Resource Pack
Resource Pack: Self-Determination Theory
Richard Ryan and Edward Deci's definitive work can be accessed in three books, offering a spectrum of accessibility.
In 2009 Daniel Pink popularised their work in his best-selling title Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us — and adapting it somewhat around his own thinking (albeit crediting SDT as a core source right at the beginning of the book).
Deci's 1996 text, Why do We do what We do: Understanding Self Motivation, offers a punchy and practical distillation of Self-Determination Theory — and wider psychological work that informed and followed it.
For the full deep dive into all things SDT, Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness (published in 2017) offers synthesises a vast body of research on how enabling (or diminishing) people's fundamental needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, affects their growth, motivation and wellbeing. The text covers implications for practice and policy in education, health care sport — and the workplace.
SDT: Curated reading, watching and listening
Watch: This RSA-Animates film distills the ideas in Drive, visually bringing to life a talk by Pink himself.
Read: This website offers an ever expanding bank of resources on the theory and it's application to sustaining motivation in all kinds of fields.
Listen: An excellent episode of the Psychology Podcast, with Richard Ryan in conversation — exploring the origins of SDT and its latest applications in education, the workplace and beyond. Ryan gives his view on Daniel Pink's spin on the theory in Drive too.
Read: Supporting Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness: The Coaching Process From a Self-Determination Theory Perspective — an insightful read on the application of SDT to enhance coaching relationships (PDF).
SDT in 10 Behavioural Bites
Behavioural Bite: We might think of motivation as like a fire. SDT helps you understand what sparks it, keeps it burning, and stops it from fizzling out.
SDT explains how our motivation is driven by fulfilling three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. How we can fuel, rather than snuff out, the fires of those we manage.
Behavioural Bite: People are more motivated when they feel like they’re steering the ship, not just following orders.
Autonomy is about feeling in control of your choices and actions—not being micromanaged.
Behavioural Bite: We’re wired to feel good when we’re learning, improving, and succeeding. Competence is the thrill of getting better at something.
Motivation grows when people feel capable and see their efforts making a difference.
Behavioural Bite: Motivation is sustained when we experience the combined effect of feeling our needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness met.
SDT shows that long-term motivation isn’t just about extrinsic rewards. It’s about consistently meeting these three core needs.
Behavioural Bite: Doing something because you want to is way more powerful than doing it because you have to.
Intrinsic motivation (doing things for personal enjoyment or meaning) is stronger than extrinsic motivation (doing things for rewards or avoiding punishment).
Behavioural Bite: Pressure kills motivation. The more you push people to do things your way, the less engaged they become.
SDT shows that controlling environments undermine autonomy and can lead to burnout.
Behavioural Bite: Happy, motivated teams aren’t just lucky—they’re designed. SDT gives you the blueprint.
Fulfilling autonomy, competence, and relatedness at work creates a culture where people thrive.
Behavioural Bite: Carrots and sticks work short-term. SDT is about lighting a flame that keeps burning long after the rewards are gone.
Sustainable motivation comes from aligning work with internal values and needs.
Behavioural Bite: Want to boost someone’s motivation? Give them freedom, help them grow, and show them they belong.
A practical summary of SDT’s core principles: autonomy, competence, and relatedness in action.
