Intrinsic motivation is a big word, but it’s all about doing things for fun or because they make you feel good inside, not for rewards like toys or money. It’s like when you draw a picture because you like to draw, not because you want to get a gold star from your teacher.
How Can We Love What We Do?
But how do you find things that make you feel that way? It’s all about trying different things and seeing what you love to do. Maybe you like to build things, solve puzzles, or make up stories. When you find something you love, you’ll want to do it all the time, just like playing your favorite game.
It’s important to remember that doing what you love is good for you. It can make you think better, work harder, and feel happier. There’s a book called “Drive” by Daniel Pink. He says that if we can choose what we do, get better at it, and do something important, we’ll be really happy with our work.
- Autonomy: This means we get to choose what we do. It’s like when your parents let you pick out your clothes. You’re more excited to get dressed when it’s your choice, right?
- Mastery: This is when you get really good at something. Think about when you learn a new game and you start getting better and better. It feels great, doesn’t it?
- Purpose: Purpose is when you do something because it means something to you. Like when you make a card for a friend to make them smile, it feels good because you’re doing something nice for someone else.
Finding What You Love
Intrinsic motivation is really about finding what makes you excited and happy to do something without thinking about a reward. It doesn’t have to be a big discovery or a famous invention. It could be as simple as helping out at home because it makes you feel good to see your family happy.
So remember, find things you love to do, do them because they make you feel good, and who knows? Maybe that will get you success too, but if not, you’ll be happy because you’re doing what you love, and that’s what really matters.
