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Motivation

Notes

Motivation is the force that initiates and sustains action — but it is not a simple resource to replenish. Its sources, mechanisms, and failure modes differ depending on where it comes from and what it is connected to.

The Role of Meaning

Value and Meaning provides the deepest account of what makes motivation durable. Meaning in work sustains engagement through difficulty in ways that external rewards cannot. When what we do connects to purpose — to what we actually care about — effort becomes self-sustaining. Clear direction matters more than speed: without knowing what we are working toward, more effort is not more progress.

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