[billswift]

I think the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is grossly overblown, especially for getting stuff done. You might notice that all of the research (at least all of it I have seen reports of) uses very short term operations, things that can be done in minutes, or hours at the most, to show the contrast. I do not think intrinsic motivation can be maintained without something outside of itself to keep it focused. I don't think it an accident that nearly all advances in knowledge (explicit or process) comes from academia with its obsessive status games or from for-profit businesses with the need to make money.

I have mostly used work to help maintain my focus over the years. While most of my projects were not directly part of my job, I used the requirements of my jobs (and expected jobs) to guide my learning from project to project, for some continuity. Those that were not related to work were a lot more scattershot.

ADDED: Before someone brings up examples of people who weren't currently academics contributing to science, like Einstein writing papers while he was a patent clerk, there is no reason to go through the extra effort to write up results into publishable papers (which is a lot of work) if you are not aiming for something more than the sheer joy of discovery.