I think not. Controversial? Let me explain my thinking…

I recently heard intrinsic motivation being discussed online by the productivity coach, Demir Bentley. I’m not even sure what he said, but suddenly things made sense and I was hit by inspiration. I even got an insight into why I resent the concept of accountability. This is resentment to the extent where I get very rebellious indeed, even though I really want to do the thing. Totally Mary, Mary Quite Contrary.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within. When motivated in this way, people can act independently, with a certainty that their efforts matter, especially if the activity builds their skills mastery and they are gaining a sense of satisfaction from the activity. Autonomy, purpose and mastery are all critical elements of intrinsic motivation. The deeper the activity, the greater the motivation. Any external reward such as being paid, getting appreciation from others, growing the organisation and so on, is largely incidental.

Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, comes from outside and motivates people to either earn somebody else’s reward or to avoid their sanction. If you were educated in a school, this is exactly what doing your homework to avoid detention was all about.

I don’t know how you function best, but personally, I don’t do so well when there is a sense of threat hanging in the air. I have a strong childhood memory:

I am very worried indeed. It is nearly the end of term, and my teacher has got us on one of his catch up days – a day of finishing things we enjoyed starting earlier in the term. The outcome of the day for me is sure to involve missing out on a reward of some sort and being humiliated in front of the rest of my class. I am definitely not in charge of myself, and I cannot think well enough to do anything effectively, even things I usually enjoy. I am deep into the anxiety and paralysis of being overwhelmed. I have a sense of dread… I am temporarily without what little autonomy I ever had at the age of nine or ten.

Even writing about it decades later, I am beginning to feel overwhelmed again. This is the traumatic little place that I get transported back to whenever anyone suggests having some ‘accountability’ to me. I literally cannot function in that space. Worse, to reinstate a sense of autonomy, I begin to get rebellious and avoid doing the thing altogether, even though I have a strong desire to do it. Yes, it is barmy, but one of the responsibilities of being an adult is understanding how you function in specific situations, then using that information to make appropriate and intentional choices. As adults we can make positive choices in order to take responsibility for ourselves. In this spirit, I choose not to engage with the concept of ‘accountability’ because it invariably belongs to somebody else.

This is what extrinsic motivation can do for a person – research by psychologists has shown that it will often negate intrinsic motivation. So the kind (and sustainable) thing to do is to help the other person find their own motivation to do a thing, or to make an informed choice about not doing a thing.

While we’re here, let’s consider that little paradox of deadlines, especially those set by others… They do sharpen performance and help bring forth results. Why is that? I wonder if it is simply that a deadline makes time finite? Is it just a way of conning ourselves into believing we have mastery? And anyway, what gets a task finished? Is it the final bit just before the deadline, or is it the lack of pfaffing to the beginning of the bit in the run up to the deadline? I think it is the latter, and that is why I love a deadline – it gets me to begin an activity in a more purposeful way, with much less pfaffing.

And then there’s the To Do list. How do most people tick things off their to do list? They speed through the action of crossing off the completed thing, before lingering long with the all the very many things that are yet to be begun, creating a constant sense of inadequacy.

In the last 18 months I have discovered coworking, and have done it in a variety of settings. I loved it from the start because of the camaraderie and the difference it makes for getting things done – I find it really suits me, although if the sessions are too long, I find myself overly depleted. Some ideas for effective and productive working don’t get incorporated into coworking and there have been aspects of coworking that I find distracting. So, I decided to design and host virtual coworking spaces with the intention to reduce distraction and emotional burnout: I present to you ‘Co Working Tuesdays’, consisting of three, 45 minute, deep work, sessions.

In these sessions we:

• Set intentions in a way that builds intrinsic motivation
• Have three solid, non-pfaff beginnings
• Actively manage our mental and physical energy by skilful use of breaks
• Focus on what things we got done and embody our achievements
• Reflect on what we learned about the difference between intention and achievement

This final point is important. Achieving what you intend is based on two things: accurately setting the intention; and creating the right conditions. These are skills we can only master through the trial and error of experience and more effective application next time we set our intentions for getting a specific a thing done.

Let’s be clear, this is a positive and supportive environment. There is no need to pre-book a session, you just turn up, or not. No need to submit apologies for absence, or to feel any sense of shame or guilt for letting other people down. You can stay for as long or as little as you want – if we’re in session when you arrive, just drop your intentions in the chat and join in. If we’re in session when you leave, drop your achievements in the chat, notice how closely it matches your intention, high five yourself, and just leave. I only work with adults; as far as I am concerned, everyone makes their own choices and how any individual chooses to use their time isn’t really anyone else’s business – there are no sanctions for not completing, just shared celebration of what you did get done.

We don’t speak much during the sessions, instead choosing to use the ‘Contributing with Confidence Community Meet up’ time immediately afterwards to ease into discussions. This is where we can share what we’re up to, ask for advice, feedback, and help, share what we’re working on and generally offer one another moral support. This is also the time you can ask me technical questions.

Come and join us! Anyone who wants to get something done is very welcome