Intrinsic Doesn't Have To Mean Exciting
Photo by Gabriel Valdez on Unsplash I wonder if some parents and teachers shy away from encouraging intrinsic motivation because they don't have the energy to make every lesson and chore as fun as a party game or as delicious as chocolate cake. Intrinsic motivation can come from something having become habitual enough that once you work yourself up to starting it you're going to finish it unless something interrupts you. I feel that way about cleaning up after the cats and about making pancakes. Intrinsic motivation can come from something being soothingly repetitive like sweeping or crocheting something rectangular. (Crocheting other shapes can be intellectually intense.) Intrinsic motivation can come from being able to do one thing while focusing on something else like doing the same set of warmup exercises while watching different music videos. Intrinsic motivation can come from feeling companionable with the person you're doing it with. I often p...