It was in first year Uni, doing my Bachelor of Education, that I heard about ‘Intrinsic’ and ‘Extrinsic’ motivation. Extrinsic – where you’re motivated by external rewards; intrinsic – internal rewards. So if you want to get your students to work for you, you have a choice of stickers / stamps / class prizes etc etc or even ‘not get a phone-call to your parents / a detention / more homework’ (external rewards) or you can get them to realise that the feeling of accomplishment that they receive, is reward in itself (internal reward). Use both, in appropriate situations.
The same applies to life. I am rather lazy, as I mentioned previously, which is why extrinsic motivation in the form of chocolate helps me with my filing (kind of a hated chore).
But why do I then blog? why do I do blogging challenges like #blogJune? I started late this year – and yet it’s now the 28th and I’ve caught up more than I would have expected to. Why? To look good? to impress others – other #blogJune writers who may happenstance onto my blog? To prove that I can “catch up”, in some measure, in spite of the lateness of the start? I’m not entirely sure. I guess there’s both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators there – but I don’t have the time, energy or (to be truthful) the inclination to look too deeply.
I’m happy with my efforts. Not all of my posts (in fact, very few of them, I’m thinking) were great, readable, “meaty” pieces. But some were. And that’s probably the best that I could do, considering my circumstances with regard to time & energy constraints. I’m actually surprised at how little time I have these days, to blog – even just to sit at my computer! I thought I was busy before – I guess life *can* get busier??!
Anyway, kids are up and breakfast needs to be gotten. Have a great day, dear reader! 🙂