Today I trained my dog, and once again I was amazed at how readily he does what I want, if the exercise has an element of play. No, he won’t refuse a treat, of course. But other things being equal, the play instinct takes over. It is impossible not to draw a parallel with the motivation of himself or others.
Someone has a strong “food instinct” and will do anything for a “treat,” such as a big bounty from the sale of a business. And for another, like me, there is nothing better than just a fascinating task to solve. Once my curiosity has been activated, nothing — neither fear, nor discomfort, nor mistakes — can stop me. The reward is important to me, but it is secondary. Whenever I’ve tried to seduce myself with money, regalia, or recognition, it’s either ended badly, or nothing. It was like that joke about the “defective” balloons: “Yes, they are bright and beautiful, but they don’t make me happy.”
On the contrary, if I followed my curiosity, even into frightening uncertainty, I always ended up gaining knowledge, experience, and a bonus on top. Sometimes, however, I had to move in complete darkness until I found the Ariadne’s thread that led me out of the labyrinth and into the light.
It’s important to know what it is that truly drives you. It’s the suprarational pull that both navigates you through the chaos of life as a GPS and helps you overcome all difficulties, giving them meaning. After all, without long-term effort against all odds, it is impossible to become a Master. Investor and entrepreneur Naval Ravikant astutely wrote, “If you’re not interested, you’ll never be good at it. And what turns you on - a game, a treat, or something else?
Yours sincerely,
-Alexander
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