What is the difference between motive and motivation?

Motive and motivation are related concepts, but they are not the same. A motive is an underlying reason for an action, thought, or feeling that is often unconscious. Motives are usually based on needs, desires, or beliefs that a person holds. Motivation, on the other hand, is the drive or desire to do something. It is the energy that fuels a person’s actions and can be either internal or external. Motivation is often based on a reward or outcome that a person is hoping to achieve.

In short, a motive is the underlying cause of an action or feeling, while motivation is the drive or desire to do something. A person can have a motive without being motivated, and can be motivated without having a motive. For example, a person may have a motive to get a promotion at work (e.g. to be able to provide for their family) but not be motivated to put in the effort to do so. Alternatively, a person may be motivated to get a promotion (e.g. to receive a higher salary) but not have an underlying motive for doing so.