On Internal Motivation

I asked my students today what keeps them motivated. One of them said “spite.”

— Dr. Chris Jones, pickle friend (@ProfChrisMJones) February 15, 2021

I saw this tweet recently, and I related to it. I feel motivated to prove people wrong or to spite someone quite often. Reflecting though, I realized my proudest achievements were internally motivated.

The reason I created this blog was to challenge my thinking. The reason I pushed myself this past recruiting season was to prove to myself that I was good enough. The reason I started exercising was to push myself physically and mentally.

Sometimes, I have external kickstarters. These kickstarters are very similar to Michael Jordan’s philosophy of taking things personally. External motivation is often just a boost. It can’t last throughout the whole journey. Even though Michael Jordan took things personally, he was still motivated by excellence and his desire to fulfill his potential as an NBA player.