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Full Idea
There are motivating reasons for action, which are psychological states, and normative reasons, which are propositions of the general form 'a person's doing this is desirable or required'.
Gist of Idea
Motivating reasons are psychological, while normative reasons are external
Source
Michael Smith (The Moral Problem [1994], 4.2)
Book Ref
Smith,Michael: 'The Moral Problem' [Blackwell 1994], p.96
A Reaction
Motivating reasons are locatable entities in minds, whereas normative reasons are either abstract, or perhaps motivating reasons expressed by other people. Smith says the two types are unconnected.