Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Goals: Are Your Goals Good for Your Health?

Are Your Goals Good for Your Health?

Busy leaders don’t usually need more goals. They need better goals.

Here’s a simple (and surprisingly powerful) question to sit with this week:

• Are your goals intrinsic or extrinsic?

To find out the answer watch this short (150-second) video:

These are goals that feel deeply fulfilling because they’re connected to your Ideal Self—who you’re becoming, not just what you’re achieving.

They often relate to:

• Personal growth
• Better relationships and emotional intimacy
• Contribution to a community (at work, at home, or in your sector)

They also tend to be more durable over time – they keep pulling you forward. In the research, intrinsic motivation is strongly associated with increased wellbeing.

Extrinsic goals

These are goals driven by the external “shoulds”:

• Image, status, popularity (“look at me”)
• Fame or recognition
• Material success (“more stuff”)

They can work… but they’re often fuelled by pressure rather than purpose. And they can be fragile: once you hit the goal, motivation can drop off sharply. In the studies referenced, extrinsic motivation is associated with decreased wellbeing.

The brain angle: dopamine vs adrenaline

A practical way to remember the difference between Instrinsic and Extrinsic motivation:

• Intrinsic motivation is linked to dopamine: curiosity, energy, anticipation, and “let’s go.”
• Extrinsic motivation is linked to adrenaline: pressure, fear of failing, and “I must do this.”

One of the most telling signals is the emotional payoff:

• Intrinsic goals often bring satisfaction and meaning
• Extrinsic goals often bring relief (“Phew… I didn’t fail”)

A quick reflection for the next 12 months

As you plan the next few months (and the year ahead), ask yourself:

1. Is this goal helping me become who I want to be?
2. Would I still want it if nobody noticed?
3. Is my fuel curiosity… or pressure?
4. Will achieving it bring fulfillment… or just relief?

If your goals are mostly extrinsic, don’t panic – just rebalance. Often the healthiest shift is rewriting a goal so it serves your Ideal Self, not just your image.

If you want to go deeper

Try taking one current goal and rewriting it in intrinsic language:

• From: “I should get promoted this year.”
• To: “I want to grow into the kind of leader who can handle bigger responsibility with calm, clarity, and impact.”

Free eBook: Brain Friendly Goal Setting

Our free eBook Brain Friendly Goal Setting is packed full of tips and information about how to write and achieve goals that work with your brain’s natural tendencies rather than against them.

Download our free eBook via the link on this page:

Brain Friendly Goal Setting

Wishing you every success in the year ahead.

With best regards,

David Klaasen

Talent4Performance help business leaders clarify complexity. We inspire people and drive continuous performance improvement, so they can convert thinking into action and results.

©David Klaasen – 2026