Making money Quote by Matthew B. Crawford
““...an external reward can affect one's interpretation of one's own motivation, and interpretation that comes to be self-fulfilling. A similar effect may account for the familiar fact that when someone turns his hobby into a business, he often loses pleasure in it. Likewise, an intellectual who pursues an academic career gets professionalized, and this may lead him to stop thinking. This line of reasoning suggests that the kind of appreciative attention where one remains focused on what one is doing can arise only in leisure activities. Such a conclusion would put pleasurable absorption beyond the ken of any activity that is undertaken for the sake of making money, because although money is undoubtedly good, it is not intrinsically so.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Shop Class as Soul, Matthew B. Crawford, 2009
Monetary incentives can distort intrinsic motivation, turning enjoyable leisure into duty and reducing deep engagement.
In simple terms: Money can crowd out true enjoyment of work.
Key Takeaway
Seek activities for their own sake, not for pay.
Themes
motivation
intrinsic value
leisure
work
psychology
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career choice
- hobby turning business
- academic pursuits
- personal projects
Key Concepts
self‑determination theory
crowding‑out effect
flow
Questions to Reflect On
- How does external reward change your view of a task?
- Can you find intrinsic value in paid work?
A Different Perspective
Even with money, some tasks remain unfulfilling if they lack personal meaning.
![“Stripped of the kind of judgments that are at the very heart of the idea of "credit", shot through with bad faith, [the mortgage broker's] work is now predicated on irresponsibility, rooted in the absence of community. Whatever lingering fiduciary consciousness he may have has become a liability…” quote by Matthew B. Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b01/matthew-b-crawford-26537_rest-of-life_stripped-of-the-kind-of-judgments-that-a_1991114.jpg)
