Open your favorite social media app and scroll for a few seconds. I bet you will see at least one post about motivation.
You know the ones. Someone saying if you just wanted it badly enough, you could change your whole life overnight.
The message is always the same: either you are motivated, or you are lazy. That is it.
If only it were that simple.
If all it took was “just doing it,” we would already have six pack abs, spotless homes, and passion projects that are changing the world.
But here is the thing nobody talks about. For ADHD brains, motivation does not work the way people think it does.
You are not broken. You are not lazy. Your wiring is just different.
What Is Intrinsic Motivation Anyway?
Intrinsic motivation means doing something because you want to, not because you have to.
It comes from inside. Things like curiosity, enjoyment, or a sense of purpose light that fire.
For example:
✅ A neurotypical person might study a new language just because they find it fascinating.
✅ Or they might clean their living room because they genuinely enjoy a tidy space.
But for many of us with ADHD, intrinsic motivation alone is not enough. That does not mean we do not care. It just means our brains often need something extra to flip the switch.
What Actually Drives ADHD Brains?
Here is where things get interesting.
✅ Intrinsic motivators come from within:
Novelty – Trying something new because it excites you
Sense of purpose – Doing something because it feels meaningful
Connection and belonging – Showing up because being part of something matters to you
⚡ Extrinsic motivators are fueled by outside forces:
Urgency – That rush when a deadline is staring you down
Pressure – Knowing someone else expects you to finish something
Competition – Wanting to prove you can do it or outperform someone else
ADHD Motivation in Real Life
Here are a few examples you might recognize:
✅ Novelty
You buy a fancy new planner and spend hours color coding it. For two weeks, it feels like you are unstoppable. Then the dopamine wears off and the planner ends up under a pile of laundry.
✅ Urgency
You have two weeks to pay a bill but do not touch it until 11:57 PM on the due date.
✅ Pressure
Your house has been a mess for days. Suddenly, when your friend texts “I’m five minutes away,” you clean like a tornado.
✅ Competition
You could not stick to your journaling habit before. But the moment your friend says “I have written every day this month,” you are writing like your life depends on it.
✅ Belonging
You skip yoga for weeks. The moment your friend says “I saved you a spot in class,” you are rolling up your mat and heading out the door.
✅ Sense of Purpose
You cannot find the energy to clean your own car. But you spend hours helping a local animal shelter set up for an adoption event because it feels meaningful.
The Truth About ADHD and Motivation
You are not unmotivated. You are not lazy. You are not broken.
Your brain just works differently.
Instead of forcing yourself into someone else’s idea of motivation, start paying attention to what actually lights a spark for you. Whether it is novelty, connection, purpose, or even the adrenaline rush of a last-minute deadline, these are not flaws.
They are clues to how your brain operates.
You do not have to fight against your wiring. You can learn to work with it.
What Sparks Your Motivation?
What about you? What weird little things get you moving? Is it a sense of purpose? A looming deadline? Or maybe even a little spite when someone says you cannot do it?
Leave a comment below. I would love to hear what lights the fire for you.