Internally driven athletes experienced more positive emotions and an increased willingness to repeat the task after its completion. The alternative, a motivation based on control, is fragile. It might appear powerful at the beginning, but it quickly fades. In the throes of despair between continuing and stopping, fear as the driver falters. In the aforementioned study, individuals motivated by external pressure were more likely to disengage, give up, and see the endeavor as a threat.
