In order to effectively engage in an activity, you have to care about the activity for its own sake.

If you are working to make money, if you are writing a book to become famous, or if you are blogging because you want attention, then you will not truly squeeze the passion out of that process.

I learned this in 1997 when I entered a web design contest just to win. I lost the competition, but I also wasted my time because I didn't learn any new skills nor did I enjoy what I was doing. In 1998, I re-entered the same competition, but this time with the idea that I was doing it to learn and have a good time. By the time I was finished with my project, I already felt satisfied, and because I was so passionate about the process, I ended up winning the contest anyways.

I think Bob Ryskamp referred to this process as "autotelic," whereby you do the activity for "its own sake." auto = self, telic = teleos end, result, but more like intent.

I came to this idea when I found myself unable to blog. I realized that I was blogging for many other reasons, such as ego, but not for the activity's primary usage: to journal. If I elect "to journal" as the prime motivation, then blogging will come more fluidly.

Is what you are doing, autotelic?