Ariely’s TED Talk

“The more effort one puts into their work, the more they love it. The more meaningful the work is, the more they want to continue.”

These ideas observed by Ariely resonate with me as I’ve seen it time and again especially with my coursework in college. Personally, hard work only becomes a chore when I feel as though it might not be acknowledged. I enjoy working hard to achieve a goal especially when I know it is feasible. It’s enjoyable because I know that the harder I work, the better the reward is. However,I’ve also noticed that when I know the work is not going to matter (or is not going to be reviewed) I care much less, especially when the work is not challenging. I tend to put my earphones in and listen to music, not caring if I make any mistakes because there is no gain for myself or for others.

When there is gain for others, my drive to work increases because there’s an even better reward afterwards. This has been shown particularly through my DukeEngage work. In addition to getting feedback from my peers that I work with (and improving my skills in the process), I enthusiastically work knowing that others will receive my work and use it for the benefit of their respective communities.