find those star athletes just ‘cool’, and simply aspire to build up their body and improve their race records as their idols do. Suppose you watch the movie Rocky. You may feel like starting push-up or running up the stairs to build up your body (maybe it will last only for a few days, though!). We will call this kind of motive ‘the vertical motivation’.
These two motivations, horizontal and vertical, affect every aspect of their career as a triathlete. The horizontal motivation grows up (develops) in their relations with the other athletes, while the vertical motivation is enhanced by their desire to improve performance.）
These two different directions are called ‘extrinsic motivation’, which refers to the case in which you do triathlon just as a means of achieving some goals other than triathlon. And they give the athletes some psychological energy which extends outwards from inside.
Exactly the opposite extreme is ‘intrinsic motivation’, which refers to the case in which you do triathlon just for the sake of triathlon. This motivation is directed inwards, influencing you deep in your mind.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychologist, gives us a most illuminating explanation of the Intrinsic motivation (this psychological energy) in his famous book "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience”
A study* of amateur triathletes in Australia shows that the majority of them started triathlon out of the extrinsic motivations. Some of the motives they mentioned were ‘to keep a sound body and mind’, ‘to win in competitions’, ‘to travel to the venue where the race takes place’, ‘to buy a new bike for the race’, and ‘to have a real feeling of achievement’, etc. The cases of the intrinsic motivation like ‘self-achievement’ or ‘challenge to self’ were comparatively small in number.
On the other hand, in the cases of male athletes, many of them were influenced by triathletes appearing in the media such as the TV or magazines. They find those star athletes just ‘cool’, and simply aspire to build up their body and improve their race records as their idols do. Suppose you watch the movie Rocky. You may feel like starting push-up or running up the stairs to build up your body (maybe it will last only for a few days, though!). We will call this kind of motive ‘the vertical motivation’.
These two motivations, horizontal and vertical, affect every aspect of their career as a triathlete. The horizontal motivation grows up (develops) in their relations with the other athletes, while the vertical motivation is enhanced by their desire to improve performance.）
These two different directions are called ‘extrinsic motivation’, which refers to the case in which you do triathlon just as a means of achieving some goals other than triathlon. And they give the athletes some psychological energy which extends outwards from inside.
 |
| Yokohama2014 |
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychologist, gives us a most illuminating explanation of the Intrinsic motivation (this psychological energy) in his famous book "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience”
A study* of amateur triathletes in Australia shows that the majority of them started triathlon out of the extrinsic motivations. Some of the motives they mentioned were ‘to keep a sound body and mind’, ‘to win in competitions’, ‘to travel to the venue where the race takes place’, ‘to buy a new bike for the race’, and ‘to have a real feeling of achievement’, etc. The cases of the intrinsic motivation like ‘self-achievement’ or ‘challenge to self’ were comparatively small in number.
(* Lamont, M. & K. Millicent, (2012) “A qualitative exploration of participant motives among committed amateur triathletes” Leisure Sciences, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 236-255.)In other others triathlon is a social activity.
Comments
Post a Comment