What Is Character Motivation? Definition and Real Examples

Motivation! Would you still love Harry Potter if whatever he does was not for his friends, identity, parents, and against evil? It was not just his personal battle, but he was trying to defeat Voldemort for a greater cause and good. You have seen him from childhood, from his identity crises to the journey of his own, from an unknown child to the master of good deeds. This is how character motivation definition works! It is a reason under which a character reacts and makes decisions that decide their further journey actions. In such a manner, I personally liked Jane Eyre; she might be one of the perfect examples of character development with motivation. The motivation of Jane Eyre was to obtain love, independence, and self-respect. She can endure any misery to remain faithful to her own moral and dignity, and her experience is the process of discovering the balance between emotional satisfaction and self-respect.

Anyone might not get invested in any character or story if it lacks motivation. How would you be able to connect with a character whose actions, decisions, and emotions are not justified? The audience will lose interest and feel lost in the midst of so many questions. Therefore, character motivation plays a vital role in its development. 

What is Character Motivation?

When it comes to the character motivation definition, you must understand that it is the motivation that makes a character act, make decisions, and develop within a narrative. It describes the reasons why a character acts in a given manner, which influences their objectives, hardships, and friendships. Motivations may be internal, like fear, love, or ambition, or external, like money or power, and survival. High motivation of characters makes them realistic and easy to relate to, adding depth to the plot. It is also very contradictory, as characters are frequently challenged by challenges that thwart their wishes. The lack of motivation makes characters one-dimensional and meaningless. Motivation, in short, gives life to characters and makes the audience interested in their adventure.

Types of Motivation

Before you delve into Character Development, acquire knowledge about Character Motivation. Everything that people do is connected to their motivation. It is what triggers, directs, and sustains goal-oriented behaviors. There are four types of character motivation, from intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation to negative and positive ones. Psychologists generally put the motivation into two broad categories, namely extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation.

Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation encompasses the incitement to act or do something because of the outside rewards or being deterred by punishment. These rewards may be tangible, such as money and prizes, or intangible, such as praise and recognition. The motivation is a factor external to the individual, and the task is not always pleasant.

Extrinsic motivation can be highly effective in the short run, but when the individuals are not intrinsically motivated to the activity, they will not become satisfied and engaged in the same activity in the long term.

Examples: 

• Working a job to earn a salary.
• Studying for an exam to get a good grade.
• Cleaning your room to avoid being grounded.
• Competing in a race to win a trophy.

Intrinsic Motivation

Some find this definition superior, but to know what is the best definition of character motivation is, delving into all of them is necessary. Intrinsic motivation is what is referred to as doing something without the presence of visible rewards. You do it because it is personally rewarding, you are interested in it, or because you have a sense of enjoyment or satisfaction. It is self-motivated, and the activity is its own reward.

Intrinsic motivation has been linked in most cases to being more creative, persistent, and generally well. In cases where we are intrinsically motivated, we tend to do the activity simply because we feel like it, and this is likely to bring about more in-depth learning and personal development.

Examples:

• Reading a book because you enjoy the story.
• Exercising because it makes you feel good.
• Solving a puzzle is challenging and satisfying.
• Learning a new language because you are genuinely curious about the culture.

Positive Character Motivation

Positive motivation is the condition where the character is motivated by positive, or selfless, objectives. They are inclined to perform their actions to assist others, to defend something which is dear to them, and to make the surrounding world better. Such motivation in most instances emanates from love, hope, or even a good moral code. It pushes a personality towards heroism and taking sacrifices in the interest of the larger good. You can also use Character Building Questions for better development: 

Examples

• Harry Potter is not battling against Voldemort to achieve fame, but rather to offer defense to his friends and the wizarding world.
• A mother has more than a job just to provide her children with a better future.
• A school boy works hard in order to receive a scholarship and attain his dreams.

Negative Character Motivation

The definition of character motivation includes and discusses the Negative motivation as well. On the other hand, it is the motivation whereby a character is motivated by destructive, selfish, or corrupt motives. Their involvements are usually directed to a personal good, vengeance, or even power. This kind of motivation may be based on jealousy, resentment, fear, or entitlement. It tends to bring a character to the dark side and injure both them and the others.

Examples

• Voldemort wants to be powerful to escape his ultimate fear of death.
• A burglar robs due to the fear of starvation and poor living conditions.
• A corrupt politician demeans and cheats so as not to lose control and influence.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs 

One of the most well-known theories of motivation is the hierarchy of needs by Abraham Maslow. It assumes that human beings possess a line of needs that are placed in a hierarchical manner, commonly in the form of a pyramid. The Maslow theory states that individuals have the urge to satisfy their most fundamental needs before they can go any further with character goals list. A need satisfied no longer makes one of the major motivators. The pyramid will contain five levels, starting with the lowest and ending with the highest:

1. Physiological Needs: The physiological needs are the most fundamental needs required to sustain human existence. These are such things as food, water, air, sleep, shelter, and warmth. Unless these needs are satisfied, an individual cannot be motivated in any other way.
2. Safety Needs: After satisfying the physiological needs, the drive takes the form of security and safety. This involves the need to attain individual and economic safety, health, and well-being, and protection against injury or disease.
3. Love and Belonging Needs: Once the feeling of security is developed, social needs drive people. The level entails the need to find friends, family, intimacy, and a sense of belonging or identification with a social group.
4. Esteem Needs: When an individual feels the belonging aspect, he or she becomes motivated by the esteem needs. This involves the thirst to have a feeling of self-worth, dignity, accomplishment, and acknowledgment by others. This is the point where self-respect and respect for others are essential motivators.
5. Self-Actualization Needs: This is the topmost of the hierarchy. It is the need to achieve as much as one can, to become what he can be, to become what he can achieve, and to acquire personal growth and peak experiences. This, according to Maslow, is the ultimate aim of human motivation, but it can only be sought after all the lower-level needs are met to reasonable proportions.

Role of Motivation in Storytelling

The driving force of a story is the motivation of a character with a strength and a character flaw definition. It is the reason why they do everything they do, decide and respond the way they do. The absence of a strong, obvious motivation may make the journey of a character look random and uninspired, as it will be hard to see and feel what a character does without the desire and want of the audience. Motivation provides a character with a sense of purpose and makes their actions believable, which is very important in a good story.

Drives Decisions

This is because the heart of the decisions made by a character is motivation. It can be their desire to avenge, find their beloved one, or acquire power, and their motivation, in this case, is their internal compass that determines their decisions and leads the plot of the story. When the actions of a character can be easily attributed to what they prefer, this helps the audience to see their intentions, and they also get engaged in their quest. As an example, the intention of a character to protect their family will make them take an unsafe decision, which will make the risky decision worthwhile.

Creates Conflict

The motivation of a character is the cause of conflict in a story very frequently. This conflict may be both internal, when the motivation of a character conflicts with fears or morals, and external, when the motivation conflicts with another character or force. The enthusiasm of a hero to save the world may be in opposition to a villain motive generator who has a goal of dominating the world. It is this conflict of motivations that creates tension and drives the story forward, which causes the audience to be on the edge of their seats.

Common Motivation Examples

It is motivation that makes the actions of a character and provides it with a goal. The following are some of the most widespread and strong character motivation definition and examples in storytelling:

• Revenge: It is a powerful and usually destructive drive. A character wants to punish a person who did something wrong in the past, and as a rule, it is a personal tragedy, such as the death of a loved one. Revenge can also be the sole path that takes a character to the dark side, and he/she has to make tough decisions and even question their own morality.

• Justice: Justice is not like revenge, which is personal, but is usually concerned with righting some greater social or moral evil. One of the characters' desire is to have the guilty punished and the innocent saved, even at the expense of a lot. This is a very potent motive for power, which determines the task of a hero and his actions.

• Freedom: A free will character is one who is struggling to get out of a condition of oppression, bondage, or domination. This may be a literal one, such as a character attempting to escape prison, or a metaphorical one, such as a character attempting to get out of social constraints or personal internal demons. The fight against oppression is a highly relatable cause that can appeal to the viewers.

• Redemption: This is a motivation of a character who has erred in the past and wants to redeem themselves. They feel the need to be forgiven, whether it is by other people or themselves. A redemption arc is characterized by a character undertaking a significant personal sacrifice to demonstrate their change.

How to Write Motivation Effectively

The drive of a story is its characters, and successful writing is making it sound personal and conceptual at the same time. One cannot just desire something; the audience must see why he or she desires it.

Connect to Backstory

The motivation of a character is nearly always based on the character. They are influenced by their experiences, upbringing, and significant events of their lives that make them develop the highest desire and fears. You need to relate the motivation to your Character Biography to write a successful storyline.

• Show, Don’t Tell: Don’t tell the reader that a character is driven by the fear of being abandoned; demonstrate it through their behavior, i.e., that they desperately strive to please others or cannot establish strong ties with them.
• Develop a Catalyst: This is a specific event in the past, like a significant betrayal or a time of considerable loss, which can be the catalyst that forms the fundamental drive. This occurrence renders their motivation in their drive special and deserved.

Align with Goals and Conflicts.

Motivation gives the reason for your character goals list and addresses the conflicts of your story. Their objectives must be an outward manifestation of their motivation.

• Make Goals Specific: The motivation of a character may be some abstract goal, such as to find peace, but it must be a goal that can be actually accomplished in the story, such as to eliminate the evil tyrant. This is what puts a definite finish line that the audience has to get behind.
• Fuel Internal Conflict: This is a strong motivation that comes into conflict with the morals or fears of a character, producing an irresistible internal strife. To illustrate this, a justice-motivated character may need to make a decision that is unjust in order to gain their objective.
• Drive External Conflict: This is experienced when the motivation of the character collides with that of the other character, which results in conflict and drives the plot. The stimulus to a hero saving the world is useless without a villain having the urge to ruin it.

Motivation vs. Goal

The major distinction between motivation and a goal is that the former is the why, and the latter is the what. Motivation is a force that is internal and usually abstract-driven. It is the inherent motive behind a specific act of a character, like the necessity to be loved, a passion for revenge, or the longing to be free. On the other hand, a goal is the definite, physical purpose that a person is attempting to reach. It is the final product of their motivations.

• The source of power is Motivation, the destination is a Goal. A need to be accepted may thus be the motivation of a character. This is what drives them to take action, and the prestigious competition is their objective. The purpose is an actual act, whereas the motivating power is the individual, emotional cause of it.
• Goals are achievable; Motivations are enduring. The character goals can be achieved if the character is able to find the treasure or win the race. Nevertheless, they are not necessarily demotivated. A character that was pursuing wealth may have a new target as soon as they are rich, because their drive for security and power is still there.
• This is a cause-and-effect relationship. The cause is the motivation, and the goal is the effect. It is love that drives the character to attain the desire of searching for a partner. It is meant to achieve the external manifestation of an internal urge.

Quick Exercise: Write Your Character’s Motivation in 2 Sentences

Before you follow the step-by-step guide to create a good character, you must be aware that driving forces behind a character make them realistic, and the narration of an event interesting. It is the why that drives everything that they do. This is a little exercise that will help you reduce your character in its motivation to the most fundamental form.

Your Assignment: Compose a two-sentence statement of motivation for your character.

• The initial sentence is supposed to explain what took place outside that led to their motivation.
• The second sentence is to describe the inner desire or need that came as a result of that event.

Examples

• Example 1: The Detective

The partner of the detective was murdered in the process of researching a strong crime syndicate. This incident sparked a burning desire for justice, and he had to destroy the organization by all means.

• Example 2: The Inventor

The lack of clean water in her community brought the inventor to a crisis. It is because of this that she is now compelled to develop a machine that would help purify water for all.

Now pause, and see how it will be with your own character. These two fundamental sentences enable you to get to the root of what they are driven by in a short period of time. You can also download the Character Sheet and Template for an easy process of character creation: 

Conclusion

The driving force of every interesting story is character motivation definition. It is the reason behind the action and every choice of a character that makes the journey of a particular character believable and their struggles significant. We, with the help of Studyunicorn, have touched on how the idea of motivation based on the backstory of a character generates internal and external conflict. We have also seen that a strong inspiration drives the desires of a character, which gives an established direction to the story. In the end, revenge, justice, or redemption, great motivation turns an ordinary character into a powerful one, as it is what leaves a profound impact on the viewers.