Motivation often feels simple on the surface. Set a goal, work toward it, and reach the finish line. Yet for many people, especially those managing stress, anxiety, or mental health challenges, motivation does not follow a straight path.
Rewards are frequently used as a push to keep going, but psychologists continue to debate whether this method strengthens drive or slowly weakens it. The answer is not as straightforward as it might seem.
Why Rewards Are Common in Motivation
Rewards are everywhere. New Year’s resolutions, fitness plans, productivity systems, and even therapy routines often rely on small incentives. The logic is easy to understand. A pleasant outcome tied to a difficult task can reduce resistance and make action feel manageable.
In mental health settings, rewards are often used as coping tools rather than performance prizes. A comforting activity, favorite food, or relaxing experience can provide enough relief to get through an uncomfortable moment. These rewards are not about indulgence. They serve as anchors that help stabilize emotions and reduce overwhelm.
Freepik | Incentives reduce resistance by making difficult tasks feel more manageable.
A Real-World Example
During a medical procedure such as an MRI, discomfort can rise quickly. Loud mechanical noise, tight spaces, and physical stillness create stress, particularly for individuals sensitive to sound or confined environments. In such situations, the promise of a calming activity afterward can help the nervous system settle.
Visualizing a peaceful experience, such as walking through a quiet rose garden filled with warm sunlight, birdsong, and gentle movement, can reduce panic even when external conditions remain unchanged. The stressor persists, yet the body responds differently because the mind has something reassuring to hold onto.
This type of reward works less like a prize and more like emotional regulation. It provides a reason to stay present without forcing willpower alone to do all the work.
The Guilt Often Tied to Using Rewards
Many people question whether relying on rewards signals weakness. There is a common belief that daily responsibilities should be handled solely through discipline. Tasks like getting out of bed, showering, or completing appointments are often framed as basic expectations rather than achievements.
This mindset can create unnecessary shame. Mental health recovery rarely follows a one-size-fits-all formula. What looks like procrastination on the outside may actually be emotional exhaustion, sensory overload, or depression on the inside. In these cases, rewards are not shortcuts. They are supports.
What Research Says About Rewards
Scientific research does not offer a single answer. Studies on motivation and rewards have produced conflicting conclusions for decades. Some research suggests that external rewards increase engagement and persistence. Other studies argue that rewards reduce intrinsic motivation by shifting focus away from personal satisfaction.
A summary published in Learning and Instruction, Vol. 96, April 2025, captures the disagreement clearly:
“The issue of whether extrinsic rewards increase or thwart motivation has been hotly debated, and scholars in distinct research traditions have expressed opposing viewpoints…These controversies have even led to the conclusion that, over the last few decades, rewards have become one of the most contentious concepts in social and educational psychology.”
This lack of consensus highlights an important reality. Motivation is deeply personal. What boosts one person’s drive may drain another’s.
Rewards and Mental Health Recovery
Freepik | Effective recovery integrates professional advice with the wisdom of one's own reality.
In mental health recovery, rigid rules rarely help. Trusting personal experience becomes just as important as respecting clinical research. Many patients struggle with what is often called “white coat worship,” where professional opinions are treated as absolute truth, even when they conflict with lived experience.
Over time, recovery often involves finding balance. Science offers guidance, but self-awareness fills in the gaps. If a small reward makes a difficult day survivable without harming long-term goals, it can be a valid and healthy strategy.
Even modest rewards can have value. Watching a familiar episode of ‘Star Trek,’ scheduling a short massage, or buying a magazine may seem trivial. In reality, these moments can act as emotional lifelines during periods of deep distress.
When Rewards Help and When They Don’t
Rewards tend to work best when they are:
1. Proportional to the effort required
2. Used to reduce stress rather than pressure
3. Chosen intentionally, not impulsively
Problems arise when rewards replace meaning or become the only reason to act. In contrast, when rewards support well-being and make complex tasks possible, they often strengthen resilience rather than weaken motivation.
When Rewards Support, Not Replace, Motivation
The debate around rewards is unlikely to end soon. Psychologists may continue to disagree, and new studies will keep adding layers to the discussion. Still, motivation does not exist in isolation from real life, mental health, or individual needs.
For many people, especially those navigating recovery, rewards do not reduce personal drive. They provide stability, comfort, and a sense of control during challenging moments. The most effective approach often sits between evidence-based guidance and honest self-knowledge.
When used thoughtfully, rewards can support progress without diminishing inner motivation.