“Motivation Is the Heart of Success”: A Qualitative Analysis of EFL Female Saudi Students’ Metamotivational Beliefs about Motivation

Research demonstrates that students' performance and success are greatly affected by their beliefs and perceptions about learning. The gap in research examining metamotivational beliefs, particularly in the context of foreign language learning and in the Middle Eastern region limits our understanding of how language learners perceive, manage, and adapt their motivation in response to various linguistic challenges. This study explores the metamotivational beliefs of Saudi college EFL female students about motivation, an area often overlooked. This qualitative study draws on a research question: How do EFL female English language major Saudi students define and describe motivation? 57 written responses to a single question "What does motivation mean to you?" were collected and thematically analyzed. 5 major themes emerged from the analysis: motivation as intrinsic and dynamic; motivation as a variable feeling; motivation as personal and regulated by students' situational awareness; and motivation as extrinsic. Findings revealed that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are significant, with high intrinsic and self-relevant value, self-efficacy, self-control, and growth mindset being particularly prominent. Motivation was treated as a complex, malleable, subjective process rooted in personal drives and feelings, rather than just external value. While previous research on Saudi EFL students often emphasized the authoritative roles of teachers, this study highlights the importance of viewing students as active participants in their learning. Implications about the integration of the metamotivational approach and students as co-creators of knowledge perspective into qualitative studies when examining motivation and self-regulation are further discussed.