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The fear of failure exerts a significant influence on the motivational orientation of student-athletes, often shifting their drive from intrinsic to extrinsic sources. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study examined the predictive relationship between fear of failure and athletic motivation. A total of 321 student-athletes from various educational institutions in Iligan City participated, all of whom possessed at least five years of athletic experience and had competed in tournaments ranging from the regional to the national level. The Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PFAI) was employed to assess fear of failure, while the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) was used to evaluate motivation. Data were analyzed through bivariate correlation and multiple regression using JASP version 28. Results revealed that all five dimensions of fear of failure significantly influenced student-athletes’ motivation. Among these, fear of displeasing important others was identified as the strongest predictor, followed by fear of experiencing shame and guilt, fear of devaluing one’s self-worth, fear of an uncertain future, and fear of losing others’ interest. The findings suggest that fear of failure undermines the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, thereby fostering controlled rather than autonomous forms of motivation. Consequently, creating autonomy-supportive environments and ensuring psychological safety are essential in reducing fear-based pressures and in promoting sustainable, self-determined motivation among student-athletes
