The psychology of motivation

Motivation is the directional force of citta — what turns its energy toward action, sustains it through difficulty, and collapses in conditions of helplessness or meaninglessness. Self-Determination Theory identifies three universal psychological needs — autonomy, competence, and relatedness — whose satisfaction predicts intrinsic motivation across cultures. Understanding motivation means understanding both the neurobiological dopamine systems that generate it and the deeper structures of meaning and value that give it direction.