--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe you're either intrinsically…" description: "\"I believe you're either intrinsically motivated or you're not.\" — Brad Stevens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/brad-stevens-4524_believe_i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-mo_3102715.png" --- # I believe you're either intrinsically motivated or you're… ![“I believe you're either intrinsically motivated or you're not.” quote by Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/brad-stevens-4524_believe_i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-mo_3102715.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/brad-stevens-4524_believe_i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-mo_3102715.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/brad-stevens-4524_believe_i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-mo_3102715.png) > “I believe you're either intrinsically motivated or you're not.” [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People are either driven from within or lack that drive entirely. **In simple terms:** Motivation is either intrinsic or absent. Key Takeaway Cultivate internal drive. Themes motivation intrinsic self-discipline Mood inspirational pragmatic Type coaching self-help When to use this quote - career planning - sports training Key Concepts psychology goal setting performance Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your inner motivation? - How can you develop it if missing? A Different Perspective External rewards alone rarely sustain effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Intrinsically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-intrinsically-5384183/) [Either](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/either/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Intrinsically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intrinsically-1535497/) [Intrinsically Motivated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intrinsically-motivated-1585599/) [Motivated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivated/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) ## Related quotes > [As a family, we are all intrinsically motivated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-chen/as-a-family-we-are-all-intrinsically-motivated/) [Nathan Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-chen/) > [“In their writing on education, Deci and Ryan proceed from the principle that humans are natural learners and children are born creative and curious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/in-their-writing-on-education-deci-and-ryan-proceed-from-the/) [Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tough/) > [Once you identify the intrinsically motivated people, you realize that fancy degrees can actually be a negative - that some of the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-ming/once-you-identify-the-intrinsically-motivated-people-you-realize-that/) [Vivienne Ming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-ming/) > [I don't think people do anything out of fear very well. So I think the only choice is to have them intrinsically motivated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-kelley/i-don-t-think-people-do-anything-out-of-fear-very-well-so-i-think-the/) [David M. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-kelley/) > [We learn best when we're intrinsically motivated - that is, when we try something new for the sheer enjoyment of the experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-simmons/we-learn-best-when-we-re-intrinsically-motivated-that-is-when-we-try/) [Rachel Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-simmons/) > [“Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which is arguably the best understanding science currently has for why some pursuits get our engines running while others leave us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/self-determination-theory-sdt-which-is-arguably-the-best/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [“Everything that happens is intrinsically like the man it happens to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/everything-that-happens-is-intrinsically-like-the-man-it-happens-to/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [The characters I've portrayed may outwardly be quite different from one another, but I've found that they're also intrinsically linked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/the-characters-i-ve-portrayed-may-outwardly-be-quite-different-from/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [Nothing is intrinsically valuable; the value of everything is attributed to it, assigned to it from outside the thing itself, by people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/nothing-is-intrinsically-valuable-the-value-of-everything-is/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [Why is anything intrinsically so valueless so obviously desirable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/why-is-anything-intrinsically-so-valueless-so-obviously-desirable/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I don't know if there's anything intrinsically funny about Tae Kwon Do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hill/i-don-t-know-if-there-s-anything-intrinsically-funny-about-tae-kwon-do/) [Jody Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hill/) > [Rajshri Productions helped me intrinsically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohnish-bahl/rajshri-productions-helped-me-intrinsically/) [Mohnish Bahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohnish-bahl/) > [“There is something about who you intrinsically are that has captured God’s heart and mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-toon/there-is-something-about-who-you-intrinsically-are-that-has-captured/) [Catherine Toon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-toon/) > [The only thing we have in this world that is utterly and intrinsically ours is our integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/the-only-thing-we-have-in-this-world-that-is-utterly-and/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [“Nothing is intrinsically or ultimately bad. Any situation that arises is only relatively good or bad based on many factors, including—most significantly—how you perceive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogyen-trinley-dorje/nothing-is-intrinsically-or-ultimately-bad-any-situation-that-arises/) [Ogyen Trinley Dorje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogyen-trinley-dorje/) ## More by Brad Stevens > [I don't focus well angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-don-t-focus-well-angry/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [When you've worked in the same place for 13 years, when things go well, you know how to keep it going well. When things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/when-you-ve-worked-in-the-same-place-for-13-years-when-things-go-well/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [I like to be pretty streamlined, to maximize our time on the practice floor. I like to make sure I'm respectful of our players'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-like-to-be-pretty-streamlined-to-maximize-our-time-on-the-practice/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [My care is that we play with great effort and togetherness. That is what we're looking for. That's what we want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/my-care-is-that-we-play-with-great-effort-and-togetherness-that-is/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [Jaylen's a high achiever. You can be a high achiever in every which way. He's a guy that - we've talked about several times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/jaylen-s-a-high-achiever-you-can-be-a-high-achiever-in-every-which/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [It's so much fun to dream in your driveway. I had an old wooden backboard in my driveway. That's where my friends and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/it-s-so-much-fun-to-dream-in-your-driveway-i-had-an-old-wooden/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [Jaylen's greatest impact, as good as he is at basketball, won't be at basketball. I just think he's a special guy. He's a special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/jaylen-s-greatest-impact-as-good-as-he-is-at-basketball-won-t-be-at/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [I think the NBA's amazing and I think our players are amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-think-the-nba-s-amazing-and-i-think-our-players-are-amazing/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [What makes Butler truly unique is the people that we have been so blessed to work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/what-makes-butler-truly-unique-is-the-people-that-we-have-been-so/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [At the end of the day, you do this job because you really like working with your team and like the chance to compete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/at-the-end-of-the-day-you-do-this-job-because-you-really-like-working/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [My experience at DePauw was about as beneficial as any experience I've had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/my-experience-at-depauw-was-about-as-beneficial-as-any-experience-i/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [One thing I'd like to do better personally is decompress. Obviously when things don't go your way, you'll be thinking of it all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/one-thing-i-d-like-to-do-better-personally-is-decompress-obviously/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [If I was playing a game of Sorry or checkers with my nine-year-old, I hate losing. That's just my makeup and personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/if-i-was-playing-a-game-of-sorry-or-checkers-with-my-nine-year-old-i/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [One of my greatest regrets in coaching is the Butler Final Four runs, because if I would have been a seasoned coach, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/one-of-my-greatest-regrets-in-coaching-is-the-butler-final-four-runs/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [I could probably go through our losses in a lot more detail than our wins, all through my career. But you have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-could-probably-go-through-our-losses-in-a-lot-more-detail-than-our/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) [Explore all 108 Brad Stevens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe you're either intrinsically motivated or you're not.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brad Stevens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-motivated-or-you-re-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-motivated-or-you-re-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/brad-stevens-4524_believe_i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-mo_3102715.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/brad-stevens-4524_believe_i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-mo_3102715.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/brad-stevens-4524_believe_i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-mo_3102715.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe you're either intrinsically motivated or you're not.” — Brad Stevens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brad Stevens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe you're either intrinsically motivated...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-motivated-or-you-re-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-believe-you-re-either-intrinsically-motivated-or-you-re-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```