This study aims to provide detailed information, with the support of studies in the literature, on the issues that come to the fore of the Self-Determination Theory, its formation process, its current structure and how it may be shaped in the future. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) shapes the understanding of the impact of basic psychological needs such as competence, autonomy, and relatedness on individuals' motivation and the optimization of motivation. As the demands and sensitivities of contemporary life change, SDT provides insight into how the resulting uncertainty and interdependence can affect employees' motivation, performance and well-being. SDT, which states that the level of integration and autonomy determines the level of motivation in individuals, makes suggestions for self-development and the construction of a healthy life in terms of many branches of science. SDT offers current assumptions and solution suggestions regarding the antecedents and consequences of individuals being demotivated or acting with extrinsic/intrinsic motivation. Also, it is explained what SDT brings to business and social life and how the issue of motivation helps individuals shape their psychological and physiological future. In this context, it is possible to say that SDT affects research methods, research fields, and developments in other theories in the literature. The fact that SDT has a dynamic structure, its ability to adapt to updated elements, and the comprehensiveness of the suggestions it offers in terms of motivation show that the theory will be a research object for many years.