Thursday, April 17, 2008

I Think I'm Getting It

At first, it was about trying to get a dissertation fellowship. Now, it is about the integrity of the methodology and the centrality of the research purpose to my life calling.

Conceptually, the difference between the two can be labeled as extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation.

Metaphorically, the difference is like sweeping up loose hay just to get rid of the mess versus carefully preparing every straw to construct the wings of the very first human aircraft.

The former stresses me out; the latter gives me life.

Isn't the choice rather obvious?

2 comments:

Fajita said...

I have been wrestling with values as it relates ot my work recently.

What has come to mean something to me this week is the privilege it is to get this much education and what my stewardship of this privilege means.

I owe my field excellence.
I owe my clients competence and compassion.
I owe my God my very best work, for this work, whether it is crunching numbers or analying a narrative, this work is my act of worship.

I am here because God expects something of me and is in the process of giving me everything I need in order to accomplish the goal.

Lonely Dissertator-No-More said...

Well said, Chris. (That's emergent for "AMEN!")