--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The desire to do something because you…" description: "\"The desire to do something because you find it deeply satisfying and personally challenging inspires the highest levels of creativity, whether it's in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/teresa-amabile-24421_art_the-desire-to-do-something-because-you-f_3133491.png" --- # The desire to do something because you find it deeply… ![“The desire to do something because you find it deeply satisfying and personally challenging inspires the highest levels of creativity, whether it's in the arts, sciences, or business.” quote by Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/teresa-amabile-24421_art_the-desire-to-do-something-because-you-f_3133491.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/teresa-amabile-24421_art_the-desire-to-do-something-because-you-f_3133491.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/teresa-amabile-24421_art_the-desire-to-do-something-because-you-f_3133491.png) > “The desire to do something because you find it deeply satisfying and personally challenging inspires the highest levels of creativity, whether it's in the arts, sciences, or business.” [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intrinsic motivation fuels creativity across domains when work feels meaningful and challenging. **In simple terms:** Passion and challenge boost creativity. Key Takeaway Seek meaningful, challenging tasks. Themes motivation creativity intrinsic drive Mood optimistic energetic Type motivational professional When to use this quote - workplace - education - entrepreneurship - artistic projects Key Concepts psychology organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - What tasks make you lose track of time? - How can you embed challenge in routine work? A Different Perspective External rewards can undermine intrinsic drive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [I really like and singing, and songwriting and producing. 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Dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/experience-g-r-a-t-i-t-u-d-e-at-a-deeper-level-give-it-receive-it/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [The sight of the bare katana inspires everyone to a practically Nipponese level of politeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-sight-of-the-bare-katana-inspires-everyone-to-a-practically/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [If you're starting out or trying to get to the next level, surround yourself with people who keep you motivated and energized - people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-famiglietti/if-you-re-starting-out-or-trying-to-get-to-the-next-level-surround/) Anthony Famiglietti > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/if-you-can-t-love-yourself-how-in-the-hell-you-gonna-love-somebody/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [There are really only two ways to teach. 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My peers and colleagues inspire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-chase/i-ve-never-been-motivated-by-money-my-peers-and-colleagues-inspire-me/) [Robin Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-chase/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [If I look at the performance of another friend Sting, whenever I hear him take over a stage and share his art with millions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/if-i-look-at-the-performance-of-another-friend-sting-whenever-i-hear/) [Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/) > [... Arthur Gride, whose bleared eyes gloated only over the outward beauties, and were blind to the spirit which reigned within, evinced - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/arthur-gride-whose-bleared-eyes-gloated-only-over-the-outward/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Teresa Amabile > [Creativity is the generation and initial development of new, useful ideas. Innovation is the successful implementation of those ideas in an organization. Thus, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/creativity-is-the-generation-and-initial-development-of-new-useful/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [Creativity takes a hit when people in a work group compete instead of collaborate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/creativity-takes-a-hit-when-people-in-a-work-group-compete-instead-of/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [To be creative, an idea must also be appropriate—useful and actionable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/to-be-creative-an-idea-must-also-be-appropriate-useful-and-actionable/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [When people believe that every move they make is going to affect their compensation, they tend to get risk averse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/when-people-believe-that-every-move-they-make-is-going-to-affect/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [Most people aren't anywhere near to realizing their creative potential, in part because they're laboring in environments that impede intrinsic motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/most-people-aren-t-anywhere-near-to-realizing-their-creative/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [“If you want to foster great inner work life, focus first on eliminating the obstacles that cause setbacks. Why? Because one setback has more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/if-you-want-to-foster-great-inner-work-life-focus-first-on/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [To be creative, an idea must also be appropriate - useful and actionable. It must somehow influence the way business gets done by improving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/to-be-creative-an-idea-must-also-be-appropriate-useful-and-actionable-2/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [If you facilitate your subordinates' steady progress in meaningful work, make that progress salient to them, and treat them well, they will experience the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/if-you-facilitate-your-subordinates-steady-progress-in-meaningful/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [“But if the testing is decoupled from the programming task, if it is done by someone else, that programmer cannot enjoy an immediate uptick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/but-if-the-testing-is-decoupled-from-the-programming-task-if-it-is/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [People will be most creative when they feel motivated primarily by the interest, enjoyment, satisfaction and challenge of the work itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/people-will-be-most-creative-when-they-feel-motivated-primarily-by/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [The best way to help people to maximize their creative potential is to allow them to do something they love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/the-best-way-to-help-people-to-maximize-their-creative-potential-is/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [One day's happiness often predicts the next day's creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/one-day-s-happiness-often-predicts-the-next-day-s-creativity/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [“key to leveraging the progress principle: giving people meaningful work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/key-to-leveraging-the-progress-principle-giving-people-meaningful-work/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [“In light of our results, managers who say—or secretly believe—that employees work better under pressure, uncertainty, unhappiness, or fear are just plain wrong. Negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/in-light-of-our-results-managers-who-say-or-secretly-believe-that/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) > [The successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-amabile/the-successful-implementation-of-creative-ideas-within-an-organization/) [Teresa Amabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) [Explore all 24 Teresa Amabile quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-amabile/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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