<p>So for all of you who are intrinsically (sp?) motivated to do well in school, what motivates you? What about those who are externally motivated? Question from a person who doesn't see the point of driving so hard anymore.</p>
<p>I'm not sure whether this would be intrinsic or extrinsic but what motivates me is being the first person in my family to go to college and to give my kids a better life then I had.</p>
<p>My parents always told me that the most important thing to them is that I learn, not that I get good grades. But they also emphasized that they do want to see grades that reflect what they know I'm capable of. In other words, if I learn more by spending hours on reading instead of homework, that's okay - but it's not okay if my grade drops to a B when they know I can do A work.</p>
<p>So, basically, earning As gives me the freedom to do whatever I want with the rest of my time. I get a lot more autonomy than my brother does (no rules about "must do your homework before you can go on the Internet", "can't stay up till 2 AM reading", etc.) because my parents trust that my grades won't suffer as a result.</p>
<p>My parents keep telling me that they don't have a lot of money or a business for me to inherit so if I want to maintain my current living standards I'll have to get good grades and go to a respectable college.</p>
<p>Get into good college-->get into good med school-->get into good residency program--->surgeon. Pretty much my thought process when I need motivation.</p>
<p>My parents tell me stories of their Vietnam days during the war...I grew up poor...I go to a rich school and people there push me to strive harder...I want to be able to travel around the world carelessly when I'm older...I want a good life for my children and I want to repay my parents for everything they've done for me....</p>
<p>basically.</p>
<p>I agree with what a lot of others have said. My parents motivate me to do the best I can, I want to give my kids a great life like I've been fortunate enough to have; I wanna be able to travel around the world; I don't want to have to worry about where my next paycheck is coming from.</p>
<p>I had a "friend" who...didn't...try so hard in school. She got kicked out of grad school because she didn't know the chain rule and couldn't expand sin 2A. I'm determined to make sure I know my fundamentals and actually learn what I'm supposed to be learning at any given time. I don't want to end up as behind as she was.</p>
<p>Besides, what's the point of going to school if you're not learning?</p>
<p>The more I know, the more interesting the world becomes. This is what motivates me to study.</p>
<p>I want to be able to say I've done something. I am a someone.</p>
<ol>
<li>Ability to make nice, rich life for family</li>
<li>Curiosity about everything</li>
<li>Competition is fun</li>
</ol>
<p>fizix, how do you get to grad school without knowing the chain rule and basic trig identities? that's what i want to know.</p>
<p>Knowledge == power</p>
<p>Right? :D</p>
<ol>
<li>ASIAN PARENTS!!!</li>
<li>It's fun...right?</li>
<li>I'm a nerd by nature.</li>
<li>I want to get into a good college, learn interesting stuff, get a good job, and get rich.</li>
<li>To be more socially conscious.</li>
<li>To learn something that enhances my Wikipedia-editing capability.</li>
</ol>
<p>
[QUOTE]
fizix, how do you get to grad school without knowing the chain rule and basic trig identities? that's what i want to know.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>Easy. You just study English Literature or something like that.</p>
<p>I'm motivated purely to go to a good college, which in turn only serves my life goal to help the human race (I'm not joking either). Without that goal, I'd have no reason to desire to go to Yale/Princeton or do well in school.</p>
<p>What motivates me to do well in School?</p>
<p>To see what I am capable of....</p>
<p>If you were in Grad school for English or Literature, I would highly doubt they'd kick you out for not knowing derivatives or trig identities...</p>
<ol>
<li>money in the future</li>
<li>more money</li>
<li>a lot of money</li>
</ol>
<p>I could care less about getting rich, so long as life is comfortable. But I want to wake up every morning and look forward to my work.</p>