Newsletter - A bit about motivation...

Hello,

Photography is based largely on the ability to keep motivation going. Without motivation there is very little creativity happening, and it can be devastating.

There are two types of motivation: intrinsic (inside) and extrinsic (outside). Intrinsic motivation is when you are fuelled by the desire to do something because it makes you happy. It is something you love doing. Extrinsic motivation is when you are fuelled by the desire to do something because there is a reward at the end. You are looking to get something in return.

Both can be important depending on the action you are performing. You want to earn money and have security (extrinsic) so you can spend more time with your hobbies (intrinsic).

Most of photography initially comes from an intrinsic motivation, but something happens when you introduce monetary value: it becomes your job. The motivation changes, and something psychologists call the overjustification effect comes into play. You don't like doing it anymore because you're being rewarded for doing it, which diminishes the intrinsic motivation to perform that action. 

Turning what you love doing into what you do for a living changes how you feel about what you love doing. Sounds basic, but it is also rooted in research and psychology. It is perfectly normal for your brain to sometimes hate going to work even though you love what you're doing. 

How do we keep the intrinsic motivation going? 

I don't know if there is a definite answer to that, but after 20 years in photography I find it goes in waves. For me it's been something like this: work is steady, money coming in: I'm happy. I feel motivated. I keep going. After about five years this happiness goes away. It becomes a chore. Still steady money, but very little job satisfaction, which leads to creativity taking a plunge, and guess what: very little work coming in. This allows for more time to focus on photography and finding new ways to reconnect with my intrinsic motivation, which again leads to more creativity, and guess what, more work coming in. Circle of the working photographer.

I've learned to live with it, and I've also found ways to work with my intrinsic motivation and my extrinsic motivation at the same time. Photography can be so much more than just assignments or sessions, it's an art form where there are no limits to what you can explore and learn about yourself.

Are you currently intrinsically or extrinsically motivated? I'd love to know, I love getting emails in return, so hit reply and tell me!

All for now,

Kristine