Self-determination theory (SDT) is an overarching theory of motivation that explains why we feel intrinsically motivated to do things. It argues we are motivated by three needs 1. Autonomy: Feeling in control of your behavior. The feeling of doing things you want to do rather than things you have to do. 2. Relatedness: Feeling meaningfully connected to others. 3. Competence: Feeling that you do things well or can improve your ability It is difficult to determine if the three motives are exhaustive. It has minimal criticisms and hundreds of studies that demonstrate its practicality. [^1][^2] [^1]: The Decision Lab. n.d. “The Decision Lab - Behavioral Science, Applied.” Accessed February 7, 2026. [https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/self-determination-theory](https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/self-determination-theory). [[DecisionLabBehaviorala|Annotations]] [^2]: _Theory – Selfdeterminationtheory.Org_. n.d. Accessed February 8, 2026. [https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/](https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/). [[TheorySelfdeterminationtheoryorg|Annotations]]