Heckhausen and Kuhl (1985) propose that motivation begins with wishes, which are values attached to goals. External cues can trigger wishes by making the emotional aspects of a potential goal more noticeable. Wishes focus on the incentive quality of a goal and do not consider the likelihood of achieving it. When a wish becomes a want, it means that the person believes there is enough likelihood of achieving the goal and that the desired outcomes will result from achieving it (Heckhausen & Kuhl, 1985). Wants become intentions when a person actively chooses from the available actions they can take and commits to a specific one. This sequence happens during what is referred to as the predecisional motivation phase, where impartial and reality-oriented deliberation processes occur. Once an intention is formed, a change in mindset to a volitional orientation takes place, prioritizing actions that will lead to achieving the intention (Beckmann, 2019).
References
Heckhausen, H., & Kuhl, J. (1985). From wishes to action: The dead ends and short cuts on the long way to action. In M. Frese, & J. Sabini (Eds.), Goal directed behaviour (pp. 78-94). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Beckmann, J. (2019). In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts (p. 313). Academic Press.
