Most conscious actions require motivation, and there are two basic motivation types: intrinsic and extrinsic.
🧬Intrinsic motivation is when you do something because you love it.
🎻 Csikszentmihalyi said the highest intrinsic motivation is a flow state where self-consciousness is lost, one surrenders completely to the moment, and time means nothing (2013).
🚚 Extrinsic motivation is when your motivation to succeed is controlled externally.
👨🏫 That type of motivation is short-lived. A good kind of extrinsic motivation is when you are practicing to get better but you still need a mentor or coach to reflect on your efforts.
The 8 Characteristics of Flow
Csikszentmihalyi describes eight characteristics of flow:
- Complete concentration on the task;
- Clarity of goals and reward in mind and immediate feedback;
- Transformation of time (speeding up/slowing down);
- The experience is intrinsically rewarding;
- Effortlessness and ease;
- There is a balance between challenge and skills;
- Actions and awareness are merged, losing self-conscious rumination;
- There is a feeling of control over the task.