Intrinsic drivers are the opposite. These are psychological and emotional forces such as curiosity, passion, meaning, and purpose. The pleasure of mastery, which we feel as the sensation of a job well done, is another potent example. Autonomy, the desire to be in charge of one’s own life, is yet another.

pressured into doing something—that’s controlled motivation. It’s a job you have to do. Autonomous motivation is the opposite. It means you’re doing what you’re doing by choice. Deci and Ryan discovered that in every situation autonomous motivation throttles controlled motivation. Autonomy is always the more powerful driver.