Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
Motivation from within — autonomy, mastery, purpose — is durable; external rewards can crowd it out, so paying people for what they already love can make them love it less.
An everyday example
A hobby that dies when it becomes a side hustle; a referral programme that turns advocates into mercenaries.
What it can cost you
Accepting incentives that replace your reasons, and losing the reasons when the incentives stop.
Warning signs
- I only do it for the points now.
- It used to be fun.
One thing to do
Before accepting a reward for something you do freely, decide whether you would keep doing it if the reward vanished.
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