The journey from ‘I have to…’ to ‘I get to…’ contains the secret to lasting intrinsic motivation.

It’s easy to get bogged down by deadlines and other commitments, and to forget to be grateful. It only takes a moment though to stop and recognise one’s good fortune in getting to do what one does, in getting to be a part of something incredibly beautiful, in getting to serve an important purpose!

As Viktor Frankl said in one of my favourite books Man’s Search for Meaning, the one who has a why for life can bear with any how. We just need to keep reminding ourselves why we are doing what we are doing! We just need to make gratitude a daily habit, to be thankful to have the opportunity to do the things we must do! Even if that includes going through participants’ responses again and again for months on end. Even if that includes academic writing.