THE THOUGHT

In 2020, I read 30 books. Naturally, I decided to double that number for 2021. Sometimes I go slightly overboard. Fully committed, I created a Goodreads account to plan, track, and publicly share my progress. That first year, I managed 32 books. The next year, 15. Then 5. Last year, exactly 3.

Reading used to be something I did purely for fun, following my curiosity wherever it led. Then someone—okay, it was me—introduced a prize, and suddenly everything changed.

Have you noticed how enthusiasm fades when motivation comes from expecting something in return? When external rewards overshadow curiosity, suddenly we're chasing likes, status, or followers instead of being drawn to the activity itself.

I know I enjoy reading, so where did that original spark go? And how did an incentive transform passion into obligation?

THE DIVE

Why Rewards Sabotage Passion

We touched on intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation in an earlier issue, exploring how internal satisfaction often leads to more sustained fulfillment than external incentives. But why does intrinsic motivation also fade when external rewards enter the picture?

Psychologists Greene, Sternberg, and Lepper (1976) famously studied this phenomenon with children who enjoyed drawing purely for fun. The researchers introduced rewards by giving children certificates for completing their drawings. After the rewards stopped, these children showed significantly less interest in drawing compared to those who had never received rewards. The introduction of external incentives transformed drawing from an enjoyable activity into a transactional exchange.

This phenomenon, known as the overjustification effect, occurs because external rewards shift our internal narrative. Instead of perceiving an activity as something we freely choose because we genuinely enjoy it, we begin attributing our behavior to external incentives. The activity no longer feels self-driven or voluntary—it feels controlled by rewards or expectations. As a result, our sense of autonomy diminishes, and intrinsic enjoyment fades.

Adults experience this effect too, especially in workplaces that heavily rely on performance bonuses, praise, or external recognition. Tasks initially engaging or meaningful can quickly become obligations, reducing creativity, satisfaction, and ultimately leading to burnout.

You'd think we'd love getting paid to do what we enjoy—interestingly, perhaps we shouldn't. While the idea sounds appealing, it often comes at the hidden cost of our passion itself.

THE PRACTICE

Returning to Yourself

OK, but I thought the idea was: "Follow your passion, and the money will follow." Well, as it turns out, it's not always that straightforward. So, what can we do to preserve our passion?

The key is to protect intrinsic joy by clearly defining boundaries between passion and reward. Instead of fully blending enjoyment and income, intentionally keep certain activities purely for pleasure—no pressure, no goals, no monetization.

If you do monetize a passion, deliberately nurture intrinsic motivation:

• Regularly reconnect with your original purpose.

• Occasionally engage in the activity purely for enjoyment, without compensation or acknowledgment.

• Consider external rewards as bonus details rather than the main objective.

This week, choose one activity you once loved but now feels like a chore. Spend 15 minutes engaging privately—no goals, no judgments. Just reconnect with the original curiosity that drew you in.

Over time, small shifts can transform obligations back into passions. External recognition may still feel good, but the richest rewards come from protecting space in our lives for curiosity, wonder, and genuine joy.

This year, I will read exactly... however many books I happen to stumble upon.