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Reward, Intrinsic Motivation, and How to Make Ghee!
Most people are probably aware of the basic framework for habit formation and more or less familiar with some version of what Charles Duhhig has termed the “Habit Loop.” We can learn to automate a particular behavior by establishing a relationship which involves seeing the stimulus or cue, which invokes a routine with a specific action, in order to attain some reward. Of course, this is true, but I think that in many ways our idea of what exactly constitutes a “reward” has become a bit misconstrued. Ultimately, we need to ensure that said rewards are appropriate for and aligned with the habit we are trying to form. As someone…
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Flow, Optimal Experience, and Intrinsic Motivation
When I was in Milan last weekend, I had the opportunity to see Michaelango’s final work of art, a marble sculpture – the Rondanini Pietà. He had originally intended for it be incorporated into his own tomb and had worked on a few versions of it in various stages, dissatisfied with his progress and the direction it was taking more than once. It is not known as one of his most famous pieces of work, nor the most beautiful, but I was especially intrigued by it when I heard that he had been found working furiously on it into the late hours of the night with a candle strapped around…





