Intrinsic motivation refers to behavior that is driven by internal rewards. In other words, the motivation to engage in a behavior arises from within the individual because it is naturally satisfying to you. This contrasts with extrinsic motivation, which involves engaging in a behavior in order to earn external rewards or avoid punishment. Consider for a moment your motivation for reading this book. If you are reading it because you have an interest in Hospitality and HRM and simply want to know more about the topic of motivation, then you are acting based upon intrinsic motivation. If, however, you are reading this because you have to learn the information for a class and avoid getting a bad grade, then you are acting based upon extrinsic motivation. When was the last time you did something simply for the enjoyment of the activity itself? There are a number of activities that fall into this category. For instance, you may plant a garden, paint a picture, play a game, write a story, or read a book. These may or may not produce something or be rewarded in any way. Instead, we do them because we like to, they make us happy.